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NGO Role in the Crisis in Macedonia

Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

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.

“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.

Part: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Next: Surveys on IC and NGO contribution

 

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