Trading with the enemy in Mitrovica, Kosovo. - RUhosting

happens there. Regarding reconciliation this implies, as also said by some interviewees that it is much easier
to start improving inter-ethnic relations in the enclaves. Some interviewees (respondent #13 & #17) went as
far as saying that it is impossible to improve inter-ethnic relations in Mitrovica because it is too radical and
because of Belgrade's influence.
5.5 The rules of the inter-ethnic game.
Another factor having a huge influence on inter-ethnic relations in everyday life are the so called “rules of
the inter-ethnic game”. Although these are influenced by politics as well, their basis lies within the intracommunity
rules themselves. These rules refer to how it is forbidden, especially in Mitrovica, to have contact
with members of the other ethnic group. The “rules of the inter-ethnic game” are intra-community rules that
exist within the Albanian community as well as the Serbian community and determine all aspects of interethnic
contact: what is allowed and what is not. Some forms of inter-ethnic contact are strongly forbidden
such as inter-ethnic friendships, others are merely frowned upon such as having inter-ethnic contact as part
of a job at an international organisation. People breaking the rules can expect punishment from the radical
parts of their own community. Inter-ethnic trade is more or less allowed in most places, although it often still
happens in secrecy. These “rules of the inter-ethnic game” are extensively covered in CARE's research
(CARE, 2006), and it is from this research that I choose to use the name “rules of the inter-ethnic game”
because there is neither an official nor an official name for it. From personal experience I can add that these
rules indeed play a major role in everyday life in Mitrovica, but significantly less in Pristina.
During my interviews almost everyone mentioned, at least briefly, these “rules of the inter-ethnic game”. The
effect these rules have on everyday live varies over different locations. In Pristina, probably the most relaxed
area in Kosovo regarding inter-ethnic relations, it is generally allowed to engage in inter-ethnic contact. As
one Albanian from Pristina told me when he was pointing at a couple of Albanian girls from the countryside
in a bar: “I couldn't talk to those girls man, my friends would make jokes about me “look at this guy talking
to those rednecks””. So I asked him “what if they were Serbian?”. He replied “that would be no problem,
that would be cool” (field notes).
In most other areas having contact could result in threats or even violence from the own community.
Although most people do not like these rules it is still being enforced by more radical elements in society.
These “rules” started to a lesser extend in the years before the war. Back then Serbs started disengaging from
contact with Albanians (field notes, respondent #17). Before that it was still more or less accepted to have
contact. Respondent #2, a Serb from Mitrovica had an Albanian girlfriend in 1993, which he found hard
because there were negative reactions on it from his environment, but at least it was allowed unlike after the
war. A Serbian student's father who is living in an enclave has an Albanian friend who sometimes comes
over. He calls this a “secret friendship” however because if anyone found out they would be harassed
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