I BULLETIN
RETURN TO HOMELAND
(relevant data from august 2000 till june 2002)

The association “Sveti Spas” began to conduct immediate return related activities in September 2000, supporting the wishes of people to go back to their homes. This activity, which involves visits to locations, so called “go-and-see visits” and various meetings and contacts with those interested, has been ongoing to date. This includes those who have already visited their homes, as well as those who still haven't but desire to.

Thanks to the association's coordination with all relevant institutions, up to the present day 193 persons visited their homes in the area of Sredska – Prizren region (Gornje selo, Mushnikovo, Bogoshevce, Sredska, Drajcice, Planjane, Lokvica). In the year 2000 sixty-six persons participated in the visits, in 2001 there were 55 participants and in the first six months of 2002 seventy-two people were involved in the visits. Graph 1.

Graph 1.

The village of Sredska (56 visitors) was, for example, visited three times by 49 persons in 2002, and once in 2002 by 7 IDPs. In 2001 visits to this village were not allowed.

Graph 1 clearly shows that, due to the engagement of UNHCR, KFOR and great contribution of DRC, the visits of IDPs to their homes and relatives in Kosovo and Metohija in 2002, differ from the previous visits. Progress has been achieved regarding the number of visitors that has been increased in the last six months and is bigger than in the previous years (visits for 60 persons were financed by DRC). Other positive improvement is that the visits that used to last for two or three hours, now last two or three days. IDPs sleep in their homes or stay with their relatives.

Graph 2

IDPs spend a great deal of time cleaning and doing small repairs on their houses, with the intention to spend this summer in them and soon move back in for good. Some of them stay in their villages for up to two weeks.
The connection with the homeland is re-established.

"Go-and-see-visits" have, by all means, greatly contributed to this, maintaining continuous contact with relatives, neighbours and friends that remained in Kosovo and Metohija. The visits slowly recover trust among the ethic communities and create conditions for the quicker and safer return. Trust in the fellow-countrymen is regained; trust in the international community has existed from the first day. All conditions are fulfilled for the implementation of the next step, return to homeland.

The realisation of project supported by: