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Political masquerade
An interview with the member of the headship of the
Anticommunist Association “13 Dhjetori 1990”, Mr. Shuaip Daut Ragami
Question: How would you characterize
the local elections of October 12?
 Answer: They are the next shame of the communists.
They were not free elections. Besides the manipulations on the lists of the
electors, while many democrats were deprived of their votes, there was a
clear steal of votes, even the elections boxes, as well as many pressures, to
knifing. The elections therefore were a real political masquerade.
Question: Why do you think in Shkodra, the next day after the DP won, the power supply
was reduced in almost 18 hours of darkness.
Answer: The Socialist Party condemned the bastion
of anticommunism. The protests of the people led by the chairman of the
Albanian Independent Syndicates, Gëzim Kalaja, forced the Minister of Energetic, Viktor Doda, to come in Shkodra, so Shkodra could enjoy light for at least one week. This is
all.
Question: Do you think the main
center of the Northern Albania will accept
the political discrimination do be deprived of the power supply?
Answer: Absolutely not, I suppose. It is the end of
patience. I, as a member of the Anticommunist Association “13 Dhjetori 1990”, as we have nothing to lose, will organize
a fasting protest, to call at least the attention of the Diplomatic
Representatives in Albania and of all the Occidental world. As we have no
human rights, let’s have light, at least.
Question: Many of your friends have
been killed. Aren’t you scared to make such open statements?
Answer: I have gone through numerous arrests, not
motivated. There were two attempts to crash into me, get rid off me in an ordinarily way. I have gone through many
trials, while death was nearer than life, so I will fight with all the
democratic ways for the human rights and liberties in Albania.
Question: Would you tell us
something about your anticommunist activity?
Answer: I will speak a little longer on this. Since
I was born, in January 6,
1953, I was born an anticommunist. “Why?” you may ask. Since the
first years of liberation, my uncle, Sait Tagani was shot by the structures of the dictatorship of Enver Hoxha, without a process.
Therefore, I was condemned since before I was born. On September 1978, I was
arrested accused of evasion attempt and for agitation and propaganda. I was
condemned to eight years of political imprisonment. On 1998, I was arrested
again, accused by the former Prime Secretary of the Central Committee of the
PLA, for the attempt to overthrow the people’s power. I suffered inhuman
tortures by the prosecutor Sokol Puto. Since the beginning of 1990, I was one of the first
to go out plainly asking for democracy. On December 13, 1990, when we threw down the
bust of Enver Hoxha, we
were faced by the bullets of the red beast. During all the elections, I have
been supporting the Democratic Party, though we had death threats several
times. As a member of the work groups of the former deputies of the DP, Menduh Derguti and Sabri Bushati, and the actual
deputy Valentin Palaj, I
have been marked by the dark structures of this fascist state that stole the
votes in Tirana and Durrës, now during the last
elections of October 12.
Question: Do you think the
democratic forces will soon win, as the people is very discontent, proved by
the scarce participation of the people in the elections (less than 40%)?
Answer: You say it was 40%, the state says more,
while I say it was less than 30%. However, even with these results made
public, the Socialist Party didn’t win more than 15% of the votes.
Nevertheless, it is keeping the power only through violence, and we, Albanian
democrats will face this beast until throwing it from the throne.
Interviewed by Sokol Pepushaj
Malësi e Madhe, the area facing
every day the desertion of its inhabitants
Malësi e Madhe might be the area mostly deserted by its
inhabitants after the return of the new communists on  power, on 1997.
This desertion has not just an economic character, but political, overall.
This happens because the absolute state of the social-communists can not endure the true democrats who protect and
propagate democracy and the Democratic Party, the symbol of it.
In this fight for democracy, the
democrats of Malësi e Madhe
are the first of all Albanian areas, not only protecting the values of the
1992-1996, but also the first who suffered imprisonment, ill-treatment by the
communist power, that forces them to leave their dear country. The list of
the democrats forced to desertion, finding shelter by the hard ways of the
world, is very long, and our journal keeps on treating this with the aim of
making more sensible the national and international opinion, to stop this
hemorrhage, causing a desert present and future. This time we want to speak
of one of the most steadfast and active democrats of the Democratic Party in Malësi e Madhe, Mr. Bashkim Zenel Broja, born on December 12, 1974, in Kamica
of the Municipality Qendër. The democrat Bashkim Zenel Broja, though very young, since the beginning of
democratic movements, participated in the protests against the communist
regime. He became a member of the DP in April 6, 1995, and his activity was more
intense afterwards, propagating for democracy and helping the democrat
candidates in all thea elections. During the
governing of the Democratic Party, Mr. Bashkim,
respecting all the legal possibilities given by the state of right, could
make an honest powerful business. He was also the driver of the Chief Police
Officer in the sector of Crimes of Malësi e Madhe. This democrat could do his job until January 30, 1998, when
communist militants dismissed him, after ill-treating him, as a democrat
participant in the protest of the Democratic Party. Yet they couldn’t make
the democrat and businessman leave his efforts for democracy. This democrat
paid the earth for his antisocialist and anticommunist way of life, as his
honest business was almost destroyed, and he was in prison in Tirana for
almost two and a half years, and many of those who faced the mistreatments of
the criminal socialist police in that prison can witness this. He was in
prison at the same time with Mr. Edi Paloka, member
of the Headship of the DP as well as spokesman of this party. This occurred
when Mr. Bashkim went there to support the protests
of the DP against the socialist government. Mistreatments and threats
followed Mr. Bashkim, even after his imprisonment.
Death threats and kidnapping would soon reach him, and this would be end for
him, whom they called “a puppy of Sali Berisha”. As his life was in serious danger, this
democrat had to sell his entire remnant, so that he might pay for his
departure from Albania,
the country he loved. With his departure, the Democratic Party of Malësi e Madhe lost one of the
most active and brave members, unwavering in protecting the democracy in
danger. The DP lost even one of the main supporters in the local elections,
for this businessman had used great amounts of his income, after 1997, to
help the activities of the DP and its elections campaigns. The socialist
power is unfortunately going on with the same politics of persecution and
mistreatment toward true democrats and this means that the phenomenon of
deserting Albania,
especially Malësi e Madhe,
will increase…
Ndue Bacaj
Fran Ndrejaj, paying for
freedom of thought
As soon as the first democratic movements
begun in Albania, Fran Ndrejaj, born on April 17,
1948, joined them for two reasons: firstly because was a democrat; secondly,
because he and his family had gone through a great persecution in the course
of the years, to be used as an example of persecution.
Fran faced difficulties from the
beginning of those movements, on April 2, 1991, when those who persecuted our people were
still on power. In this day symbol for the citizens of Shkodra
for the demonstration organized in this city, Fran was wounded in his left
leg, yet it wasn’t serious, cause he didn’t have the destiny of A. Broci, B. Bishanaku, B. Ceka and N. Kryeziu, who gave
their life and became a symbol for Shkodra, and many
others who still today suffer the consequences of that day and none cares for
them, as they were the first swallows of the Albanian democratic spring.
This didn’t make Fran shut up his mouth,
but gave him new energies propagating democratic ideas and leading the
protests of people all around. The Democratic Party could always find in him
the faithful man, especially during elections, as he was a commissioner in
all the elections held in our country after 1990. He never showed any
hesitation in his convictions and never changed, as often had happened.
In 2003 he was again a commissioner for
the DP. During these years he received many pressure and threats, even death
threats, but the last one was the hardest as certain people caused him to
leave his dear country, though he loved it. The farce of these elections was
evidenced during and after the voting process, for more than one month is
already passed and for many municipalities there is no final result. There
are many like Fran for the clique on power is well organized to keep the
power, whatever the price, even shedding blood, just the way it got the power
in 1997, what will be recorded as the darkest year in the Albanian history,
considering dozens of dead and disappeared.
We mentioned this case so that those who
feel a little Albanian, might report this and other cases like this to stop
the Calvary of the sufferings, like that of Fran Ndrejaj,
forced to go over the world in an unsuitable age, just because his free
thoughts, and because he loves the freedom of thought, and so that his
children might not grow the way their parents grew, divided in categories.
Albert Vataj
Will Kosovo heal the wounds of war?
There is a new stage for the events in
Kosovo and this is the stage of its definite status. There is still little to
 say about the definite
values on what could be considered the last chapter of a bloody history,
while the international factor is negotiating the conversations between Beograd and Pristine. Another reality appears in the
after war Kosovo, the wound of Kosovo are still bleeding, while the diplomacy
makes its efforts to give an end to the regional problems. The consequences
of the past, very hard for the Albanians of Kosovo to leave, are still
keeping pressured the reality, as well as unsuitable to build the basis of a
future for all, away from mistakes, circumstances and consequences that came
out when Kosovo was bleeding. The characters of the syndrome of “surrounded
Kosovo” are numerous. Even the motives are various. Besnik
Kika, born in 1980, in the village Hashkali, in the municipality of Gjakova, belongs to the
gipsy community. Many reports show the hate of the Albanians of Kosovo toward
this community, that didn’t join them in their liberation efforts and were so
considered instruments of the regime of Beograd
in the Albanian territories. It is true that many of this community were
recruited by the regime of Beograd to serve
it. On reliable source we have by people who want to stay anonymous, there is
people that really did collaborate with Serbs. Besnik
Kika is one of the “victims” of the war time,
wanted by the justice in Kosovo, as a collaborator of Serbs, to be condemned
as traitor of the nation. Besnik Kika is actually one of those considered as missing. The
same sources report that this person was recruited and did the spy. Obviously
he is not the only, but this was the only way for him to survive, or better,
to save his family from the medieval barbarity the Serbs used in their bloody
expeditions in Kosovo during the war. The past is used today by the Albanians
of Kosovo for direct revenge toward people or communities like the gypsies in
the village Hashkali. Yet the behavior of this
community is doubtful during the war and immediately after Milosevic fell.
Like many revenges inherited, this is a negative sign for the possibility of
revising a new reality in Kosovo, so that all might be equal and all might
build their future in Kosovo and that Kosovo might have this not only as an
example of living together, as well as a new chance to find the definite
status, which was the goal of many sacrifices and lives, after many years
covered with the dark veil of murder, blood and revenge.
Sokol Pepushaj
Shame of the state
The escape of the criminal Dritan Dajti, firstly condemned
with life imprisonment for the murder of the  businessman Agim Beqo, from the first floor
of the Court of Tirana, is a shame for the state. The shameful acts of this
state go on and on. This state shows links with crime. The criminal Dajti point the gun to the court and leaves without
having problems. The state points the gun to innocent people and even kills
them, either by day or night, on the street or at home. Those who escape
murder, have to leave Albania.
This is what happened to the young man you see in this picture. His name is Aleks Balto Palaj,
born on May 2, 1982.
As he became a target for the anarchist structures, chooses departure as the
only way to save his life. Aleks Palaj, during the parliamentary elections of June 24, 2001, was member
of the work group of the deputy Valentin Palaj, and received death threats. We remember today that
the voting centre Nr. 4 was the hottest point in
all Albania.
Valentin Palaj and his
Democratic Party won the elections in that centre
thanks also to the help and good example of Aleks,
who had to pay then an inhuman price, the dangerous efforts to eliminate him.
There are many like this young guy who report against the state as
persecuting and killing.
Vasel Gilaj
Flamur Bunjaj, an accusation
against the dictatorial state
The entire world knows that for the first
time after 23 years, exactly on November 11, 1990, Dom Simon Jubani
celebrated the first mass in Albania,
by the chapel of the cemetery in Shkodra. The
communist system used violence upon many believers on that day, and one of
them was Flamur Rrok Bunjaj, born on September 7, 1960 in Malësi e Madhe. Flamur Bunjaj was forced to depart, as his life was in danger
since January 3, 1991,
so he leaves toward Yugoslavia,
where he lives until June 1993. Flamur and his family
were distinguished for the support to the democratic movements in Albania, as
his uncles, Nikë Lulash Smajli and Ded Lulash Smajli were shot, while
the other uncle, Prel Smajli
was condemned to 15 years of political imprisonment and many others in the
communist prisons.
The insecurity of life follows this man
step by step. During the elections of June 24, 2001, he has not only deprived
of the right of voting, but he also was wanted and ill-treated by the police,
just the way it happened in the last local elections, while only in Tirana
where deprived from the right of voting 18000 democrats. The democrat Flamur Rrok Bunjaj
endured as long as he could, until the day he had to go in any Occidental
country to have his life safe.
Zog Hysenaj
Fran
Vukaj murdered, the family Ramaj shut-in
Even
though it’s more than one month since the local elections in Albania, the
problems following them, because of the politics followed, are too many. This
country is having difficulties on leaving behind the past, so consequences
are tragic and cost the life of many people. This is why it finds place the
medieval canon which motivates revenge and blood-feud, causing an entire
family to live shut-in. The latest case taking place in Malësi e Madhe, was
that at the center of Bajza, in Kastrat. After a quarrel with political
background in a bar of Bajza, it was killed the citizen Fran Vukaj, 48 years
old, from the village of Vukël, in the municipality of Kelmend. The murderer
was Gjelosh Ramaj, from the village of Razëm, in the municipality of Shkrel.
According to eye witnesses asked by “Shqipëria Etnike” newspaper, the serious
incident happened in the afternoon of November 8th, 2003, at about
15 o’clock. Gjelosh Ramaj killed Fran Vukaj. The police, went to the incident
place, could do nothing else but declaring wanted the citizen Gjelosh Ramaj,
accused for murder. But this story is supposed to go ahead for a long time,
as according to the Canon, the family Vukaj has taken the extreme decision to
force the family Ramaj to live shut-in.
Vasel Gilaj
Human rights and liberties are clearly crushed on
Albania is moving every day away
from Europe. The conflicts taking away
innocent lives have justly drawn the  attention and
increased the pressures of the OSCE and other international organizations on Albania.
Behold the conflict of the citizen Tare Fyraj, born
in the seaside city of Vlora, living for over 40 years
in Shkodra, where he came as a military. As soon as
democracy came in Albania,
the family Fyraj had a conflict with the family Oblika, because of a property of the family Fyraj, that the family Oblika
unjustly pretended to belong to them, motivating it with the fact that Tare Fyraj wasn’t born here. The conflict develops to the
point that the owner of the property uses force wounding the citizen Osman Oblika, for he had that property with all the legal
documents. The competent organs of the state dealt with this conflict
unsuccessfully. This conflict caused the life of many families, like the
brothers of Tare and their children, to be threatened. One of those in
serious danger is Elton Fyraj, the son of the
brother of Tare, though he lived in Tirana. The political contribution of the
citizen Elton Fyraj beside the Democratic Party, as
a member of the work group of the deputy Shaban Memia, one of the central personalities of the Albanian
opposition, didn’t cause the pressures to diminish, but increased them even
more. Because of menaces through anonymous letters and phone calls, and also
because of beatings he suffered, beginning in February 2000 going on until
December 2002, he was forced to leave Albania. Even after he returned
in Albania,
couldn’t resist more than two months. In February 2003 he departed again to
go far, so far away, somewhere in the western countries, where he hopes to
live and find real freedom.
Denada Kraja
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