Trading with the enemy in Mitrovica, Kosovo. - RUhosting

CHAPTER 5: RESULTS
Placing inter-ethnic relations and trade in Mitrovica's context.
In order to interpret the results regarding inter-ethnic trade and relations, it is important to understand the
context in which these are taking place. Relations between Albanians and Serbs have changed a lot the past
decades, from areas in Kosovo where Albanians were often godparents to Serbian children (CARE, 2006) or
places with less good relations like Mitrovica where there was clear segregation (respondent # 2) to finally a
complete disintegration of inter-ethnic relations and a civil war. In the first part of this chapter the current
state of inter-ethnic relations will be described as well as the recent history, based on the experiences of local
Albanians and Serbs. After this will be discussed in order: the role of reconciliation programmes and the
international community, the economy, politics and the inter-community rules affecting trade and inter-ethnic
relations. The chapter will close with a short paragraph on how the here presented context shapes trade and
inter-ethnic relations in Mitrovica.
5.1. Current inter-ethnic relations in Kosovo and Mitrovica.
This paragraph will discuss the current inter-ethnic relations in Kosovo and Mitrovica specifically, from a
perspective of the local population and members of the international community present in Kosovo. It is
divided in a part focussing on how there relations have developed and a part on how these relations are now.
5.1.1. How inter-ethnic relations have developed over the past 30 years.
This description of inter-ethnic relations in Kosovo will start in the 1980s for two reasons. The first being
that during the 1980s relations between Albanians and Serbs really started escalating, and the second being
that based on the age of most of my respondents this is the farthest back most can still remember. In the
1980s there were already tensions between Albanians and Serbs. Several Serbs remembered how their
mothers carried weapons when bringing their kids to school in fear of Albanian attacks (field notes,
respondent #2 & #4). Respondent #2, a Serb who lived his entire life in Mitrovica North, recalls not being
able to go to school because of Albanian protests and fear of the police force which was then mostly
Albanian. Back then some schools were divided into an Albanian and a Serbian part, for example by a wall
(respondent #1 & #4). People were being beaten up based on their ethnicity by the other group, in some
cases even regularly (field notes, respondent #1 & #2). Although Mitrovica was still mixed back then
Albanians and Serbs lived very segregated, respondent #2 recalls: “it was not like Bosnia”. There was an
unwritten rule that Albanians walked on the right side of the main street and Serbs on the left side. It was
already divided then, respondent #2 repeats, the only Albanians he had contact with were his neighbours.
“Mitrovica was no paradise but it was ok”. This is in line with what other respondents told me, they only
had a few contacts of the other ethnicity and these were mainly neighbours (field notes, respondent #1 & #4).
Respondent #3, an Albanian woman originally from Mitrovica North but now living in South says she had a
few good relationships with Serbs but also some bad ones. Especially when the tension increased relations
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