The Conflict in Kosovo - Essay Example

?KOSOVO DEVELOPMENT BULLETIN PLAN Introduction of Kosovo and background to the war 2. Introduction of development initiatives 3. Critical analysis of initiatives 4. Conclusions 5. Evaluation (Propose other policies) 2,500 – 3000 words 1, 500 words commentary Background: The conflict in Kosovo, an autonomous state located within southern Serbia, was primarily contested between the Albanian Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) and Yugoslav military, headed by the highly controversial figure Slobodan Milosevic. Officially occurring between 1998 and 1999, it is believed that nearly 1 million residents were displaced during this period of time. Promoted by members of NATO as the first ever ‘humanitarian war’, it resonated Western media on a daily basis for many months, with much criticism towards the lack of co-operation from Milosevic, and the actions of NATO themselves. During the 1970s Albanians mainly populated Kosovo and as the Serbian population depleted, tensions arose between the two nationalities. During this time reports emerged of Serbians suffering from ‘physical, political, legal and cultural genocide’ (Serbian Academy of Science and Arts, 1986), which led the left-wing Serbian Communist Party to take revolutionary action, spearheaded by an official at the time, Slobodan Milosevic. By the turn of the decade, Serbian repression towards the Albanian community had led many Albanians to radicalise, and as a result the KLA was formed. At the time of formation, the KLA’s intentions were relatively unknown, however, with a body of almost 700,000 members, the slide towards war had begun. By 1993, both Serbian and Albanian communities began to mobilise themselves with arms, in the wake of deteriorating socio-economic conditions (The Independent International Commission on Kosovo, 2000). Whilst initially branding the KLA as a terrorist organisation, the US and NATO eventually sought out diplomatic relations with the Army, whilst Milosevic dispelled the organisation as violent insurgents. By this point the international community insisted that Serbian and Yugoslav officials be more responsive to Albanian demands within Kosovo, which only intensified the already fragile situation. This sparked a series of attacks from both KLA and Serbian groups, with hundreds of lives being lost throughout the late 90’s. It has been argued that not until 1998 was Kosovo an issue of importance on the International agenda, and perhaps more of an inconvenience. Kosovo was set to be an issue of growing concern from the late 80s onwards, as an authoritarian state was exposed to the pressures of both liberalisation and democratisation. A poor economic climate and growing criminality lead to Serbian nationalist propaganda and the emergence of a radical Albanian insurgence. These conditions helped to give rise to this ‘new war’. Whilst international NGOs regularly monitored the situation, the international community generally ignored the problem of Kosovo, handing political freedom to Milosevic within Yugoslavia, and thus allowing his nationalist upheaval. It could be said there were some key failures on the part of the international community that lead to the conflict within Kosovo. Firstly, a failure to respond adequately early on during the evolution of the conflict caused the situation to intensify in both seriousness and scale. A particular failing was the neglect Kosovo was shown during the Dayton negotiations, where the Albanians felt their right for independence has been ignored. Perhaps if international action had been taking sooner, the situation would have not as escalated as rapidly and as intensely as it did. Secondly, a lack of international presence on the ground from the international community meant small, mobile insurgent groups were left to reap chaos. This issue is of particular importance with regards to human rights, as there was a distinct lack of protection against any violations. Finally, another failure was the lack of international support towards parallel systems, for example the Democratic League of Kosovo (DLK), who offered a peaceful solution during the early stages of the conflict. This led to the belief that violence is a more effective political strategy when compared with a peaceful resolution, and thus had profound implication for post-conflict political culture across the world. Kosovo Development Bulletin Plan Kosovo Profile Kosovo is a republican country which declared its independence on the 17th of February 2008 from the tyranny of Serbia. It is a landlocked region located in the Southeast Europe (CIA, 2011). It has total land area of 10, 887 sq km, which is entirely enclosed by land and mostly of high mountains and plains. Some of the mountain peaks have exceeded 2,000 meters above sea level like the Gjeravica which is considered as the highest peak with 2, 656 meters above sea level. Likewise, the two Great Plains: Dukagjin and Kosova are located in the middle of the country (Institute for Spatial Planning, 2004). The landlocked country is boarded by Serbia to the north and east with a distance of 352 km, Montenegro to the northwest with a distance of 79 km. likewise it borders Albania to the west with a distance of 112 km, and Macedonia to the south with a distance of 159 km (CIA,2011). Kosovo has 37 municipalities wherein the capital city is Pristina. However, it has also other larger cities which include the Prizren, Mitrovica, Peja, Gjakova, Gjilan and Ferizaj (Institute for Spatial Planning, 2004, 10). Base on the July 2011Census of the CIA, the population of the country is estimated about 1,825,632. About 92 % of the population is composed of ethnic Albanians and the other 8% is composed of other ethnic such as Serb, Bosniak, Gorani, Roma, Turk, Ashkali, and Egyptian. The Albanians ethnic in the country are called the Kosovar nationals while the Serbians ethnic are known as the Kosovski national. The official languages of the country are Albanian and Serbian. However, the people of the country also know to speak Bosnian, Turkish and Roma. The country’s major religion includes Muslim, Serbian Orthodox, and Roman Catholic (CIA, 2011). In 2009, it is estimated that the total number of people employed in the country is about 310, 000 wherein 23.6% of them are engaged in agricultural activities. The land distribution of the country is consists of about 53% agricultural land, 39.1% forest land, whereby approximately half (52.3%) is arable land and about one third (31%) are pasture lands (Institute for Spatial Planning, 2004, 10). Perhaps, this is the underlying reason that although the country is rich in mineral resources such as nickel, lead, zinc, magnesium, lignite, kaolin, chrome, and bauxite, agriculture is still their main economic activity (CIA, 2011). As of the latest Census of the CIA in 2009, the country has a high unemployment rate with an estimate of 45% of the entire population. The latest census has also shows that the country has high rate of poverty wherein about 30% of the entire population lives in poverty (CIA, 2011). The Kosovo’s citizens are considered as the “poorest in Europe because their average annual per capita income is only about $ 2, 800” (CIA, Kosovo Economy, 2011, P1). Most of them also live in rural towns outside the country capital. Since, agriculture is the main economic activity in the country; the poor and inefficient system of farming could be attributed to the causation of poverty. According to CIA Report (Kosovo Economy, 2011, P1), the near-subsistence farming is common the “result of small plots, limited mechanization, and lack of technical expertise.” Another factor that has major impediment to the economic development is due to the limited and reliable supply in which the common root causes is the lack of technical and financial resources. Development Challenges of Kosovo The region of Kosovo was considered in this research because of the several identified development challenges it currently faces. This included the slow economy and high rate of unemployment, low level of education and health, poor environment and poor governance and lack of human rights protection. Economy and Employment Kosovo is considered as one of the poorest and least developed countries in Europe (Government Offices of Sweden, 2009). In fact, the research conducted by the Government of Sweden (2009) and ISP (2004) declared that the economy of the country is stagnant and sluggish. Hence, the unemployment rate is extremely high which reaches about 45% (CIA, 2011) due to lack of employment opportunities and basic institutional services (UNKT, 2008). Likewise, in particular, the labour force is commonly composed of young people and women and are more likely dependent on small scale farming (SIDA, 2009, P8). Kosovo has been exporting extracted mineral from the Trepca mines and accounted for 70% of Kosovo GDP in the past or prior to the conflicts. It also exported 40% of the electricity generated in the power plants at Obiliq to Greece and Italy. The conflicts led to displacement of much of the population as many migrated, returned to rural areas, or worked with the informal sector (REC Field Office, 2000). Education System Due to its fragile state and institution brought by the conflict, the country is also facing deficiencies in basic social services including the education systems. It is commonly observed that the education sector of the country have inadequate facilities, system, lack of trained human resources and in general lack of qualified labour (SIDA, 2009). Base on the research conducted by the Institute for Spatial Planning (2004, 16) they have revealed that although the numbers of teachers in Kosovo has increased for the academic year 2002-2003 as compared to the previous years, their numbers is still not enough to cater the growing numbers of students. In fact the ratio of students-teacher was considered imbalanced because the general average ratio was 18.5 students/1 teacher. As revealed from the research, the ratio was broken down as follows: in preschool, the average number of students handled by 1 teacher is 39.2, likewise, 19 students/1 teacher in the primary level, 14.9 students/ 1 teacher in the secondary level and 9 students/ 1 teacher for the special schools. The country has also only one public university (University of Prishtina) which is located in the city capital. The university has also insufficient number of teachers wherein the average ratio of student/teacher is 22:1 for Albanians and 15:1 for other ethnic groups. Due to this, the country has high rate if illiteracy. Health System The health system of the county is also relatively poor and inefficient. Kosovo has widely poor health service system, inadequate sanitation, complete absence of a secondary health facility, limited access for minorities to secondary health care system, lack of information and knowledge of skills in health and illness (UNKT, 2008, 5). Although the country provided three levels of public health services: primary, secondary and third services, however, it is widely known that the country faces medical shortages. The primary health services is provided by 1, 662 doctors distributed in the 26 Main Family Health Care Centers, 122 Family Health Care Centers, and 240ambulantas. Meanwhile, in the secondary health services there were only 567 doctors, 1, 842 nurses and 2, 106 beds which would provide this service for the entire Kosovo. The staffs were deployed in the 5 Regional Hospitals and 2 other Hospitals in Vushtrri and Ferizaj (ISP, 2004). Based on the research conducted by Institute for Spatial Planning (2004, 18) as compared to the other European region, the number of general practitioners in the country is lower wherein the average ratio is 14 doctors for every 10,000 inhabitants. The European health standard has set that in every 10,000 inhabitants there should be 35 doctors. Moreover, the country’s hospital bed capacity is also lower than other European regions. Environmental Challenges The country is also faced with major environmental challenges because of the absence of status – “wherein they has still not signed any of the international conventions such as the Environmental Protection Agency, which primary purpose is to determine the national standards for air quality” (ISP, 2004, 21). One of the major contributor/source of pollution in the country comes from the power production centre. The Kosova A and the Kosova B are dirt-producing coal-fired power stations. Both stations release great quantities of polluted gases and dust in the atmosphere which depleted their air quality (ISP, 2004 & SIDA, 2009). The limited water resources of the country is also relatively critical due to high population density, residential density, growth of urban centres, natural increase of population, and excessive demand of water by the economic sector. The excessive extraction/ quarrying of sand and gravel in the riverbeds, sewage and garbage also attributed to the causation of the pollution of the water (ISP, 2004 & SIDA, 2009). In addition, Kosovo is also experiencing the global solid waste management, low development of water supply, as well as sanitation system. Being still politically unstable, there also lacked monitoring networks for air and water, implementation and enforcement of environmental legislation, and general ignorance of the public about environmental issues (REC Field Office, 2000). The plains have fertile soils but the municipalities have open coal pits, disposal of soot, slag, barren soil, heavy metals, waste water discharges, among other forms of pollution including leakages to ground water (REC Field Office, 2000). 2. Development Initiatives In 2003, economists have predicted that Kosovo’s chances of survival depended on its previously unexplored mineral reserves, its power industry as well as its agriculture sector. At this time, it had two thermal power plants that was then expected to provide for its domestic power needs although it needed technological and staff skills upgrading. It had also been expected to export electric energy but instead, imported them. The challenges to development as already mentioned earlier include organised crime, high unemployment and the so-called black economy (Adnkronos International, 2003). Severe economic crisis has been traced to lack of competitiveness against the international environment as well as economic sanctions on the FR Yugoslavia that led to dysfunctional institutions, unemployment, and growth of informal economy which many depended on (REC Field Office, 2000). By 2005, Kosovo already showed promising economic developments though the help of foreign assistance pegged at €4.1 billion and private inflows at €2.4 billion in 2000-03 (See Appendix C for more information). This made the economy fragile and vulnerable as this led to dependence on said resources. GDP was propped up by said sources up to 50%. In addition, donor-funded projects, expatriates and peacekeeping groups created an artificial export market as they hired local employees and purchased goods equivalent to about 20% of the GDP. Private inflow from workers’ remittances pegged at the remaining 30% was also considered un-stable (Moalla-Fetini, 2005). It was suggested that some 550 million Deutsche Marks or €275 million were the remittances of Kosovo workers overseas in 2000, about 17.5% of the then 2000 GDP. This has been predicted to reach about €535.8 million by 2008. It was noted that remittances from overseas workers were spent mainly for consumption and luxury goods; that only a small percentage was used for education purposes; that from this remittances, investment remained lower than expected; that migrant workers were bent on integrating with their host country but with a notable result that remittances used for start-up business had been twelve-fold higher than from international development agencies as exhibited in Appendix A (Haxhikadrija, 2009). In addition to remittances, personal visits of workers in foreign lands to Kosovo add up to the economic development of the country (Appendix B). In order to sustain much needed economic development, it was important that authorities and donor community combine their efforts. Political leaders and governance require strong policies for macroeconomic stability, a fast reform for the public enterprise sector, and increased market reform (Haxhikadrija, 2009). The employment sector records one adult out of three as employed, while there is about 30,000 new job seekers annually. Added to lack of employment opportunities, the continuing erosion of education and training make the Kosovo people less appropriate to contribute to the economy. Public utilities and infrastructure have also been seen to drag competitiveness as well as investment profitability. In a recent United Nations Development Program (UNDP) cooperation with the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce conference, the various sector that are ready for investment in Kosovo are agriculture, construction, processing-production, tourism, service providers, ICT, waste collection, infrastructure and transportation. It was said to be importing in these sectors up to 90% (UNDP, 2011). Other efforts of development objectives are reduction of poverty achieved through sustainable economic development through investment that will create opportunities for employment. The conference endorsed to the private sector a more active role to identify investment opportunities as well as implantable projects as the Turkey textile production sector have proved to be profitable although challenging. 3 Critical Analysis of Initiatives 542 words Analysis of the development initiatives commences after the enumeration of the steps and measures undertaken by all those involved in Kosovo – society, development, people, governance, investors, expatriates, project teams, and all others who are in and outside of Kosovo but involved, nevertheless. Already, various international agencies, emigrants, expatriates, and the people of Kosovo were seen to have started to pick-up from the recent conflicts that devastated the area. The initiatives of the United Nations as well as the various international agencies involved at rehabilitating the region had been considered as critical due to the political strife that still threatens the new nation. A balance against Yugoslavia causes and efforts should be highly considered in order not to provoke attacks. But the current situation of Kosovo cannot be ignored especially by the European Union. Foreign investment is one major goal of many developing economies although it has been quite difficult to sustain due to the integration of global economies as Europeans, Asians, and Americans now compete against countries like China or India for goods and services. The sustained costs of labour as well as the equalizing impact of shared knowledge economies have started to rock western countries as mentioned Asians have substantially impacted on highly developed and previously stable economies. This has affected least competitive countries like Kosovo. Its integration to the European Union should be worked fast in order for it to gain support from other established EU countries like Germany, Netherlands, and Luxemburg. However, internal development should also be exerted on the part of the Kosovo people. As mentioned earlier, competitive education, skills and training must become available first to the people. In addition, they need to make the country viable for investment by improving their governance, regulations, infrastructure, and delivery of basic services to convince investors of the country’s viability. Specifically, the group has chosen Kosovo and the various development issues of poverty and environment due to: Need for immediate plans and actions to mitigate deterioration of social and economic situation of the newly establishing country/province; Provide focus for development plans that shall not be limited to foreign and private investments but also to social issues such as health, education, and environment; Initiate possible cooperation from outside sources such as from emigrants with the Kosovo people to develop grassroots initiatives; Determine most appropriate steps towards achievement of social, political, and economic developments without incurring too much debt and debt interest rates from foreign capitalists and investors; Develop sustainable means for education and social growth without much encroachment of foreign investors and debtors to avoid exploitation of natural, environmental, as well as people resources. All of these issues and processes are needed in order for Kosovo to move positively forward without experiencing much of the difficulties that developing nations before them have acquired throughout the years for succumbing to too much foreign intervention and dictation. All of the usual help and assistance extended are economic in nature in the guise of social development. Many countries especially the hapless ones instead become victims of experimentation by large global corporations without regard to the people and environment. It should be hoped, too, that leaders of Kosovo will be discerning enough prior to plunging Kosovo to an unknown fate. 4 Conclusions The problems of poverty continue growing and affecting larger numbers of populations globally. Concentration of money within the hands of only a few remains a global plague that will not undo the damages already sowed on many parts of the world, including Kosovo. As mentioned earlier, economic competition have become globalised and institutionalised that lead policy-makers, experts, and leaders focus on it without much regard for humanitarian cause and effects. Every grant, investment and extension of help to needy countries today must be equated to ROI or return of investment in whatever manner that investors find to benefit them as can be glimpsed from the discussion and analysis. While governments are seen to be focused on short-term goals, long-term goals of international agencies focus on bigger returns even if it meant submerging many poor nations into debt and debt interests, the poor be damned to eternity. 5 Evaluation (Propose other policies) Economic development has always been the focus of all governments and international organizations. It has served as the basis for all forms of interaction so that non-tangible matters are all relegated as secondary, if ever considered as existing at all. It is about time that governments focus on distributing useless, oppressively gargantuan wealth hoarded and concentrated in the hands of a few by extending help as help without economic strings attached. EU and the UN members should pool their extra resources to identify and finance social needs of countries to make the people become healthy, skilled, and useful global citizens instead on focusing on ROIs. Reference: Adnkronos International, 2003. Kosovo: Natural resources key to the future, say experts. GMC Group. Accessed from http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Business/?id=1.0.1683003038 Central Intelligence Agency (2011) “The World Factbook : Kosovo” US. Publication available at https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kv.html Government Offices of Sweden (2009). “Strategy for Development Cooperation with Kosovo. PDF. pp.1-20. Institute for Spatial Planning (2004). “Kosovo Profile: Kosovo Spatial Development (Working Document).” pp. 1-47 Haxhikadrija, Amir. 2009. Diaspora as a Driving Force for Development in Kosovo: Myth or Reality? Forum for Democratic Initiatives. Swiss Cooperative Office Kosovo. Moalla-Fetini, Rakia , Heikki Hatanpaa, Shehadah Hussein, and Natalia Koliadina (2005). KOSOVO: Gearing Policies Toward Growth and Development. International Monetary Fund. Regional Environmental Center (REC).. 2000. Strategic Environmental Analysis of Kosovo. SIDA. Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (2009). “Kosovo chisels out its future in Europe.” Article available at http://www.sida.se/English/Countries-and-regions/Europe/Kosovo/Developments-in-Kosovo/ United Nations Development Program (UNDP). 2011. Investments Key for Kosovo Sustainable Economic Development and Poverty Reduction. December 8. Accessed from http://www.kosovo.undp.org/?cid=2,26,1086 Appendix: A: Source: Haxhikadrija, 2009, 8. Source: Haxhikadrija, 2009, 12. C: Source: Moalla-Fetini, 2005, 6. Read More