Uncertainty in Transdniestrial Region

What is affected

	Housing Social/public
	Housing private

Type of violation

Forced eviction

Date

01 March 1992

Region

E [ Europe ]

Country

Moldova

Location

Transdniestrial region

Affected persons

	Total 1000
	Men 0
	Women 0
	Children 0

Proposed solution

The Moldovan government needs to make a proper assessment of the situation of those displaced from the Transdniestrian region, in particular with regard to their preferred solution. The Transdniestrian authorities, for their part, must uphold the right of IDPs to return by ending all discrimination against the Moldovan community and providing conditions of safety and dignity to returnees.

Details

Development

OCHA+-+Displaced+Populations+Report+Jan+-+Mar+09.pdf

Forced eviction

Costs

Duty holder(s) /responsible party(ies)

State

Brief narrative

Following its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, Moldova - one of the poorest countries in Europe - faced its own internal secessionist uprising as the Russian and Ukrainian population in the Transdniestrian region sought independence. The armed conflict internally displaced up to 51,000 people and forced up to 80,000 people to seek refuge in third countries, mainly in neighbouring Ukraine. A ceasefire signed in July 1992 enabled large numbers of the IDPs and most refugees to return home, although the hostility of the secessionist regime in the Transdniestrian region towards those who do not support its separatist line has endangered the integration of returnees. According to governmental sources, up to 25,000 IDPs were still displaced from the Transdniestrian region in 2003, although authorities have been unable to document this figure. In contrast, there were only 1,000 IDPs of concern to UNHCR at the end of 2002. It is unknown whether those who have not returned to the Transdniestrian region have voluntary resettled durably in Moldova proper or whether they still have the intention to return.

Skirmishes were reported in the course of 1991 between Moldovan and Transdniestrian armed forces and paramilitary groups. In March 1992, the Moldovan government launched a major military offensive to regain control of the Transdniestrian region but it met with serious resistance from local armed forces. Following the intervention of the 14th Army, a ceasefire was signed in Moscow in July 1992. In total, the armed confrontation displaced some 130,000 persons, 51,000 of them within Moldova. About 80 percent of the internally displaced persons were ethnic Moldovans, and 15 percent were Russians or Ukrainians (IOM 1997).

The ceasefire agreement consolidated the de facto existence of an autonomous Transdniestrian region with the establishment of a security zone between the two parties which was enforced by a tripartite peacekeeping force, comprising Moldovan, Transdniestrian and Russian units. The “Moldovan Transdniestrian Republic” controls 14 percent of Moldova’s territory and between 600,000 and 750,000 inhabitants (of 4.3 million) but is not recognized by any other country (U.S. DOS 25 February 2004, ICG 12 August 2003).

The ceasefire agreement provided for both parties to the conflict to open negotiations on the return of the displaced population. Despite the absence of any formal agreement on this issue so far, most of the displaced people (including refugees) have gone back to their homes. Freedom of movement between Moldova and Transdniestria has been restored, although vehicles and goods circulating across the ceasefire line may be subjected to controls by Transdniestrian authorities (U.S. DOS 25 February 2004).

However, several thousands IDPs have not been unable to return, while others have been victims of forced displacement from the Transdniestrian region since the conflict ended.

For more informatino and links, go to: http://www.internal-displacement.org/8025708F004CE90B/(httpCountrySummaries)/8FA38C0718350FB6802570C00056B6D3?OpenDocument&count=10000

Costs

€ 0

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