OMBUDSPERSON DOUBTS RECONSTRUCTION OF HOUSES IN VUSHTRI/VUCITRN WILL BE COMPLETED BY DEADLINE AS PROMISED BY KOSOVO GOVERNMENT

21/01/2004

In the latest in a series of meetings, the Ombudsperson of Kosovo, Marek Antoni Nowicki met with Ashkali representatives still housed in the French KFOR camp located in Novo Selo to discuss possible solutions for them to re-establish their lives outside.

68 Ashkalis belonging to 17 families still remain inside the French military base nearly 4 months after they were forced to flee their destroyed homes in Vushtri/Vucitrn.

One option under consideration is the placement– on a voluntary and interim basis– of the 17 families remaining in the camp, into the motel Vicianum in Vustri/Vucitrn or any other available location until their homes are reconstructed.

On Monday, July 5, the Ombudsperson, together with three Ashkali representatives of the community, visited the 63 destroyed households located in the center of Vushtri/Vucitrn including the two (2) small dwellings recently renovated by the Kosovo Government.

“The scale and number of the destroyed houses does not, in my estimation, make it realistic that the Kosovo Government will reconstruct these homes by the promised deadline,” said Marek Antoni Nowicki.

“If it does happen, it will take much more time and require a significantly larger sum from the Kosovo Budget.”

Under these circumstances, the Ombudsperson recommends that the authorities should consider a number of other possible solutions for the Ashkali community living in the French military base, taking into account, the free will of the Ashkali community, their need of substantial assistance and their right to a free and undisturbed life throughout Kosovo.

“Soon it will be four months these Ashkali families spent in the military base. Even if French KFOR gives any effort to help these people with their needs, the military camp is not a home to these families,” says the Ombudsperson.