11/6/2004
Norwegian Envoy To Head UN Probe Into Kosovo Violence

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has appointed Ambassador Kai Eide of Norway to investigate the wave of ethnic violence that rocked Kosovo in mid-March, leaving 19 people dead, hundreds injured and many homes and Serbian religious and cultural sites damaged or destroyed.

Ambassador Eide has been given the task of probing the political implications of the violence between ethnic Albanians and Serbs and recommending ways in which the province's residents can live together again peacefully. The appointment of an investigator followed a pledge made in April by Mr Annan..

The onslaught led by Kosovo Albanian extremists against the Serb, Roma and Ashkali communities of Kosovo was an organised, widespread, and targeted campaign, say the UN. At least 3,000 people, mostly Serbs, were driven from their homes or had to evacuate them during two days of riots and attacks that started on 17 March. The violence followed the deaths by drowning of three Albanian children a day earlier.

Meanwhile, Harri Holkeri, the outgoing head of UNMIK and Special Representative of the Secretary-General, yesterday described the March violence as "a big setback" as he looked back on his 10 months of service in the province. In a farewell press conference following his resignation last month, Mr. Holkeri warned "there may still be difficult days ahead" as some people try to undermine peace efforts. Hecalled on the people of Kosovo to reject extremism, reject division, and to listen to their responsible leaders.

In other news the first comprehensive survey of gender data in the province has shown that women are severely under-represented in the workforce and that girls' attendance at secondary school is much lower than that of boys.