PRESS BRIEFING BY SECRETARY-GENERAL'S SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR CHILDREN AND ARMED CONFLICT
Press Briefing
PRESS BRIEFING BY SECRETARY-GENERAL'S SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR CHILDREN AND ARMED CONFLICT
19980916
Some 300,000 people had been displaced by the fighting in Kosovo, more than 60 per cent of whom were children, Olara Otunnu, Special Representative for the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, said this morning as he recommended a three-pronged approach to deal with the "unfolding tragedy".
Speaking at a Headquarters press briefing following a two-day visit to Kosovo, Mr. Otunnu said there was an urgent need for concerted political and diplomatic action to help address the plight of the refugees. The negotiation of a ceasefire was of critical importance. During his visit, he had met with government and other key political leaders and traveled extensively throughout Kosovo, he said. Villages and towns had been destroyed by shelling and burning. The destruction was a sign of the excessive and indiscriminate use of force against civilians.
People had fled to the mountains and the forests were in the most desperate straits, he said. They were without medical supplies, shelter, clothing or adequate food. With the onset of winter, the situation would become more critical. The international community and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia must take immediate action.
The international community and donor countries must increase resources to humanitarian agencies for the provision of relief supplies to the displaced populations, he said. The return of the displaced people must be facilitated. Concerted political and diplomatic pressure was needed to ensure an immediate ceasefire and to address the underlying factors in the conflict. Concerning the recruitment and use of child soldiers, he said that unlike other contemporary conflicts, there appeared to be no systematic use of children in the Kosovo conflict. However, the longer a conflict persists, the more likely it was that children would be pressed into military service. It had been reported that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia had systematically deployed landmines in its border areas with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Albania. However, within Kosovo, there had only been isolated incidents of their use. He appealed to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Kosovo Liberation Army to refrain from the use of landmines in Kosovo. Vigilance was needed, he said, to avoid disproportionate and indiscriminate suffering of civilians, especially children. He said he had also been struck by the fact that more than half a million Serbian refugees remained in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, having fled their homes during earlier conflicts in Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Many children and families felt completely stranded there. It was important the international community must not forget the needs of those refugees and the need for their permanent resettlement.
Responding to a correspondent who compared the situation in Kosovo to past situations in Bosnia during which the international community had wasted time by hesitating, Mr. Otunnu said that the United Nations could assist the displaced by following his three-pronged response. If the lessons of Rwanda and Bosnia had been taken to heart, the international community would undertake a concerted political and diplomatic effort to achieve a ceasefire in Kosovo.
Asked if anything could be done to solve the situation before winter, Mr. Otunnu said immediate action was necessary. A strong rain alone, much less winter, could create a humanitarian catastrophe as the refugees had no protection from the elements.
Asked who had prevented non-governmental organizations from gaining access to the refugees, Mr. Otunnu said while government forces had limited access, the situation had improved. In some cases, it was difficult for relief agencies to reach many of the refugees as they were often on the move and at times, camped in inaccessible mountainous areas.
Asked if there were any signs of a trend whereby children might be inducted into the Kosovo Liberation Army, Mr. Otunnu said that only two cases of underage children participating as soldiers had been reported. He said that the possible explanations for the marked absence of children could be due to local tradition which sought to protect children. However, he said it had been very difficult for him to determine if children were being used in support roles.
Mr. Otunnu said that he was deeply impressed by the fact that the bulk of displaced families were staying with ordinary people in ordinary homes. Although many children had been separated from their parents, there were not too many cases of unaccompanied children. Most were being taken care of by neighbours and extended family members. The international community must reinforce its efforts and help those host families. But, above all, it must work to create the conditions to end the conflict.
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