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