PRISTINA, 25 May 2004 - A new human rights report from the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, issued today, shows that the March 17-19 violence further complicated the situation for Kosovo's smaller communities.

The report describes and analyses the human rights violations that occurred in relation to the March violence, including the responses of the appropriate authorities. It specifically focuses on the areas of security, access to justice, property rights, and access to educational and health services.

"The role human rights play in Kosovo's development cannot be overstated and has a considerable impact on society," said Carsten Weber, Director of the OSCE Mission's Department for Human Rights and Rule of Law. "The concerns in this report have existed for some time but have become more urgent."

The report indicates the key human rights concerns:

Security - the need for an effective, accountable and human rights compliant police force;

Justice - the ability to have physical access to courts for both legal and employment reasons, especially for smaller communities, as well as the ability of the justice system to adjudicate criminal cases in an effective and credible manner;

Property - the need to ensure that authorities respect and promote the rights of displaced persons, including their right to return to their homes;

Services - the provision of essential services to affected minority communities which have been under restrictions.

The report recommends that urgent measures be taken to address these concerns and accommodate the needs of all communities in Kosovo. In particular, improved services to vulnerable communities are necessary if the demand for parallel structures is to be reduced.

"The way forward is a closer partnership between the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government (PISG) and the UN Mission in Kosovo to actively meet these challenges head on," added Weber.

The information in this report is meant to provide the responsible authorities with the tools to improve the situation and promote the development of institutions that serve all communities without discrimination.

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo is committed to assisting international and local authorities in tackling the broad range of human rights problems resulting from the March events through monitoring, capacity building, and offering advice on compliance with human rights.