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USIA - Arrival of Thousands of Albanians Creates Crisis for Italy, 97-03-25

United States Information Agency: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The United States Information Agency (USIA) Gopher at <gopher://gopher.usia.gov>


ARRIVAL OF THOUSANDS OF ALBANIANS CREATES CRISIS FOR ITALY

(UNHCR, Italian authorities seeking remedy) (480)

By Wendy C. Lubetkin
USIA European Correspondent

Geneva -- The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says some 13,000 Albanians have fled to Italy since the outbreak of violence in their country several weeks ago.

Spokesperson Pamela O'Toole said UNHCR's Rome office has held a series of meetings with Italian authorities over the past several days "to discuss the continuing crisis caused by the arrival of thousands of Albanians."

O'Toole said UNHCR is also investigating reports that some Albanians are being returned home by the Italian authorities before they reach Italian territory.

For the time being, UNHCR's view is that "some of those fleeing Albania may be in need of immediate protection," and "should be allowed to remain at least temporarily in neighboring countries," O'Toole told a March 25 press briefing.

UNHCR will be participating in a joint U.N. Mission to Tirana this week to assess the situation there and determine whether it is stabilizing, she noted.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which has ten delegates working in Tirana, reported March 24 that the situation in many Albanian cities remains chaotic.

"The pervading atmosphere is one of fear, with people staying in each other's houses in order to protect themselves," the ICRC said in a press release. The most urgent requirement is for food and medical supplies, but widespread looting is making it practically impossible to stockpile relief items.

Armed groups roaming in many areas of the north and east of the country have prevented ICRC from bringing in humanitarian aid via the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, which have authorized transit of the supplies.

For the moment, the most viable route for the delivery of aid appears to be from the south via Greece. The ICRC says it is "setting up a logistical chain which will enable humanitarian aid to be delivered to beneficiaries in Albania, without having to stockpile them in the country itself."

ICRC is warning that the situation in Albania could deteriorate further unless humanitarian aid can be brought in. On March 17 it launched an appeal for approximately $10 million to cover the needs of victims for a period of three months. The United States announced March 24 that it would contribute $1 million to ICRC's programs for Albania.

The U.N. Fund for Children (UNICEF) says some 50 children have been gravely wounded in Tirana, many of them as a result of playing with automatic weapons and grenades which have spread throughout the city as a result of the looting of government arsenals. Many of the children have had to undergo amputations, UNICEF spokesperson Marie Heuze said. UNICEF does not have figures on the number of children killed or wounded in other parts of the country.


From the United States Information Agency (USIA) Gopher at gopher://gopher.usia.gov


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