We’ve just returned from Kosov@ after participating in “I Care!”, an initiative of Italian non-governmental organizations (among which were Pax Christi and Blessed Are the Peacemakers). Nearly 250 concerned participants, from all parts of Italy and abroad, including MEP Gianni Tamino, representatives of the Italian central and local governments and people from all religious denominations, went on this grass-roots peace mission. It certainly wasn’t easy, as we experienced something of the difficult, tense and uncertain living conditions of the Kosovars.
“I Care!” was organized for Human Rights Day (10 December) and was an act of solidarity with all peoples. Many at the WRI Triennial in Porec (September 1988) were sceptical about the initiative. The aim was to listen and learn at as many levels as possible. In particular, our meetings with the Serbian Mayor of Prishtina, and similar with the ‘parallel’ Kosovar Albanian authorities, were extremely cordial and positive. The young people we spoke to in the streets of Prishtina were open and honest with us about the difficulties and were visibly moved that we had taken the trouble to come and see for ourselves. We’ll let some of our diary entries give a little snapshot of the story ...
Sunday 6 December 1998:
Those who hadn’t been at the training weekend in Bologna, in November, were expected to be at the sports stadium in Bari by 10 am. After registration, one of the first things we had to do was to form into affinity groups. There were 13 in all and we joined the one called “University without Frontiers”. As the day wore on, however, it became clear that we wouldn’t fit. Following the service in the Cathedral, in the evening, we got talking with some people from “Ratatouille” (so called because of the mixture of age, culture and religious affiliation) and responded to their warm invitation to join them.

Monday 7 December:
This morning and into the afternoon we have continued the training, working at building trust and harmony in the affinity groups, discussing various scenarios if events don’t go as planned and learning more about the do’s and don’t’s in the delicate political situation in Kosov@. We heard that snow had been falling in the Balkans so bad weather could hamper our journey. At 5 pm we set off for the centre of Bari to hold a candlelight witness in a busy shopping area. From there we proceeded to the port and boarded the boat to Bar, Montenegro. Moving as a large group hasn’t proved too much of problem so far. The organization is such that each affinity group has appointed someone to attend regular consultations with the overall coordinating team. This designated “Speaker” reports back and each group discusses the proposals or instructions using the consensus method for decision-making. Within our affinity cell, we have formed into 3’s for keeping an eye on each other whilst moving around. A problem of different agendas seems to be emerging with a politician “attached” to our group by the coordinators.

Tuesday 8 December:
Five Montenegrin coaches were waiting to transport us from Bar to Prishtina. The journey took longer than anticipated because of mechanical breakdowns. Fortunately the five units were able to communicate with each other by portable telephones (a technology we had previously mocked!). By 9 pm we pulled in to Prishtina and were taken straight to our “home” for the night. An empty building had been offered to the group: in reality it meant sleeping on the cold, dusty, concrete floor and sharing 2 toilets. Each person had brought survival food rations for the whole of our time here, so we settled in and ate a frugal supper. A full “assembly” followed in which we met Alberto L’Abate (one of the coordinators who had gone ahead of us) and were briefed about the tasks of each affinity group in meeting specific local bodies. The problem with “our” politician member erupted and some mediation became necessary.

Wednesday 9 December:
This morning our group, together with MEP Gianni Tamino and some Italian local politicians, went to meet the Serbian Mayor of Prishtina and his colleagues. We were cordially received and invited to ask questions. Time prevented us from going too deep but we all felt that the door had been opened to our initiative, especially as Italy was seen as having an important role to play in finding a constructive solution. From there we went to a press conference, but it was disappointing that only Albanian journalists were present. We met some of the volunteers from the Pope John 23rd Association, also part of “I Care!”, who are living with Kosovar families (and thereby offering protection) in some of the villages which were decimated by the Serb offensive during the summer months. This afternoon we visited the “parallel” Albanian authorities and again, were well received. In response to our questions we were given to understand that the Albanian Kosovars would be prepared to negotiate a temporary agreement (for a duration of say 5 years) with international protection, and then hold a referendum. Such a move would also help to reduce the considerable tension which exists. We were not sure that all the promised 2,000 OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) observers are in place to monitor the situation. Street conversations indicated the danger that the “war” may resume in spring, if the international community fails to secure a peaceful agreement this winter - hence the urgent need for us to convey this to our politicians when we get back home. We see, at first hand, how the Albanian population is being squeezed - economically, educationally, politically and physically - and learn that it is not unusual for the Serbian police to burst into Albanian houses, without warning, and beat or kill the inhabitants.
The Serbian authorities have “invited” us to move to more comfortable quarters in a large sports hall, with more facilities. We have had a hot drink, offered by the sports hall staff, and a meal, ordered from professional caterers. An end-of-the-day “I Care!” assembly revealed Serbian police objections to our plans for a public Human Rights Day witness tomorrow. Various alternatives were considered.

Thursday 10 December:
The first event of the morning was the Symposium held at the University of Prishtina and attended by hundreds of students and their professors. Mary Robinson, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, had sent a personal message of encouragement. Other speakers were passionate in their wish for an immediate, peaceful settlement in Kosov@. Particularly impressive in this desire was a Serbian human rights worker from Belgrade.
Having discussed the pros and cons of the prohibited Human Rights demonstration, we decided to walk back silently through the streets of Prishtina, to our sports hall home, in pairs. To all effect it was a demonstration of our solidarity with those whose rights had been denied. On the other side of the road from us, students mirrored our walk. We were noticed. At the same time, Morishita, the Japanese Buddhist monk from the Peace Pagoda in Comiso, Sicily, held a lone 3-hour long prayer vigil outside the town hall. The local press reported that some 400 passersby looked on in respect and silence. Some of the “I Care!” participants were upset that we hadn’t made a more visible and vocal Human Rights protest and this was voiced at our evening assembly. “Ratatouille” was aware of the limitations of “I Care!” but, nevertheless, felt that it had been worthwhile and valuable.

Friday 11 December:
We headed for Bar, Bari and home. At various points the police stopped us to verify the purpose of our journey. In Podgorica we met the Deputy Prime Minister of Montenegro who publicly expressed gratitude for our initiative. We were all keenly aware that our mission is not finished: we must write letters to the local press and politicians in an effort to raise public opinion to act.
In our conversations with people living in Kosov@, we became acutely aware of the urgency of reaching a peaceful agreement during these winter months. If not, there is the real fear of a wider-spread explosion of bloody violence in Spring 1999, which would, without doubt, spill into all the southern Balkan countries. The young folk especially are impatient, as they feel that the nonviolent, “parallel” system practised over the last ten years hasn’t stopped the aggressive policies of the Serbian leadership. The Italian press continues to report of people being killed near the Albanian border. As the sand in the hour-glass of Kosov@ continues to drop, time is running out.

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