Regional: Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Kosovo
 

*All numbers are estimates from UNHCR Headquarters.

Albania

• UNHCR headquarters estimates that there are 433,000 refugees in Albania. Nineteen refugees entered the country from Kosovo on May 17.
• The Government of Albania (GOA) Emergency Management Group (EMG) estimates that 91,548 refugees are located in Albania's northern Districts. On May 17, a total of 2,074 refugees were transferred from Kukes Prefecture to central and southern Albania.
• The EMG reports that 122,401 refugees are accommodated in 23 tent camps and 78 collective centers throughout Albania. The EMG estimates that 25-35 percent of the refugee population is housed in tent camps and collective centers, with the remainder residing in host families.
• The EMG reports that 40 tent camps and 54 collection centers are under construction, or are soon to be constructed. The EMG estimates that by May 23, new camp and center construction will accommodate an additional 24,700 refugees.
• As of 11:00 a.m. local time on May 17, a total of 1,425 refugees were registered at Camp Hope. 328 refugees entered Camp Hope on May 17, with most of the new arrivals coming from the Kukes area and smaller numbers from Shkoder, Berat and Muscove.
• The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) estimates that the construction completion date for Camp Hope is June 1. The total capacity for Camp Hope will be for 20,000 people.
• The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) reports artillery fire from Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) forces at Padesh and Zogaj, Tropoje District and at Dobruna and Pogaj in Has District. The OSCE has advised humanitarian aid workers to avoid the border areas of Morini and Golaj after dark because of insecurity.
• To increase coordination of humanitarian relief, the EMG will establish sub-office in each Prefecture. All relief agencies will coordinate their activities through the EMG offices. UNHCR has requested that relief organizations also coordinate activities through UNHCR's seven field offices.
• The World Food Program (WFP) reports that the EMG has requested that UNHCR produce a standard contract for managing refugee camps outlining roles and responsibilities—especially those pertaining to security.
• WFP reports that the installation of the moveable bakery in Fier has been delayed due to contracting problems. The bakery unit, as well as the rubbhall in which it will be stored, are already in Fier.

Macedonia

• UNHCR headquarters estimates that there are currently 226,500 refugees in Macedonia, 235 arrived on May 17 of which 85 came through unofficial crossings at Straza and Lojane and 150 through the immigration control at Tabanovce. 1,168 refugees were transferred by air to third countries on May 17. UNHCR reports that 76,100 refugees are living in camps and transit centers and 120,432 refugees are living with host families (registered by the Macedonian Red Cross). UNHCR reports government estimates that 30,000 unregistered refugees are living elsewhere in Macedonia.
• UNHCR reports that more than 51,000 Kosovar refugees have been evacuated to 27 countries under the Humanitarian Evacuation Program. UNHCR has received offers from 39 countries to receive 135,000 refugees. 
• The International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reports that distribution of food and non-food items through the Macedonian Red Cross to 5,800 Macedonia "category one" social cases (mentally handicapped and those unable to work) are in progress. These distributions are to be expanded to other categories in June, to reach as many as 60-65,000 people.
• UNHCR reports that as many as 1,000 Kosovar refugees have arrived by train on May 18 and were allowed to disembark and proceed to no-man's-land between Serbia and Macedonia. These refugees have not yet been processed into Macedonia.
• DOD reports that a total of 2,905 refugees have arrived in the U.S. to date. Of this total, 2,623 refugees are at Fort Dix, New Jersey, and 282 refugees have arrived at JFK airport in New York and were placed with prearranged sponsors. An additional 450 refugees are scheduled to arrive at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey on May 19. 
• UNHCR and the Catholic Relief Service (CRS) report that an increased number of ethnic Albanians with Macedonian citizenship have been hired as police at the Stankovac I Camp. Ethnic Albanian police now make up 10 percent of the officers in each shift.
• According to UNHCR, the Cegrane camp has available shelter for 10,000 additional refugees, bringing the total camp capacity to 50,000.
• OXFAM reports that the water supply continues to improve at the Cegrane camp. From May 9 to May 15, OXFAM reported an increase in water capacity from 290 cubic meters/day to over 400 cubic meters/day.
• The sanitation situation at the Cegrane camp remains poor. Currently, the latrine ratio is 1 per 120 people. Despite this, no major health problems have been reported.

** Some refugees were moved to third countries by the GOM w/o UNHCR/IOM involvement: 10,000 to Albania, 5,500 to Greece, 2,243 to Turkey, and 88 to Croatia. (Source: UNHCR/Geneva)

• UNHCR headquarters estimates that there are 63,300 refugees in Montenegro. UNHCR reported no refugee arrivals or departures on May 16 and 17.
• WFP reports that on May 16 two WFP and two ICRC international staff were stopped and held at gunpoint by military reservists near Podgorica. On May 15 a Medicines sans Frontiers (MSF) truck was confiscated by troops, and MSF staff were threatened with arrest. WFP also reports that UNHCR staff in Ulcinj have noted an increase in the presence of army personnel between Ulcinj and the port of Bar.
• WFP reports that UNHCR is planning to provide free transport from Rozaje to Ulcinj for IDPs who can not afford the cost of travel. The increased presence both of army personnel and Montenegrin special police are reportedly contributing to a growing sense of insecurity on the part of IDPs in Rozaje.
• WFP reports that it has worked out a plan with the Ministry of Social Welfare for the release and distribution of 4,730 Title II commodities currently stored in Bar. These commodities have been donated by the U.S. Government (USG) to the Montenegrin Government for distribution to needy Montenegrins. Delivery is to begin today and will continue for three weeks. The Ministry of Social Welfare will provide WFP the lists of beneficiaries and the dates of distribution for the purposes of monitoring and reporting.

Region

• The Department of State (State) reports that ICRC has re-entered Kosovo. An exploratory mission, which included two truckloads of relief supplies, arrived in Pristina.

Commodities

• No new information.

Financial Support

• To date the USG has provided over $190 million in response to the Kosovo crisis, beginning in March 1998. 

USAID/BHR	$92,119,320
State/PRM	$59,779,500
DOD	$45,281,000
TOTAL	$197,179,820

Background:

• In late February 1998, following an unprecedented series of clashes in Kosovo between Serbian police forces and members of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), Serbian police raided villages in Kosovo's Drenica region, a KLA stronghold. The police reportedly burned homes and killed dozens of ethnic Albanians in these raids. Thousands of ethnic Albanians in Pristina protested Serb police actions, and were subsequently attacked by the police with tear gas, water cannons, and clubs.
• As a result of the fighting, thousands of Kosovar Albanians were displaced from their homes, many taking refuge with host families, while a smaller proportion (several thousand) took to the hills and forests.

Public Donation Information:

• In the interest of effective coordination of such public response, we encourage concerned citizens to provide monetary donations to appropriate organizations. USAID encourages the public to contact directly those private voluntary organizations (PVOs) currently working in the region to provide monetary donations. A list of those PVOs may be obtained from the USAID website at www.info.usaid.gov. The list is composed of PVOs that are registered with USAID and/or listed by InterAction, a coalition of voluntary humanitarian and development organizations that work overseas; InterAction can be contacted at 1-818-502-4288, or via the Internet at www.interaction.org. Those interested in providing specific technical relief services or commodities should contact Volunteers in Technical Assistance's (VITA) Disaster Information Center for information and guidelines (703) 276-1914.
• For more information, please contact the public donations hotline at 1-800-USAID-RELIEF, which is staffed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week. On May 17, 124 calls were made to the public donation hotline. Since April 6, a total of 48,354 calls have been received by the hotline.
• Past USAID/OFDA Factsheets can be obtained from the USAID web site at the following URL: http://www.info.usaid.gov/ofda/situation.html.