VZCZCXRO9580
OO RUEHIK
DE RUEHPS #0043/01 0271524
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 271524Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY PRISTINA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9649
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 1327
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1865
RHFMIUU/AFSOUTH NAPLES IT
RHMFISS/CDR TF FALCON
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEPGEA/CDR650THMIGP SHAPE BE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUZEJAA/USNIC PRISTINA SR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PRISTINA 000043 
 
SIPDIS 
AIDAC 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE, EUR/ACE, USAID 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID PGOV PREL PREF PINR PHUM ECON KV
SUBJECT: POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS ON EFFORTS TO RELOCATE ROMA, ASHKALI 
AND EGYPTIANS (RAE) FROM LEAD-CONTAMINATED INTERNALLY DISPLACED 
PERSONS (IDP) CAMPS IN NORTHERN KOSOVO 
 
PRISTINA 00000043  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY:   Thanks to a partnership between the USG, the 
European Commission, and the Government of Kosovo (GOK), two 
lead-contaminated Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in North 
Mitrovica -- Cesmin Lug and Osterode -- could be closed this year. 
The camps have been home to over 140 ethnic Roma, Ashkali and 
Egyptian (RAE) IDP families for the last ten years.  In October 
2008, the USG, working closely with GOK authorities, initiated a 
program to voluntarily resettle approximately 50 of these families, 
who were suffering from long-term lead poisoning, to an acceptable 
location in South Mitrovica.  The final resettlement of these RAE is 
now on the horizon.  In December 2009, the European Community 
Liaison Office (ECLO) agreed to partner with the ongoing USD 2.4 
million USAID RAE program and committed EUR 5 million to help 
resettle the remaining 90 families.  USAID implementer Mercy Corps 
plans to begin construction of the new houses, using both USAID and 
ECLO funds, in Mitrovica South's Roma Mahalla in March-April 2010. 
Completion of this project will make RAE resettlement and closure of 
the camps possible by the end of 2010, and cap a successful USG 
assistance program.  END SUMMARY. 
 
LEAD TRAILINGS SLOWLY POISONING CAMP RESIDENTS 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶2. (U) In fall 1999, UNMIK transferred Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian 
(RAE) IDPs to Cesmin Lug and Osterode as part of what was originally 
planned to be a 45-day temporary refuge.  The camps are located near 
the Trepca heavy metals mining and smelting facility in North 
Mitrovica, and RAE families have been exposed to lead contamination 
in the area.  While the Trepca facility is now closed, lead tailings 
remain uncovered, and the residents of the camps, especially 
children, continue to suffer from lead poisoning, displaying some of 
the highest blood lead levels recorded in medical literature.  This 
poses a tremendous risk for a lifetime of developmental and 
behavioral disabilities and other adverse health conditions.  The 
USG has been seized with the issue of the health and safety of Roma 
IDP camp inhabitants for years. 
 
RAE IDPS WANT TO STAY IN MITROVICA 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (U) In October 2008, after carefully studying past unsuccessful 
efforts to address the issue, USAID initiated a program designed to 
provide for sustainable and successful reintegration of the RAE IDPs 
into Kosovo society.  The goals of the program were (1) to resettle 
and reintegrate 50 of the most distressed families by funding 
housing, relocation infrastructure, and livelihood; and (2) to 
catalyze other stakeholders to join efforts leading to sustainable 
relocation of all camp residents and eventual closure of both camps. 
 Consultation with the RAE community itself was central to the 
program.  These exchanges underscored that the RAE did not want to 
be resettled outside of Mitrovica, and that this had been one of the 
main reasons previous resettlement efforts had failed. 
 
LOCATING LAND IN SOUTH MITROVICA 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) During spring 2009, representatives from the U.S. Embassy, 
USAID, and Mercy Corps (the USAID implementer) led an intensive 
dialogue with camp residents, the Mitrovica Municipality, and 
Kosovo-Serb parallel authorities in North Mitrovica to find a 
sustainable solution.  As a result of the USG-led dialogue, the 
Municipality of Mitrovica (South) adopted a plan in May 2009 for 
allocation of 4.5 hectares of land in Fidanishte/Rasadnik adjacent 
to the Roma Mahalla, the pre-war dwelling place for many of the camp 
residents, for resettlement of camp residents.  This new land can 
accommodate up to 180 individual row houses.  The consensus among 
all stakeholders was that resettlement to Mitrovica South with 
secure access to North Mitrovica was the only realistic option. 
 
U.S. ASSISTANCE LEVERAGES EUROPEAN COMMITMENT 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
PRISTINA 00000043  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
 
¶5. (U) The Kosovo Government, USAID, and European Commission Liaison 
Office (ECLO) agreed to cooperate and coordinate in all efforts 
towards implementing this solution, and in summer 2009, a USAID 
expert developed a joint donor and Kosovo Government plan outlining 
sequenced actions for sustainable resettlement.  Meetings between 
USAID and camp leaders confirmed that camp leaders and residents 
were fully committed to the resettlement plan and camp closures.  In 
December 2009, ECLO signed a EUR 5 million contract with Mercy 
Corps.  These resources, leveraged by and coupled with USAID's USD 
2.4 million cooperative agreement with Mercy Corps, allowed planning 
for the resettlement of all the RAE IDP families and closure of 
Osterode and Cesmin Lug to go forward. 
 
UNMIK TRIES TO RE-ENGAGE 
------------------------ 
 
¶6. (U) In November 2009, despite the camp resident and donor 
consensus to resettle the RAE in Mitrovica South, UNMIK proposed 
relocating the RAE families to the Danish KFOR Camp in 
Zhabar/Zabare.  Zhabar/Zabare is a 10 minute drive from Mitrovica. 
Danish KFOR is scheduled to move to Novoselo camp in 
Vushtrri/Vucitrn during January 2010, and had offered the 
Zhabar/Zabare facility to UNMIK.  UNMIK took the RAE camp leaders to 
visit the Danish KFOR camp, but they rejected the option of 
temporarily resettlement in the camp.  They made clear to UNMIK that 
they wanted to move to permanent housing in the Roma Mahalla, as 
previously agreed with USAID experts, the GOK and other donors. 
(Note: Many of the families in Osterode were "temporarily" resettled 
to Osterode in 2006, and were thus reluctant to be resettled to 
another "temporary" location.  End Note) 
 
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES DELAY PROJECT 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (U) Construction for 50 housing units in South Mitrovica funded 
by USAID was ready to commence in October 2009, but was delayed 
because of the need to conduct a formal Environmental Assessment. 
(Note: This is required under USG environmental regulations.  End 
Note) The current plan is to complete the Environmental Assessment 
by the end of February and to start construction in March-April 
¶2010.  Mercy Corps would initiate the resettlement of all families 
as housing is completed on or about April 2010, accompanied by 
sequenced dismantling of units in the camps by RAE families on their 
own.  USAID has also engaged a team of lead experts from the Centers 
for Disease Control (CDC) to provide concrete recommendations for 
the enhancement of health services as part of a comprehensive 
approach to the settlement of RAE in Mitrovica South, scheduled to 
start in spring of 2010.  If the resettlement plan remains on 
schedule, both Cesmin Lug and Osterode will close by the end of 
¶2010. 
 
COMMENT:  CAMPS MUST CLOSE BEFORE THEY EXPAND 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (U) A joint commitment from the GOK, ECLO, USAID and camp 
residents for a durable solution to relocate residents from the 
contaminated camps in the North to the new settlement in the Roma 
Mahalla in South Mitrovica allows for an agreement to close the 
lead-poisoned camps once and for all and to achieve a final 
resolution of this tragic situation.  While the health of current 
camp residents is certainly sufficient reason for urgent action to 
close the camps, in addition, the fear that RAE refugees repatriated 
from Western Europe could swell the camps' population only adds to 
the urgency.  According to OSCE's Human Rights and Communities 
Department, Germany, Austria and Switzerland are expected to start 
repatriating Kosovo refugees beginning in January, with Germany 
alone looking to repatriate 1,000 refugees over the course of the 
year.  A significant number of these refugees are Roma who could 
take up residence in Cesmin Lug and Osterode, thus further 
complicating the efforts to resettle current residents and close the 
 
PRISTINA 00000043  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
camps this year.  USAID will complete the environmental assessment 
and move forward jointly with ECLO, the GOK and camp residents to 
begin construction of new homes and relocation of camp residents to 
the Roma Mahalla area starting in March-April 2010.  We will also 
continue to monitor the situation with respect to returning 
refugees. 
 
DELL