Marek Antoni Nowicki, the Ombudsperson of the UN mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), has a very interesting essay in Transitions Online (a translation of his regular column in Koha Ditore) articulating some of the limitations of his position. In particular he notes the paradoxical role of the UN, which is obligated to protect to protect human rights but subject to no authority which assures that it does. As a result, Mr Nowicki writes:
"The people of Kosovo exist in an almost Kafkaesque paradox: the presence of the UN in the province (UNMIK) is very much based on humanitarian and human rights grounds. However, precisely owing to the UN presence, Kosovo is a black hole, so to speak -- a place exempt from any international human rights protection."
Strip off the shiny UN rhetoric (Mr Nowicki is honest enough not to shine it up too much anyway) and there is a deeper problem: nobody assures that the UN regulates the behavior of what he calls the "surrogate state" in Kosovo, which is very much based on ethnic exclusivity.
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Marek Novicki also points to the other problem with the UN and human rights in Kosovo -- neither the UN administration in Kosovo (UNMIK) nor the multinational peacekeeping forces (KFOR) are subject to human rights oversight. Since June 1999 both international personnel and various institutions of the international presence in Kosovo have been involved in incidents involving rights violations, some of them serious. Those responsible are generally spirited out of Kosovo, while the local victims of most of these incidents have seen little in the way of redress and have few avenues of appeal open to them, other than Mr. Novicki's office.
AR
Marek Novicki also points to the other problem with the UN and human rights in Kosovo -- neither the UN administration in Kosovo (UNMIK) nor the multinational peacekeeping forces (KFOR) are subject to human rights oversight. Since June 1999 both international personnel and various institutions of the international presence in Kosovo have been involved in incidents involving rights violations, some of them serious. Those responsible are generally spirited out of Kosovo, while the local victims of most of these incidents have seen little in the way of redress and have few avenues of appeal open to them, other than Mr. Novicki's office.
AR
Absolutely -- I must say that it is very surprising to see a UN official addressing the shortcomings of UN administration so forthrightly. It may be a product of frustration at his lack of authority, but still this sort of thing does not appear very often.
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