The fate of internally displaced persons: The years pass, the statistics remain the same

Izbeglice i povratak Srba
Source: Kosovo Online

Conflicts of 1999 and the March Pogrom of 2004 forced more than 200,000 people from Kosovo to leave their homes, likely with the hope of returning one day. Today, 25 years later, the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Serbia has barely decreased. The most brutal conflicts have ceased, but life, at least a normal and dignified one, has not resumed for most of them. As Crnjanski poignantly observes in Migrations, "the general misfortune has turned into a hundred personal misfortunes."

Written by: Dragana Savic

Those who fled from different catastrophes, according to international law, should be able to choose whether they wish to return to their homes, remain where fate brought them, or move to another country.

For most of those who have been living with the status of internally displaced persons in Serbia for decades, the choice is quite limited. Those who might decide to return would likely encounter their compatriots at one of the border crossings with Kosovo, rushing toward Serbia due to fear, insecurity, or financial distress.

However, as Sandra Joireman, a professor of political science at the University of Richmond, highlights for Kosovo Online, even if your life isn't hanging by a thread and you're economically stable—that’s not enough.

“It must be safe before people return, but people also like to live with their compatriots, in communities where they know and trust their neighbors,” she emphasizes, prompting us to reflect on where in Kosovo there are no UČK graffiti, arson, physical attacks, arrests, and charges for alleged war crimes.

When it comes to the restitution of property, she notes that in Europe there are still cases where people dispute property confiscations that occurred during World War II.

Are they accused of alleged war crimes because of that? What would Tomislav Pantic (84) from Istok say, who was arrested by Kosovo police on suspicion of committing alleged war crimes against civilians in the late 1990s, while his son claims that his only crime was refusing to sell his apartment and property?

Milica Matijevic from the Institute of Comparative Law also discusses this issue for Kosovo Online, insisting on the term "prolonged displacement," explaining that internal displacement does not end with the cessation of conflict but persists, in our case, for more than 20 years.

She reminds us that nearly 200,000 IDPs still live in Serbia, a third of whom are exposed to very unfavorable living conditions.

"So, they live in harsh socio-economic conditions, there is still a high level of unemployment among them, and their inability to exercise their property rights is evident. At the same time, statistics show that nine-tenths of the families who fled from Kosovo and Metohija in 1999 and later during the March Pogrom had resolved their housing situation and owned real estate," she explains.


They often cannot exercise their rights based on pension insurance or property rights in various categories. They are unable to reclaim their property because it has been usurped, and very often they cannot even exercise their most basic rights, such as the right to freedom of movement.

"They frequently face the threat of malicious accusations for participation in illegal activities during the war, war crimes, etc., which can be maliciously motivated by entirely different reasons than the pursuit of truth," warns Matijevic.

She points out that the status of IDPs should be better legally regulated and that statistics should be kept regularly for several reasons. The most important reason is that this would clearly indicate what should be included in the negotiations about Kosovo.

"These IDPs will no longer be sidelined in those negotiations; they will become a legitimate topic, and their inclusion in the talks, either directly through associations or by addressing the issues that have been their life-long problems for decades, will give those negotiations a chance to succeed and possibly lead to a more lasting solution and the peace we all long for," concludes Matijevic.


Rados Dabetic, the leader of a project team aimed at providing free legal assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Kosovo, says that 5,600 cases have been resolved so far, with most people seeking help due to the unlawful use of their property.

He emphasizes that, first and foremost, people need to call the free hotline number 0800 108 208, provided by Telekom Serbia, to receive the necessary information regarding their property. The team includes numerous experts, legal professionals, and lawyers based in Belgrade, Kraljevo, Nis, Gracanica, and Kosovska Mitrovica.


"They inquire and receive all the necessary assistance, if possible, on the spot. If their property is at risk, meaning someone has unlawfully acquired or damaged their property, we send our lawyers to court hearings in the towns of origin, regardless of whether it's Pec, Pristina, Podujevo, Djakovica, or Zvecan—any town with a court. We send our lawyers to represent them, free of charge, to help them reclaim their property," Dabetic explains for Kosovo Online.

He adds that the project also assists individuals in receiving 20% from the privatization of socially-owned enterprises for those who were employed up until the day of displacement. Another way they help is by obtaining various types of documents.

"Whether it's from the land registry, birth certificates, property ownership records, or documents from municipalities, including school diplomas—elementary or high school—any document. We even help by checking the land registry to see what’s happening with their property if they're unsure, like who is the current owner or who is listed as the owner," he states.

He emphasizes that people are often skeptical and discouraged, especially due to the passage of time, but he urges them not to give up. 


Ljubomir Miladinovic, the General Secretary of the Red Cross of Serbia, told Kosovo Online that the organization's humanitarian programs include internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Kosovo. He emphasizes that the Red Cross has supported them continuously since the tragic events that forced them to leave their homes.

He highlights that the Red Cross is focused on humanitarian efforts, which is their primary mandate as a humanitarian organization.

"Of course, the recent period, with its heightened conditions and challenges for humanitarian workers, along with the significant risks faced by our staff and all other citizens in Kosovo and Metohija who the Red Cross is dedicated to, has made it much harder to carry out our mission. In some cases, it has even prevented us from reaching everyone in need. However, this never means that the Red Cross will give up," Miladinovic reassures.


As he explains, the Red Cross is always persistent in finding a way to reach everyone in need of assistance, "because that is our humanitarian mandate, and we truly strive to fulfill that mandate to the fullest."

He also recalls that during the March 2004 Pogrom, there was internal displacement within the territory of Kosovo.

"At that time, around 4,000 people had to be displaced from their homes but remained within the territory of Kosovo and Metohija. For all those individuals, the Red Cross of Serbia, with the help of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija and its provincial organization in Kosovo and Metohija, has been providing family packages of food and hygiene supplies for years, funded by the Republic of Serbia's budget, which are distributed to the most vulnerable," Miladinovic adds.