End of January Note
We're been real busy. We hired a
staff person earlier in the week. Went to another city (Gjilan) all day yesterday
about an hour away for a second meeting on getting a working group together
to work with the municipal government on an open meeting law. Very good meeting
and successful. We're back next Monday to discuss the legal wording of the draft
law and to identify issues that the working group would like to address in the
community.
Have to go through a serb town to get there. Last week not a problems but earlier
this week they blocked the road to get attention on a political issue (still
haven't figured the issue out). KFOR had to move troops in and open the road
so yesterday there were all sort of troops, armored personnel carries, vehicle
searches and the like at both ends of town and all over generally. Slowed things
down a bit but made for interesting people watching from the bus window! Another
town in the south, it is reported today has been doing the same. So there is
some coordination among serbs to get some point across, wish I knew what it
was. And it doesn't have to do with GW's State of the Union!
There has also be heightened security in Pristina and we even got a warning
from the consulate. Many more military patrols usually about 5-6 troops with
M-16's walking the streets and lots of international cops-this place is so secure
we're safer than in LA Big! None of the troops here are US-there are in the
sector of the town we went to.
Next week back to Gjilan, orientation for the new employee, onto another town
to begin the organizing process for open meeting law, a conference on Thursday
and we have a legal staff member from one of the sponsoring organizations, that
will be staying with us, here all week and participating in everything as well
as speaking at the conference. Wow I'm tired just thinking about it.
Oh and we're off the Skopje in Macedonia this weekend.
More as time permits