Trauma Events, Residence in Refugee Camps, and Educational Attainment as Predictors of Trauma Symptoms of Albanian Refugees in Macedonia

Adult members of 79 Albanian families who had fled from Kosovo to Macedonia during the immediate postwar period (June–August 1999) were interviewed. In conjunction with therapeutic intervention, the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ) and the General Health Questionnaire (GTQ) were administered. Trauma symptoms as measured by the HTQ and psychological distress as measured by the GHQ were highly correlated. The best predictor of psychological distress was severity of the trauma experienced. Refugees with high educational attainment had fewer trauma symptoms than those with lower educational attainment. Refugees who lived with host families in towns showed fewer trauma symptoms than those who lived in camps, but they were also more highly educated. The results of hierarchical multiple regression analyses suggested that educational attainment may mediate the effect of place of residence. Educational attainment may be an indicator of resourceful and effective coping strategies that ameliorate the effects of trauma.     

Kosovo: Phased Independence?

At the end of May 2005, UNMIK head Jessen-Petersen addressed the UN Security Council presenting a generally positive picture of the situation in Kosovo. Now, a special envoy of the UN Secretary General will prepare a full-length report by September 2005 that addresses whether the most important human rights and democratic standards in Kosovo have been fulfilled. It is expected that this report will ascertain that the necessary progress has been made so that, as early as autumn of 2005, the UN Security Council can give the green light for starting negotiations on Kosovo's final status. Whether the carrot of EU membership can be dangled as the most enticing political incentive for Belgrade and Prishtina is questionable in light of the increasing weariness within the EU over expansion.     

巴尔干欧洲火药桶引爆的历史回顾--北约(NATO)武力解决科索沃问题的前前后后

本文在对以美国为首的北约袭击南联盟后的国际影响评述的基础上,对巴尔干地区的历史及现状加以分析,并探讨了北约对欧洲的武力干涉及其动因、北约的战略调整、职能的转变、北约扩大新战略的形成过程,及其当时对世界格局的影响。     

国际承认与国家身份建构的全球治理

2008年科索沃单方面宣布独立。2010年国际法院发表科索沃单方面宣布独立不违反国际法的咨询意见。科索沃尚未获得国际社会的广泛承认, 能够参与具体、现实的国际关系的程度和范围是有限的。国际承认对于国家身份建构有着极为重要的证据确认作用。国家建构是一种国际主体身份的获得与拥有, 宣布独立事关国际社会整体利益和秩序。国际承认构成对国家身份建构秩序进行全球治理的基本内容和方法。主权国家、国际组织等应当根据现有的国际法原则、观念及其变化发展, 负责任地采取行动。     

试析科索沃独立“合法化”问题

2010年7月22日,国际法院就科索沃独立发表了咨询意见,裁定科索沃宣布独立没有违反国际法,没有违反联合国接管科索沃时颁布的《临时自治宪法框架》以及安理会关于政治解决科索沃问题的第1244号决议。国际法院的咨询意见,再一次引起了国际社会的轩然大波,科索沃单方面宣布独立似乎有了“合法”的依据。作者就此提出反对观点,认为科索沃单方宣布独立违反了国际法多项基本原则,同时也破坏了国际社会的安定秩序,并就科索沃问题的解决提出了自己的建议。     

Housing reconstruction in Kosovo

Housing reconstruction is one of the first steps towards environmental and economic recovery and development after a ‘complex emergency’.This paper presents the main aspects and experience of the Housing Reconstruction Programme (HRP) in Kosovo since its beginning in 1999 until 2001. The special reference to the Peja/Pec (Peja is the Kosovar name of the most western municipality in Kosovo whose Serbian name is Pec. In the paper both names (Peja and Pec) appear because of the uncertain political status of the country at the time at which the paper was written.) region helps to contextualise the case-study, giving concrete images of the HRP.Kosovo has been a special case because the United Nations has managed the entire reconstruction process since soon after the NATO bombing. A great many economic and human resources have been deployed, since the United Nations, the European Union and many international organisations have been thoroughly involved. This has created high expectations both in terms of quality and quantity of results and duration required to stabilise the tremendous hotbed represented by the Balkans.The previous deep involvement of the international community in Bosnia a few years before and in the same area of the Balkans has also created mutatis mutandis a comparable antecedent. The literature on the subject, in terms of manuals and articles, supports the analysis and criticism.The reconstruction process analysed ranges from damage assessment to housing reconstruction management and implementation, where implementation is not only intended as the physical reconstruction of the country but also the institutional and capacity building that the UN, the most important international organisation, has been creating in Kosovo.In spite of the bulk investment, not all the strategies and actions implemented can be considered successful. Certainly, some could even be considered best practices and hence are replicable. Among these is the Municipal Housing Committee (MHC), which has the lion's share of the institutional bodies set up by the UN temporary government to manage housing reconstruction.Apparently the MHC has dealt with only the selection of beneficiaries. In fact the MHC has created an adequate peaceful and democratic environment in which housing reconstruction has taken place, as well as the allocation of housing assistance to minority families. Within the HRP the role of the NGOs has been crucial as always, but limited to a much more sectoral-specific involvement, contrary to the Bosnia experience. This has impeded the adoption of appropriate building technologies, a real participatory and integrated approach, and post emergency local development where housing and people (ethnics included) were pivotal. However today in Kosovo, the games have already been played, the decisions have been taken and development is somehow in progress.     

The European Convention on Human Rights in the Constitutional System of Serbia and Montenegro

The paper explores the legal position of the European Convention on Human Rights in the constitutional system of Serbia and Montenegro. It casts some light on constitutional rules, international treaties and especially international treaties on human rights. The text exposes also constitutional rules on human rights. The issue of the European control over human rights in Kosovo and Metohija is raised. Attention is referred to the Resolution 1417 (2005) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on protection of human rights in Kosovo.     

科索沃问题的历史由来与国际法思考

弹丸之地的科索沃，承载着太多太久的恩怨情仇。2008年2月17日，它单方面宣布脱离塞尔维亚共和国而独立，这一大胆的举动再次触动了国际政治舞台的敏感神经。对此，各国反应不一。科索沃独立事件严重地破坏了国际法律秩序。本文通过追溯它的历史，探究它的独立缘由，并就其独立所涉及的国际法的几个问题做了相关阐述。     

Grounds for Cautious Optimism

Humanitarian assistance organizations have made considerable strides in addressing gender issues. These efforts have fallen short, however, as organizations fail to adapt and apply a gender perspective consistently and to integrate local and international women into decision-making positions. This comment on Chris Corrin's report on humanitarian assistance in Kosova outlines the reasons for this partial failure, some of which are gender related and others of which are endemic to the humanitarian field. It concludes that the emergence of women activists in conflict areas provides grounds for cautious optimism for future transformative change.     

科索沃战争后的巴尔干

1999年,以美国为首的北约对南斯拉夫发动侵略战争后,巴尔干的形势依然很混乱。在科索沃,塞尔维亚少数民族受到阿尔巴尼亚人的可怕压迫,他们中的许多人被杀或被赶出故土。在马其顿,阿尔巴尼亚的极端分子常和政府发生武装冲突,只有在长期艰难谈判后,双方才签署和平协议。而由于塞尔维亚和黑山之间的紧张关系,南斯拉夫正面临新的分裂。巴尔干的前景仍然不明朗。