Below are links by topical categories to resources primarily in English on issues regarding minority rights and refugee returns, with a focus on returning refugees to areas in the former Yugoslavia. For related web links, see Regional Resources: Europe.
- General Resources
- Government Agencies and International Organizations
- Maps and Guides
- Media and News Sources
- Research Centers and Resources
- Selected Documents and Peace Agreements
These links complement two Institute Special Reports:
These web links also support the activities of the Institute's Balkans Initiative
General Resources
The sites below collect links to other Internet resources which describe the issues of minority rights and refugee returns.
- INCORE guide to Internet sources on Refugees
A selective list of annotated links to general resources, news sources, articles, documents, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from the Initiative on Conflict Resolution & Ethnicity. - ISN-Links Library
Annotated links to organizations and journals organized by the International Security Network in Zurich, covering the subject areas of Minorities/Ethnicity and Population/Migration . - The WWW Virtual Library on Migration and Ethnic Relations
An extensive collection of links to major Internet sources organized by categories: research sites, publications, conferences, government and international bodies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), etc.
Government Agencies and International Organizations
Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Office of the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina (OHR)
The Office of the High Representative web site contains a section on the Reconstruction and Return Task Force (RRTF) , the goal of which is "policy and resource allocation guidance aimed at ensuring successful and sustainable return and reintegration of refugees and displaced persons into Bosnia and Herzegovina under Annex 7 of the General Framework Agreement." Also includes links to documents such as the Sarajevo Declaration, a list of RRTF members, and contact information.
International Crisis Group (ICG)
- International Crisis Group (ICG)
The International Crisis Group (ICG) has several reports on the Balkans and refugees including Bosnia's Refugee Logjam Breaks: Is the International Community Ready? (May 2000) which can be downloaded as a PDF file. (PDF files require Adobe® Acrobat® Reader to view).
International Labour Organization (ILO)
- International Labour Organization (ILO)
The web site of the ILO has been recently re-organized and includes several databases, descriptions of programs, news, a sitemap, a search engine and links to related web sites. A search by keyword on "refugees"or "migration" brings up relevant documents.
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
- International Organization for Migration (IOM)
The web site of the IOM has current information on migration and refugee situation activity in its briefing notes, news releases, and statements. Contains several databases of programs and projects, special activities, publications, related web sites, multilateral migration issues and migration health, an archive of briefing notes, news releases, and statements. Links to a country web site for Kosovo and another specialized web site coordinated with OSCE for Out-of Kosovo Voter Registration 2001.
International Rescue Committee
- International Rescue Committee (IRC)
The IRC's web site has news, descriptions and links for emergency, resettlement and overseas programs, including the program in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Minority Rights Group International
- Minority Rights Group International (MRG)
MRG is an international, non-governmental organization based in London. Its web site has information and descriptions about the organization's goals, programs (regional programs include one on Central and Eastern Europe), publications, and related links.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
- KFOR Online Homepage
KFOR is a "NATO-lead international force responsible for establishing a security presence in Kosovo." The web site details the establishment of KFOR, with news, background, press, media and contact information, photos, video and audio clips, maps and and links to related web sites. - SFOR Stabilisation Force
SFOR is the NATO-led stabilization force in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The web site includes a history of SFOR, participating nations, basic texts, transcripts, fact sheets, humanitarian aid projects, exercises and training ,contact information and links to related web sites.
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
- OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina
Site of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe containing maps, elections results and information, with links to other relevant sites. The section on Human Rights Mandate describes return to Bosnia, with links to relevant documents and related web sites and organizations, such as the Human Rights Co-ordination Center. - OSCE Mission in Kosovo
"The OSCE Mission in Kosovo was established July 1, 1999, and forms a distinct component within the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK)." The web site contains a section on Kosovo Police School Education and relevant documents, statements and press releases, including Assessment of the Situation of Ethnic Minorities in Kosovo (Period covering March 2001 through August 2001) in PDF (requires Adobe® Acrobat® Reader to view). Also includes a link to the OSCE Permanent Council decision establishing the Mission.
Refugees International
- Refugees International (RI)
Refugees International's web site has sections on regional focus and specific issues, including early warning, internally displaced persons (IDPs) refugee women and repatriation, among others. Also includes a chronological listing of missions and several media such as bulletins, newsletters, articles and video.
United Nations
- United Nations: Bringing Peace to Kosovo: UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK)
This comprehensive web site groups UN-related news items, press releases, statements, declarations, reports, audio press conferences and briefings, images and documents concerning the United Nations' involvement in Kosovo. Includes a chronology, links to other UN organizations and related web sites. - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
A comprehensive source of information on refugees around the world, UNHCR has material on its web site devoted to issues of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), refugee resettlement, statistics, information and statistics by country, basic facts, publications, databases, research and other legal materials in Research/Evaluation.
United States
- U.S. State Department: Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration
The web site includes information on general policy, refugee admissions, resettlement and assistance, migration, population, funding and links to other related Internet sites.
World Bank
- Economic Reconstruction and Development in South East Europe
A joint web site of the European Commission and the World Bank , it contains a calendar of events/conferences, news releases, speeches and statements , documents issued by the EU, UN, IMF and IMF/WB, including the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe from June 10, 1999, links to related sites, with other sections of the web site under construction. The announcement of the launching of the joint web site describes the scope and types of information that will be covered, including assessment of the economic impacts and costs of the Kosovo crisis, reconstruction needs, and register of donor assistance. - Rebuilding Kosovo
Web site of the World Bank Group provides news releases, press briefings, reports, country briefs and regional information, background reports, with key indicators and tables of comparative trends in PDF files (require Adobe® Acrobat® Reader to view).
Maps and Guides
- ReliefWeb Map Centre
ReliefWeb is a project of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Its map centre is organized by region, with maps detailing the refugee situation and humanitarian planning for various areas including Balkans which points to maps produced by UNHCR, USAID, USIP, the UN Cartographic Section and the World Food Programme. - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Maps
UNHCR operational maps are arranged by reverse chronology within region and detail the humanitarian/refugee situation or the UNHCR offices in each geographical area.
Media and News Sources
- Ethnic Conflict Research Digest
Produced by INCORE, ECRD "publishes peer reviews of recently published books, journal articles and research papers on the dynamics and management of ethnic conflict." Reviews are available from the web page. - Immigrants and Minorities
A journal published by Frank Cass, the web page lists tables of contents and abstracts of articles for the current and some previous issues. - Nationalism and Ethnic Politics
A journal published by Frank Cass, the web page lists tables of contents and abstracts of articles for the current and some previous issues. - On the Record: Bosnia Diary
An electronic publication of the Advocacy Project, volume 7 of On the Record contains several written reports from the field on refugees returning to Bosnia in May-July 1999. - ReliefWeb: Complex Emergencies
ReliefWeb, a project of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), has a database of the latest news and reports on humanitarian crises worldwide, including the Balkans. The database can be searched by month going back to December 1997, by source (organization name), by format or type of report, or by the latest news first. - UNHCR News
This web page, part of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees web site, lists several news sources, including press releases, briefing notes, emergency updates, UNHCR news stories, a stories about refugees from news sources worldwide.
Research Centers and Resources
- Centre for Refugee Studies, York University (CRS)
Some sections of the web site for the Centre are under development, but the site includes general information about the academic program, some transcripts of speeches, and several links to related web sites. - Centre for Research in International Migration and Ethnic Relations (CEIFO)
The web site of CEIFO at Stockholm University has descriptions of research projects, publications and articles (most in Swedish with some abstracts in English), a site map, site search, and extensive annotated links to related web sites. - European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI)
The web site for this Danish-German research institute includes a site map, site search, a library catalog, publications and an enriched links database. Current projects include policies on minority issues; an integrated data bank on minorities; and facilitating dialogue between parties in conflict through seminars and workshops. - European Research Centre on Migration and Ethnic Relations (ERCOMER)
ERCOMER 's web site includes a description of research projects , publications, a link to the WWW Virtual Library , conferences, and plans for a European Current Research Information System. - Global IDP Project
Produced by the Norwegian Refugee Council, this web site on Internally Displaced Persons contains weekly news, a global and regional overview with detailed information, maps and statistics covering several countries, including Bosnia-Herzegovina, training materials, publications and links to related web sites. - Minorities at Risk Project, University of Maryland
The web site for the Minorities at Risk Project, Center for International Development and Conflict Management, at the University of Maryland includes the project description, project dataset , research and publications, contact information, and links to related web sites. Access to the dataset is free, but requires online registration. - Project on Internal Displacement, The Brookings Institution
The web site includes a video clip of project directors Roberta Cohen and Francis M. Deng introducing the project, the full text reports submitted to the United Nations as well as descriptions of other publications, reports, articles, papers, conferences and related resources.
Selected Documents and Peace Agreements
- Erdut Agreement
Full text of the Erdut Agreement, signed in Erdut, Croatia and Zagreb, Croatia on November 12, 1995, part of the U.S. Institute of Peace Library's Digital Peace Agreement Collection. - General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Full text of the Dayton Peace Agreement, ending hostilities, calling for a just and durable peace, and promoting reconstruction and reconciliation. Part of the U.S. Institute of Peace Library's Digital Peace Agreement Collection. Includes Annex 7: Agreement on Refugees and Displaced Persons and Annex 11: Agreement on International Police Task Force. - Kosovo: Peace Agreements Digital Collection-United States Institute of Peace Library
Full text of some of the agreements ending NATO's bombing campaign in Kosovo, including the Military Technical Agreement from June 9, 1999, the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 from June 10, 1999, and the Rambouillet Agreement from February 23, 1999, part of the U. S. Institute of Peace Library's Peace Agreements Digital Collection. - Kosovo: Protection and Peace-Building
A report of the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights, dated August 1999. "This report builds on the work of a Lawyers Committee mission to Albania in June, which assessed the protection needs and problems of the 400,000 Kosovar Albanian refugees in Kosovo." - Reports to the United Nations on Internally Displaced Persons
On the Brookings Institution's Project on Internal Displacement web site, these are the full text reports submitted to the United Nations by Francis M. Deng, representative of the UN Secretary-General on Internally Displaced Persons. - Washington Agreement
Full text of the "Confederation Agreement Between the Bosnian Government and Bosnian Croats," signed March 1, 1994 in Washington, D.C., part of the U. S. Institute of Peace Library's Peace Agreements Digital Collection.
Updated: June 12, 2002