“Bridging the Gap”--Reconciliation in a Divided City

By Parthivi Mariwala

20 June 2022 

On this day we visited Mitrovica. This is a city in the northern region of Kosovo that borders Serbia and is divided by a bridge that separates Kosovo's Albanian population in the South and the Serb-dominated area in the North. The bridge symbolizes the division in the people after the 1999 violence and physically divides the city and ethnicities. This division between North Mitrovica and South Mitrovica expands beyond the physical realm. We heard from the New Social Initiative, a think-tank in North Mitrovica, that more than one-third of the Kosovar-Serbian population avoids crossing the bridge out of fear. The bridge represents the mental division of the people living in Kosovo.  The two populations speak different languages- Serbian and Albanian- have different currencies, and one of the most predominant divisions is different educational systems--all of which reinforces the polarizing dynamic. The hundred dinars in my pocket became obsolete as we crossed the bridge. This bridge, and thus Mitrovica, represents the grey area where Kosovo stands, as an independent nation and a part of Serbia simultaneously. The Italian Carabinieri has posts on either side of the bridge as patrols, part of the international presence that is now daily life in Kosovo. Thus, it is essential to understand the roots of the anxiety from both sides. This is a multi-layered and complex dynamic where organizations must simultaneously focus on several levels and issues. 

Bridge dividing Mitrovica

 

In North Mitrovica, we visited the New Social Initiative, a multi-ethnic organization working on transitional justice with a top-down and bottom-up approaches. They have a unique position of not only including the different ethnicities impacted by the conflict, but also by means of the different levels of impact. Established in 2015, the New Social Initiative works on integrating the Serb community by working with governments to help draft policy documents and include grassroots reconciliation efforts. They aim to improve social inclusion and promote dialogue between the two communities. We learned about their work bridging the gap between the two communities and fostering reconciliation in Mitrovica and Kosovo. They explained some of the challenges they face.

One is at the national level, where it is quite a systematic division. The Serbian government pays Kosovar Serbs their salaries in the Serbian dinar. Many official documents, while legally required, are not translated into Serbian, and the school systems are very different. In this sphere, it is vital to understand the nuanced politics of Belgrade within the context of Kosovo and their focus on keeping Kosovar Serbs loyal to their country. To somewhat simplify the division, let's begin with one of the issues that transcends into the other spheres. The two different educational systems consist of one Kosovar-Albanian system run with Albanian children and teachers. The other follows the curriculum set by Serbia and teaches Serbian children in the Serbian language. School curricula are separate; thus, they don't learn each other's language and fail to grow together as there is little or no integration at this level.

 

View from the Bridge, with North Mitrovica on the left and South Mitrovica of the right

The issue of language in the educational system also translates itself to the local level, where the two communities not only fail to learn each other's language but also fail to learn a common language. Consequently, there is no cultural exchange, and that's where the work of NGOs such as the New Social Initiative becomes so significant. Encouraging dialogue about sensitive issues is essential for reconciliation efforts. Nevertheless, language-learning campaigns begin not just at the grassroots NGO level but also the systematic level of educational institutions and government papers. Thus, language becomes an important tool to facilitate clear dialogue between the two communities and bridge the gap, fostering an understanding of the individual anxieties.

Kosovar's future is complex, and it is important to differentiate between past and present dialogues. The past holds the impact of the war memory. Whereas, in the present, the country struggles with the economic instability and unemployability of the youth that overpowers past grievances. This is also amplified by the stories told by their families, imprinting different histories onto the youth, and carrying on the fear. Thus, there is a stark difference between older people and youth. What does this mean for reconciliation efforts? For Kosovo, NGOs and governmental institutions must look into the future while creating space for the past. I believe this starts by facilitating dialogue as a small step in bridging the gap between the two communities.