U.S. Department of State
Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM)
KOSOVO HUMANITARIAN SITUATION UPDATE
April 2, 1999
Situation Report 3 - April 2, 1999
Key Facts and New Developments
The systematic expulsion of Kosovo Albanians continues. Seven trains crammed with
thousands of Kosovo Albanians have arrived at the Macedonia border over the past three
days.
Over 60,000l new refugees arrived in neighboring countries during the last 24 hours: 40,000
in Macedonia, bringing the total there to 86,00020,000 in Albania bringing the
total there to over 138,000. More than 230,000 refugees have been forced
from Kosovo into neighboring countries during the last 9 days. This brings the total of
refugees and internally displaced to almost 690,000 since March 1998 (see attached
chart).
A massive international response is underway to address the refugee crisis. UNHCR and
other international and non-governmental agencies are at the border areas setting up
collective centers for new arrivals, finding host family and other accommodation,
distributing food, blankets, water and providing shelter materials.
The United States has provided $141 million for humanitarian assistance for the
region. The U.S. is also providing in-kind assistance (see attached charts).
The President is meeting meet with U.S. and international non-governmental
organizations at the White House this morning to discuss the relief effort.
Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott will lead an inter-agency delegation to
Albania, Macedonia and other countries in the region to underscore U.S. commitment to
providing the assistance needed to address the crisis. The delegation leaves Washington
today.
A second Disaster Assistance Response Team of State Department and USAID officials
arrived yesterday in Albania to assess the emergency response plans and requirements in
order to meet the urgent humanitarian needs. There is already a team in Macedonia.
The Department of Defense is sending consignments of Humanitarian Daily Rations (HDRs)
to the region.
Members of the OSCE Kosovo Verification Mission staff are scheduled to arrive in
Albania today to help with humanitarian efforts.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Mrs. Ogata called today for the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia to bring an immediate halt to the wholesale expulsion of Kosovo Albanians and
for massive international support to meet the growing needs of the refugees. She warned
that the relief operation was on the verge of being overwhelmed. Mrs. Ogata will visit
Italy, Albania and Macedonia April 7-9.
At an meeting in Bonn of the EU countries yesterday, UN High Commissioner Ogata
highlighted the need for temporary protection for the refugees and sustained assistance.
She said a donor alert would be launched April 2. European countries pledged their
support.
Other donor countries are mobilizing financial and in-kind assistance.
Background
Serb offensives in late December caused displacements of several thousand people. These
displacements continued in January, and February. Following the beginning of the
Rambouillet talks in late February, the humanitarian situation continued to deteriorate
due to ongoing clashes between Government security forces and the Kosovo Liberation Army.
Following the breakdown of the talks and the withdrawal of the Organization for Security
and Cooperation Kosovo Verification Mission on March 20, conflict between the two sides
intensified. By the time NATO airstrikes began on March 24, tens of thousands of Kosovo
Albanians were already fleeing heavy fighting throughout Kosovo.
Current Situation
The humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate. Serb forces have dramatically
increased the tempo of their attacks against ethnic Albanian citizens and destruction of
their homes and workplaces throughout most of Kosovo and have begun a systematic expulsion
of Kosovo Albanians from Pristina, Urosevac, and Podujevo by trains, buses and trucks.
According to latest estimates, over 230,000 Kosovo Albanians have become
refugees or displaced over the last week, bringing the total number of refugees and
internally displaced since March 1998 to almost 690,000.138,500 people have crossed
into Albania, 55,000 into Montenegro, and 86,000 into Macedonia. The number of
internally displaced in the Kosovo countryside is believed to be in the hundreds of
thousands.
A massive international relief effort is up and running. UNHCR, the lead international
refugee agency, is coordinating emergency relief operations to provide assistance to the
refugees in the countries in the region. UNHCR has identified priority needs as shelter,
transport and medical assistance. The World Food Program has pre-positioned food in
Albania adequate to support up to 100,000 persons for one month. The U.S., through the
Food for Peace Program, and other donors are directing further shipments to Albania and
Macedonia on an urgent basis. Other international organizations, including the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and non-governmental organizations are
also engaged in the relief effort.
President Clinton authorized an additional $50 million on March 31 to help
address the urgent humanitarian needs of Kosovo Albanian refugees. Since the crisis began
in early 1998, the United States has committed $141 million in humanitarian
assistance for the region as well as in-kind assistance.
State Department Assistant Secretary for Population, Refugees, and Migration Julia Taft
is leading a comprehensive USG interagency response to the humanitarian crisis. The USG is
working closely
Kosovo Refugee/IDP Summary Sheet |
source: UNHCR |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
as of
4/2, 0415 est |
| |
|
|
NEW |
|
| |
|
|
ARRIVALS |
TOTAL
|
| |
|
3/98 - 3/24/99 |
since
3/24 |
|
| IDPs |
Kosovo |
260,000 |
|
/1 |
260,000 |
| in FRY |
Montenegro |
25,000 |
30,000 |
|
55,000 |
| |
Serbia |
30,000 |
- |
|
30,000 |
| |
|
315,000 |
30,000 |
/1 |
345,000 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| Refugees |
Albania |
18,500 |
120,000 |
|
138,500 |
| |
Bosnia |
10,000 |
7,400 |
|
17,400 |
| |
Bulgaria |
- |
- |
|
- |
| |
Croatia |
- |
330 |
|
330 |
| |
"Europe" |
100,000 |
- |
|
100,000 |
| |
Greece |
- |
- |
|
- |
| |
Hungary |
- |
- |
|
- |
| |
Italy |
- |
- |
|
- |
| |
Macedonia |
16,000 |
70,000 |
|
86,000 |
| |
Romania |
- |
- |
|
- |
| |
Slovenia |
- |
- |
|
- |
| |
Turkey |
- |
2,600 |
|
2,600 |
| |
|
144,500 |
200,330 |
|
344,830 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| TOTAL |
|
459,500 |
230,330 |
/1 |
689,830 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Document compiled by Dr S D Stein