Macedonia: How Macedonian authorities have dealt with ethnic Albanian citizens of Macedonia who were suspected of having joined the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) during 1999 upon their return to Macedonia; whether there are any consequences for having joined the KLA and how they are applied (June 1999-July 2000)
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 28 August 2000 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | MCD35201.E |
| Reference | 7 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Macedonia: How Macedonian authorities have dealt with ethnic Albanian citizens of Macedonia who were suspected of having joined the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) during 1999 upon their return to Macedonia; whether there are any consequences for having joined the KLA and how they are applied (June 1999-July 2000), 28 August 2000, MCD35201.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ad685c.html [accessed 2 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
No information on how Macedonian authorities have dealt with ethnic Albanian citizens of Macedonia who were suspected of having joined the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) during 1999 upon their return to Macedonia, could be found in the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
However, commenting on the erection of a monument in Poroj, a village close to Tetovo, northwestern Macedonia, in memory of a dead member of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), the Democratic Alliance made reference to a law which forbids Macedonian citizens from taking part in a military operation "outside the Macedonian Army" (MIC 18 Apr. 2000). No additional reference to this law could be found in the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
In a report posted on the Swedish Transnational Foundation for Peace and Future Research (TFF), Dr Biljana Vankovska, an associate professor with the University of Skopje, claims that the Macedonian authorities did nothing during the NATO air strikes to prevent the mobilization of young ethnic Albanians to fight in Kosovo (Oct. 1999).
As a result of several operations conducted during the NATO air campaign in villages near the borders with Yugoslavia and Albania, the Macedonian police discovered a large quantity of ammunition and military equipment allegedly belonging to the KLA (TFF Oct. 1999). However, there was no report of any arrests made in connection with this operation.
In June 2000, allegations arose that the government knew of "all Macedonian participants in the KLA"; however, ethnic Albanian leaders assert that the story is a fabrication aimed at "discredit[ing] ethnic Albanians in the armed forces" (ICG 2 Aug. 2000).
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
International Crisis Group (ICG) [Brussels]. 2 August 2000. Macedonia's Ethnic Albanians: Bridging the Gulf.
MIC [Skopje, in English]. 18 April 2000. "Parties Condemn Monument for UCK Soldier in FYROM Village." (FBIS-EEU-2000-0419 20 Apr. 2000/WNC)
The Transnational Foundation for Peace and Future Research (TFF) (Lund, Sweden). October 1999. Dr. Biljana Vankovska. "Macedonia After the Kosovo War. The Way Away from the 'Powder Keg' to the 'Oasis of Peace' - and Back Again."
[Accessed 11 Aug. 2000]
Additional Sources Consulted
IRB Databases
Unsuccessful attempts to contact two oral sources.
Internet sites including:
Amnesty International (AI)
Balkan Human Rights Web Pages
British Helsinki Human Rights Group (BHHRG)
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices in 1999
Human Rights Watch (HRW)
International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF-HR)
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)
World News Connection (WNC)
