Military

DATE=10/27/00

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=UNHCR / YUGOSLAVIA (L-ONLY)cq

NUMBER=2-268523

BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN

DATELINE=GENEVA

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

///Editors - Re-issuing to put the correct CR number on this report, it should be 2-268523.///

INTRO: The United Nations Refugee Agency, U-N-H-C-R, warns that more than 700-thousand refugees and displaced people in Yugoslavia are facing a brutal winter unless they receive urgent international assistance. Lisa Schlein in Geneva reports.

TEXT: Serbia has the largest refugee population in Europe. It is hosting about one-half million refugees from Croatia and Bosnia Herzegovina. In addition, about 220-thousand people from Kosovo, mainly Serbs and some Roma, fled there after NATO troops entered the Serbian province two years ago.

U-N-H-C-R spokesman, Ron Redmond says many of the people have been living in Serbia for years under very difficult conditions.

///REDMOND ACT///

The shelter situation, for example, is bad. They are living in the midst of an economy, the Serbian economy, which is devastated. In some areas of Serbia where these refugees are living, unemployment, for example, is more than 50 percent. So, Serbia itself has a very, very difficult time caring for these people.

///END ACT///

The U-N Refugee Agency has been assisting the refugees for several years. But, the agency has been hit by a severe global shortfall in funding this year and this is affecting all programs around the world. The agency's budget for Serbia and Montenegro this year has been cut by nearly half. Mr. Redmond says this leaves only enough money for life saving aid such as heating and food for the coming winter. He says the agency needs an additional 20 million U-S dollars to meet other essential non-food needs. These include shelter assistance, blankets, beds, stoves and hygiene parcels.

///2ND REDMOND ACT///

The international community is now placing a lot more emphasis on aiding and assisting Serbia since the change in government and we would hope that some of that assistance would go to refugee assistance because with 700-thousand people there in need of help. That's a huge proportion of the population. A lot of these people still can not go back to their original homes.

///END ACT///

Mr. Redmond says the situation is particularly difficult for the 220-thousand people from Kosovo. He says many have overstayed their welcome in economically devastated communities and are being forced to move from one place to another. He says many feel they have no choice but to return to Kosovo, even though it may not be safe for them to do so. (Signed)

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