NGO ROLE IN THE CRISIS IN MACEDONIA 

The Humanitarian Aid and the Crisis

Saso Klekovski

The non-governmental (civic) organizations have had significant activities during the crisis in Macedonia. Those activities were multi-directional: humanitarian aid, the multicultural cooperation support, non-violent ways of solving the conflicts, as well as civic participation in the decision-making processes. In two series, we are going to make a review and assessment of the NGOs’ involvement in those activities. The first part reflects upon the humanitarian aid.

The humanitarian conditions in Macedonia

The have been immediate consequences from the violence. Primarily, those were displaced and exiled people who need shelter and humanitarian aid. The number of displaced people was the biggest in the month of August, amounting about 120,000 people, that is, 75,000 in the country and 45,000 abroad, and until December it decreased to 26,000 people, 14, 000 of which were displaced in the country. Those were communities such as Vratnica and Lipkovo, which, due to the conflicts had limited movement and disabled distribution, as well as communities where the old chronic problems were emphasized again, for instance, the water supply in Kumanovo and Tetovo. Those were also communities where the damages have been done to the houses, the infrastructure and the agriculture. About 5,200 houses have been damaged, half of them in the area of Kumanovo and the remaining half in the areas of Skopje and Tetovo.

NGO humanitarian response

NGOs and the agencies related to the UN and the Red Cross and Crescent Movement provided the greatest part of the response.

The national NGOs were probably the key-distributors of humanitarian aid to the regions of crisis, especially to those with limited access. (chart 1)

Chart 1. Aid from national NGOs, June – December (source: NGO humanitarian coordination)
NGO/mun.  Amo./Price  Kumanovo    Tetovo      Skopje      Others           Total
MCIC                    78/2           130/16           88/21         26/8          21/10          343/57
El hilal                                      411/177       118/49         99/41        10/4            638/2711
Other NGOs                            331/18                              80/36                            411/54
Total                  78/2         872/211     206/70     205/85      31/14      1392/382


These data refer to tons of food/thousands of items hygienic products. The figures are given by municipalities (only a part of the villages has been included). Other NGOs are: Natira, Mother Teresa, Jeta, Merhamet, Klasje na dobrinata, SAZM, Flora.

Chart 2. The overall aid in food   
Agency                     Total (tones)
National NGOs                  1,392         
Intersos                            2,192          
AAH                                  1,127         
MPDL                                  413            
WFP/UNHCR                      416            
ICRC                                 4,326          
                                          9,866         

During the conflicts and in the moments of (mis)use or limiting the humanitarian aid in July 2001, the national NGOs sent this message: “Let us support the peace with humanitarian aid”, defending the humanitarian aid’s right to approach and objectiveness. In the first two months, the aid for the displaced people in the families was completely provided by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and it was further provided by three agencies (Intersos, Italy; MPDL, Spain; Action Against Hunger-AAH, France) receiving support from the European Commission Humanitarian Office (ECHO). The World Food Program (WFD) and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) provided humanitarian aid for the returnees.

The Government took care of about 3,000 displaced people at the collective centers (budget facilities) and it was also in charge of the short and long-term water supply in Kumanovo and Tetovo. The aid for reparation and reconstruction of conflict damages, with some rare exceptions (such as the field sanitation in Aracinovo) comes from the foreign agencies and the NGOs. In the year 2001, about 80% of the damaged houses have been repaired. The reparation of 1st and 2nd category (small) damages was done by the MCIC and two agencies financed by the UNHCR and other agencies financed by the German, Danish and other governments, and the reparation of the 3rd and 4th category damages (significant damages and destroyed houses) was done by several agencies, among which the International Management Group, European Perspectives and others, supported by the EU and USAID, THE Dutch, Greek and other governments. Several NGOs provide cattle food and other aid.

Questions and dilemmas concerning the humanitarian aid

In the public and among the NGOs themselves several questions and dilemmas were raised concerning the humanitarian aid.

1. Was the humanitarian aid sufficient?

In the public and in the media (especially those in Macedonian language) it was often emphasized that the aid was insufficient, particularly when compared to the aid provided during the Kosovo crisis. Probably, it is difficult to assess the amount of aid that would be sufficient, however, according to certain standards we can conclude that the aid for the displaced people has been appropriate. Most of the negative reactions arrived in the first 24 hours of the displacement due to the problems about facilitating/accepting the displaced. The reconstruction illustrates the sufficiency of that aid. Greatest part of the damaged houses in Macedonia belong to the first and the second category (small) damages and they have already been reconstructed. For comparison, such houses in Kosovo were left for the families to repair them themselves. The fact that might have caused the feeling of difference is the moral as well as the political support and care. During the Kosovo crisis there was a black and white picture for the condition and thus the moral support from the international community was quite clear and obvious and it was expressed through the visits of many important leaders and famous people. In this conflict, the international community was giving some contradictory signals, so there was confusion about who were the good and who were the bad people. There was also a lack of moral support. Unfortunately, the national leadership, too, did not offer moral support, which caused frustrations and feelings of desertedness.

The first unsuccessful aid for Lipkovo
On 11 May 2001 MCIC together with El Hilal, set off with humanitarian aid for the villages in the Lipkovo region. MCIC declared the aid in UNHCR and Macedonian authorities. It consisted of products for children. El Hilal had some medicaments, too. El Hilal was returned back by the security forces and MCIC gave up from security reasons. The problem escalated with the interpretation of the event in the media. “Humanitarian activities, smuggling or aiding the terrorists? El Hilal with bigger amount of medicaments than declared”, “The approval from the security forces abused by El hilal” or “The medicaments shipment 50 times bigger”, these were some of the headlines. The other side gave as good as it get and displayed the event as a “ban for humanitarian aid”. Both sides are familiar with the fact that the International Committee of the Red Cross delivers medicaments to the endangered regions. The amount of medicaments was minimal (boot of Lada Niva), but El hilal’s mistake in the specification (mixed amounts, packs and boxes) developed into a condition, which mutually demonizes the other side.
 

2. Was there any limitation of the right to approach the humanitarian aid?

One of the usual fears is that humanitarian aid will be misused by the war factors for their own benefits or for selling in order to finance the war. Last summer the international community threatened that that they will stop the overall aid, explaining that the government will misuse it to provide weapons. On the other hand, in Lipkovo and Shipkovica, and to some extent in Aracinovo, the authorities, and in Vratnica and Tearce, the so-called NLA, were limiting the citizens’ approach to the basic human needs, such as water, electricity, or humanitarian aid. They were led by the same logic as the international community-humanitarian aid might be taken from the people and used by the “other” side in the conflict. There might be a risk here. The government, thanks to the international aid, could have saved for another tank or helicopter. Some of the medicaments for Lipkovo could have been taken and used by the so-called NLA. The wrong aid can partly damage the peace. But it is better to have the wrong aid than not have any aid at all.

3. Was the humanitarian aid distributed impartially and according to the needs?

The media in Macedonian as well as those in Albanian, and thus  the public, claim that the aid was partial, for the other side. Both claim that the other side was being aided. That will be proved by the governmental support to the collective centers facilitating only ethnic Macedonians or Serbs or by agencies or organizations with Muslim origin, which support only ethnic Albanians,

The aid is often provided in accordance with the divisions in the society. Some of the NGOs, although they were organized as Roma, Muslim or Christian and were directed to serve their communities, have also served the others living in the areas of their operation. Some agencies, which canalized their aid through the local NGOs, directed it exclusively towards the group identified by that NGO: a Roma NGO for the Roma people and so on. For example, an UN agency has distributed information materials about risks from mines. This agency gave the materials in Albanian to El Hilal and those in Macedonian to the MCIC. It supports the opinion that El Hilal is Albanian and the MCIC Macedonian organization. In this case, the humanitarian aid enhanced the division.

On the other hand, the NGOs missed the opportunity or failed to emphasize enough their mutual cooperation. The examples are the humanitarian coordination or the cooperation in the Kumanovo-Lipkovo region, where it was demonstrated that what is going on is our concern and that we can aid each other in times of trouble.

4. Was the humanitarian aid misused for supporting (para) military formations?

This is a question related to the right of aid and impartiality. Out of that context is the question whether the NGOs, especially the national, which are not so experienced, have done everything to exclude even the slightest doubts. What could have been, and was not done, is to avoid aid that can be misused for military purposes. For example, instead of medicaments, baby food could have been provided.

5. What did the humanitarian aid achieve?

The humanitarian aid realized its essential goal-it reduced the human suffering. As much as possible, the humanitarian aid reached all the people who needed it. There was a lack of what humanitarian aid cannot provide: security and protection as well as moral support and care from the leaders, international and national. “It is a logical and moral mistake to conclude that since the aid can do damage, the decision not to provide aid isn’t going to do damage. In the reality, the decision not to provide aid for people in need would have some great negative consequences” – says Mary B. Anderson in her book “Do no harm.”

The mistrust and the fear strengthened by the violence, anarchy, exiles and the military propaganda contributed to the demonizing and dehumanizing the “others”. It is hard to believe that the opposed sides will fully accept the humanitarian principle that the victims on each side of the conflict have equal rights to aid. That led to the periodical limitation of the right of humanitarian aid and partiality. The aid to those who needed it was experienced as reinforcing the “enemy”. When the “enemy” receives some kind of aid, including the humanitarian aid, it is seen as contrary loss of the longed victory.

Delaying any significant aid from the international community and relating it to the political dialogue that was going on in the country, as well as limiting the approach to the humanitarian aid in Lipkovo or Vratnica, did not contribute to the mutual goal – gaining peace. On the contrary, by increasing the suffering of the civil population, the divisions and tensions were intensified, too.

The national NGOs have given their contribution mostly to the citizens with limited approach. In this field, we witnessed models of great contribution. The effects would have been even better if the NGOs, as well as the government, surpassed the lines of division and if they distributed the aid according to the needs, and not according to the belonging or certain political or religious interests.

(Part 2)

“The aid – privilege for the Macedonian people only”...
It was the headline in a daily newspaper in Albanian language. The reason for this was the blockage of the ICIC humanitarian aid for the municipality of Vratnica at the beginning of August 2001. Its supply lines were cut for four weeks. In the first attempt the humanitarian convoy was stopped with blockade from about 150 civilians in the village of Dobroshte. Armed persons, without badges, searched the convoy and returned it back. In the second attempt after the Dzepchishte blockade, the aid was given a permission to pass. There were posters saying, “The Albanians need humanitarian aid, too”, “No aid for Vratnica unless aid for the Albanians is given a permission”. The return of the convoy was justified by a logical demand for humanitarian aid in Lipkovo and Shipkovica and “the found uniforms, alcohol and expensive Marlboro cigarettes”. In the same newspaper in Albanian language in the first days of April 2001 there was an article saying, “El hilal and MCIC give humanitarian aid” for the aid in Rechica, Slatina and Dzhepchishte.
The humanitarian aid became part of the conflict. A following reaction of this event was the demand for setting control on the road Tetovo – Jazince by the Macedonian security forces. In the escalation there were threats for revenge and blocking of the humanitarian aid for the ethnic Albanians. There was also a threat for stopping the water supply in Kumanovo. That would mean a total conflict escalation with great threat for increased suffering of civilian population. In order to stop the escalation, it was necessary to make the first step – the arrival of aid in Vratnica.


 
What is the opinion on the contribution of the international community and the national NGOs in the humanitarian aid in the crisis?

• Boge Chadinovski, counselor and manager of the Department for handicapped, refugees, displaced people and humanitarian aid, Ministry of labor and social policy: The international community and the domestic NGOs respond to a great part of the humanitarian needs. The domestic NGOs made contribution especially with the aid in the regions of crises and they aided in the moments when the needs were big and the possibilities for access were small or with high risk. They also contributed in better realizing and quick solving of the problems on the ground. As in the two previous crises (Bosnian and Kosovo), the problems were most often in late aid, which resulted in nervousness and tension among the displaced people.
• Abdurauf Prusi, president of El hilal: The contribution of the domestic and foreign NGOs was, generally speaking, positive. There were some omissions during the aid distribution in the regions of crises, in relation to the question of equality in aid, for instance some regions got more or less aid. The aid distribution by some foreign NGOs also was of a political character. For example, the aid wasn’t distributed according to the number of internally displaced people, but to comprise all the nationalities. In that division, the displaced people of Macedonian nationality were privileged, both the ones who were accommodated in collective centers and the ones in host families.
• Pavle Todorovski, Tearce: Everyone is aware that the aid from the international community is of an immense value, because in the most difficult moments they meet the needs of the population left at the mercy of the lurch.
• Bajram Sulejmani, president of Natira, Lipkovo: They were the ones who, with their activities during the war conflict and crises, contributed to stop a real human humanitarian catastrophe which threatened to the people who didn’t leave their homes. We especially appreciate the NGO sector in Macedonia, which aided according to their material possibilities, but with pure heart and soul, regardless of the ethnical group or religion. The humanitarian aid from the international community and the domestic NGOs again confirmed to be correctors of the deliberate mistakes of the politics and the politicians.