(6 May 1999) Eng/Albanian/Nat
As Kosovar refugees continue to cross into Albania on Thursday, the U-N-H-C-R is having difficulty convincing others to move to safer grounds further south.
A few hundred ethnic Albanians crossed at the Morini border point, near Kukes which is already hosting an estimated 100-thousand refugees.
The refugees enter Albania's border crossing following Macedonia's decision to close its border in an apparent move to force more international assistance.
A few hundred refugees cross the border at Morini.
They have come in search of safety but they are arriving at a time when Kosovo's neighbouring countries are breaking under the strain of the influx.
Albanian officials met with U-N refugee officials on Wednesday and reiterated their demand that the tens of thousands of refugees in the Kukes area be moved out as
soon as possible.
The possibility of border violence that would target refugees was a main concern.
But for these new arrivals, the horrors they have left behind are their only concern.
Their testimonies add to the growing catalogue which appears to confirm the world's worst fears about what is happening inside Kosovo.
SOUNDBITE: (Albanian)
"The Serbs put my brother against the wall. Masked men were surrounding our young men. I told the Serbs this man is my brother and he is innocent. All the young Kosovar men are innocent. My brother told me to go or I would be killed by the Serbs. I said goodbye and as I left they put a knife to my throat."
SUPER CAPTION: Shpresa Xhosi, Refugee
There are also the familiar, heartbreaking tales of families torn apart.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"It took me just about two months to come from Australia looking for my wife and my kids. I couldn't get my kids because they separated the families. I've only got my wife. This is my sixth time I've tried to get her out, it's a long story. I can't believe what's going on back home."
SUPER CAPTION: Afrim Topalli, Husband of refugee
Most refugees have been camped in Kukes for several weeks, but these Kosovars arrived in a tractor convoy just two days ago.
They have come with their own vehicles and do not want to travel further away from their homes.
International aid organisations are eager to move all the refugees in the Kukes area - approximately 100-thousand of them - to safer grounds further south.
They fear any number of tragic scenarios - Serb shelling of crammed refugee camps, escalating crime and violence, overwhelmed services resulting in shortages of water and other essentials.
But the scene at this camp is typical of the refugee crisis in northern Albania near the only open border crossing with Kosovo.
The U-N refugee agency insists the Kukes refugees should move and has started talks with Albanian officials on closing or moving camps.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"The situation is that they are not supposed to stay here because it is a transit area and they are suppose to move down south. But of course there are some problems - some of them cannot move. Some of them have broken tyres some don't have enough diesel there are a lot of problems but all the people who were able to leave they try to move today."
SUPER CAPTION: Jette Gottlieb, UNHCR field officer for Kukes
The peace process for Kosovo appears to be gaining momentum, with western states and Russia agreeing a seven-point peace plan.
But there are no answers in sight to solve the mounting problem of overcrowding in refugees camps.
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