KOSOVO: LIFE FOR REFUGEES IMPROVING (2)

(21 Oct 1998) Albanian/Nat Life for refugees in the hills of Kosovo is improving, according to Western officials, although many are still too frightened to return to their homes. As diplomacy efforts and pockets of fighting continue in Kosovo, international efforts to aid ethnic Albanian refugees are being stepped up. And observers are trying to check that Serbian forces are sticking to their promise to withdraw from the besieged province. A week after United States envoy Richard Holbrooke clinched a peace deal on Kosovo with Serb leader Slobodan Milosevic, many refugees in the war-torn province have returned to their villages. But most continue to leave at night for temporary settlements, fearing more shelling attacks. They're also still desperate for food and warm winter clothing. Djinovce, 65 kilometres south of Pristina, has become a distribution centre for the United Nations humanitarian agency U-N-H-C-R and other aid organisations. SOUNDBITE: (Albanian) "The aid is welcome, but I would appeal to all to find a political solution for Kosovo, in that case aid would not be necessary. The aid soothes the problem but it does not solve it. The aid is just easing the consequences of the terrible war that has been going on in Kosovo." SUPER CAPTION: Sali Aslani, Albanian doctor The agencies deliver food and clothing to a central warehouse and the refugees from nearby villages come to pick up the parcels. On Wednesday, U-N-H-C-R sent its first delivery of shoes. A group of grateful women and children watched as the shoes were unloaded, and then tried them on. Among them were members of the Shirine family. They're from the village of Studencani but have recently taken refuge in a house in Djinovce. Grandmother Lule says her family has lost everything and now relies entirely on humanitarian aid for food and supplies. But at least the Shirines are holding on to the hope that, with the new deal and the presence of international observers in the region, they will be able to return home and start rebuilding their lives. Less heartening is the story in Trepeza, where refugees had taken shelter. These empty tents could mean that the displaced people have returned to their home villages. But the reality is that the makeshift camp was abandoned because of continuing Serb military action. The women and children who were staying there have fled deeper into the surrounding forest in their desperation. The shell-damaged roof of a village building bears witness to the attacks. Hamid Krasaniqi, who decided not to flee, says he has heard tens of shellings over the past days. SOUNDBITE: (Albanian) "Over the past four days there have been 40 shells. I don't know where the women and children have gone." SUPER CAPTION: Hamid Krasaniqi, villager But despite this, about half of the 50 to 70-thousand refugees living outdoors now have some sort of shelter. These family members spend their time huddled together in the cellar of a damaged house. Fighting between ethnic Albanians, who make up 90 per cent of the two (m) million inhabitants of Kosovo, and Serb forces has forced about 300-thousand people from their homes. As winter approaches, officials fear a humanitarian disaster if those displaced by the fighting are not allowed to return home. Hunger and freezing temperatures are a constant hazard. Meanwhile, efforts are moving ahead to set up monitoring missions on the ground to check that Serbia is pulling out its troops as it promised. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...