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Looking for
the safety of our children
 Could you imagine, dear readers, an 8
years old child playing at the courtyard of his house while unexpectedly a
criminal gang kidnaps him, without considering his tears, human compassion,
to shut him somewhere in a basement while the next day a phone-call menaces
the father with an ultimatum: “If you want your child you must pay 20 million
Lek!”
Is sounds like a legend of ancient times, or far
countries.
No, this is an undeniable truth. The bitter event
occurred at the center of the biggest northern town of Albania,
in Shkodra, whose history begins in the dark year
1997, when Albania
was set on fire by communists, when dumps were broken and evil people got a
gun. Availing from the delicate situation of the people, various criminal
groups used to rob private properties, penalized businessmen, or what is the
worse, kidnapped children.
Concretely, the character of this painful drama is
the picture illustrating this article. It speaks more than that. Behold, in
April 1997, Fadil Balaj
and his two sons, Alban and Ardit, where found
unexpectedly in the terrible trap offered by the circumstances - the
criminals - of that time.
1997 may never come back again
Fadil Balaj, indeed, in 1992,
built up a modest business with great sacrifices, just to hold his family. By
the time, working with passion and honesty, he expanded hi activity and in
1997 he hired 15 workers in full respect of the law. But, there wasn’t enough
hope for a good time as the dense fog created by the political class of the
time giving a chance to the “wolves” to rob all they could. Neither the
business of Fadil Balaj
could escape this situation. The vandals with the artfulness of the fox, had
planned everything as at the moment it was a free day and the proprietor was
somewhere out of town, so in the midday (for them it was enough that the law
wasn’t working, for as they are inhuman they’re even shameless), they
destroyed in a few hours what Fadil Balaj had done with great sacrifices for many years. Yet,
this was the least in front of the kidnapping of his 8 years old son, Alban,
two weeks later, in the courtyard of his house. The criminals led by their
covetousness to have the money in exchange of the child, had taken it for
counted that the businessman Fadil Balaj had 20 million of Lek and
would give them all immediately. But their count was wrong this time. As soon
as the child disappeared it was reported to the police, yet the state had
almost lost control on its institutions and every area of life felt
paralyzed, so the criminals were never caught, so they kept on menacing the
family Balaj. The child was in danger and Fadil Balaj felt bad. The
kidnappers had closed any reasonable way. The only way left for the family Balaj, although against their will, was self justice with the kidnappers. It is known that self justice is equal to life or death. You can get your
justice or you can be crushed by it. Unable to get to a final solution with
the kidnappers, one of them was wounded. The son, Alban, escaped death but
enmity was open between the two families and it still goes one today.
In these conditions there was no peace for the
family Balaj. Their normal life in Albania was
interrupted and maybe over. The 600 years old Canon has still the absolute
law, perhaps one of the severest in modern times, the living shut in, and not
only for the author of the murder but also for all the family. Thus it should
be respected and the young Alban had no chance to continue the third year of
school, for the danger was evident. Yet it wasn’t possible to go on with life
in this way, and the life of the children sends you far away. In these
circumstances, in July 1999, Fadil Balaj and his sons had to leave his country, taking with
them the pain of the troubled soul of the mother and the family, through a
very dangerous way, with a powerboat through the storms of the sea, only God
knows how they got safe without sinking in the midst of the huge sea,
likewise many others who tried the way of emigration, with the big dream:
looking for the safety of their children.
This episode which caused much rumor at the time,
while even media talked about it, yet this was all because in Albania
shocking events follow each other and you remember only the last one, while
the old is soon forgotten. We live in Albania! Our ear and eye is used
to everything. This is what happened to the family in question. But, where
and how does it live today?
A coffee with the emigrant
We met Fadil Balaj in a occidental country
(we don’t want to reveal it for safety reasons) while driving his son, Alban,
to the gym of boxing. We spoke to each other like an Albanian to another
while in foreign country. We came to know from him some very touching truths,
but not as far as the law is concerned, as it wasn’t his nature, but
secondary problems, economical ones because of the regular documentation, so
that he could live and work normally like everyone in the country where he
was residing for 8 years now.
A coffee with the emigrant, now white-headed, not
for the age as much as for the long waiting for the residing documents in
that country. Behold Alban, with the sports bag! The little boy who escaped miraculously from the death and the
criminals, was grown now so much that we hardly knew him. We followed him as
he trained in boxing with a junior team. His engagement was double now as it
was the school was to begin and Alban goes at the fourth year of the
secondary school, while his younger brother, Ardit,
goes at the third year of another secondary school. The two brethren were
well integrated to the society there. They spoke, wrote and rode very well
the language of the country they were living in and even translated very
exactly from Albanian into the language of that country. “For these sons I
hold as the dearest thing I have, whom I think will take some position in the
future”, says Fadil, “I ask this State to give them
documents, to educate them with the culture of the country and help them be
integrated in,
likewise the others and I guarantee that they’ll be ready to
work and contribute in the hardest areas of life here”. “This is logical”,
continues Fadil, “as long as Albania has not a political class
able to expand the spaces of work and well-being and safety for the life of its’ people, we have to seek in a foreign country what we
lack in ours”.
We have always known Fadil
Bala as a man who is optimistic for the future,
brave and he still kept these qualities, although during our conversation we
noticed some kind of human sadness in him. Sadness is of course part of life,
but the fact that 8 years passed in that country and
he didn’t have yet the legal documents justified his sadness. That’s why he
couldn’t travel back to Albania
for his mother’s funeral, who died in the February of this year. “I
understand”, he says, “that for us as emigrants difficulties are unavoidable,
and this happens almost everywhere in occidental countries, because emigrants
coming from countries with various problems increased, and the State has its
laws obviously. But I still have hope”, continues he, “that patience and
perseverance will surely be rewarded someday”. “Do you have any hope to have
the documents for a definite residence here?”, we
asked. “Of course we have”, he says, “but we don’t know the time”. “And will
you come back in Albania
at least for a visit in your family, when you get those documents?”
No, we can’t!
The hospital country obviously has its rules, even
more when we speak about an occidental country with a consolidated democracy.
Saying this we don’t mean to criticize the State or be the advocate of the
emigrant, but we can give an opinion for the fact that we know without doubt
why this family cannot come back in its country. It isn’t that simple,
because it is a pain for the soul that only he who experienced it can
understand.
We know that for Fadil Balaj and his sons
waiting becomes obligatory even after 8 years, because we think it’s
impossible for them to return in Albania, for many reasons, but
let’s mention just two of them:
First of all, the conflict with the family of him
who kidnapped his son is still open, so the law of the Canon to live shut in
should be “respected”, and in these circumstances neither Alban nor Ardit can continue with the school, without mentioning
the fact that there wont be any normal life for the
family, because in order to live it necessary to work and work is
“prohibited” in these cases because danger is evident.
Secondly, the lack of a house to live in Albania,
because Fadil Balaj sold
it while he was living in emigration without the necessary documentation,
without work or social assistance to live there, what makes the next
difficulty. These and other motives make absolutely impossible their return
in Albania.
We know this very well because we know the happenings, yet there’s one thing
we don’t know, to answer the essential question that come to mind to most of
the Albanians every day: “For how long will the Albanian people suffer the
incapacity of its political class?”
Jetmir Delaj
Blood-feud
the medieval wound that is not healing even in the XXI century…
In an European country, like Albania, it looks
paradoxical that in the XXI century the medieval wound of blood-feud not only
“makes happy” the modern citizen, but opens every day knew wounds that bleed
pure Albanian blood, and in most of cases bleeds the youth, the energy of
this country that shed rivers of blood unlike any other nation fighting to
defend its land, religion and European civilization, still a dream to us…
Unfortunately blood-feud resides exactly where the
wild canon of the mountains was born, commonly known like the Canon of Lek Dukagjini (XV century), in Northern Albania, the most Albanian area of the Ethnic
Albania as well as the most European. Malësia e Madhe, Shkodra, Lezha, Mirdita, Puka, Kukësi, Kruja, Laçi, Tropoja, Peshkopia, Mati etc., are the regions where blood-feud takes away
human lives daily as the flowers whither by the frost. Our journal, “Shqipëria Etnike” has often
treated cases of blood-feud in its pages, trying to make more sensible the
State and the society, what often caused us to have the pressure of those who
wanted revenge, whose names we mentioned, so we considered more careful in
this number to publish only the names of those killed for revenge who risk
further revenge. This case is particular because its
rooted since almost a century ago that’s why we decided to write about it.
After many visits we made in families with blood-feud problems in Shenkoll of Lezha, we stopped
to a lady who lived alone. Talking with her we came to know she was called
Marie Kaçeli and lived alone because her son lived
with her before, but he left his house to go abroad in an occidental country
some years ago. The motive was blood-feud. Marie’s son was Ervin Gjeto Kaçeli, he was born on February 16, 1980. Unfortunately, Ervin’s
grandfather had a blood-feud conflict with a family of the mountains. Though
there were decades this enmity wasn’t even mentioned, with the democratic
system the grandsons of the victim wanted revenge for their grandfather. In
1995 was killed Agostin Kaçeli,
from the family Kaçeli and after almost one year,
in 1996, was killed Artan Kaçeli,
from the same family, while his cousin, Ervin Gjeto
Kaçeli, escapes the bullets miraculously. The
family Kaçeli asked explanations on the
circumstances of the murders, but strangely, when it was supposed that the
avengers were the authors of the murders, they denied it and sent someone to
say to family Kaçeli that they were in blood-feud
and they didn’t kill for revenge for their grandfather. Ervin Kaçeli was accused he was twice in debt with them because
except for the grandfather they considered him as the murderer of his cousin,
Artan Kaçeli, with whom
he was supposed to be on that macabre day when God himself had saved Ervin
from the bullets that were shot like a shower on his two cousins. During our
conversation we came to know that Ervin Kaçeli was
menaced by masked people who told him he would be killed soon like Agostin and Artan Kaçeli, so he had no reason to hide like a coward, thus
he was invited to face them as the Canon demanded. Ervin Kaçeli
loved his life, of course, so, one night in darkness, masked, he walked on
the hard way of emigration, unfortunately without return. We asked several
times his mother, Marie, about where he was hiding, but, beyond the tears,
she didn’t give us any answer. She might surely know where her son Ervin was,
but fearing they would find him even there, she only cried and kept silent.
For us, people of media, tears and silence speak more than words…
Unfortunately, the State and society are still unable to stop blood-feud,
this wound that is bleeding every day weakening every day more the fragile
“body” of the society of our troublesome country…
Ndue Bacaj
Blood-feud
is taking every day innocent lives
There have been strong reactions about the wound of
blood-feud by the Association of Reconciliation of Albania in the Prefecture of Shkodra. The
president Gjin Marku
underlined  the inability of the State to prevent
this phenomenon that takes away many innocent lives, while the Canon of Lek Dukagjini make the State “shake”. It paradoxical the fact of these
days when hundred of inhabitants of Lazarat attacked the Police Station in Gjirokastër where they set some cars on fire, only
because that the police, fighting with Sabri Shurdhi, a person condemned with 14 years, wounded him
who died on the way to hospital. Though the fight with the police took some
time, the State was unable to arrest any terrorist and neither to accuse any!
The life of the Albanians is thus in danger. Revenge is natural now. One of
the Albanians who are in serious danger is Tonin Filipaj, born on April 15, 1977, in the village Kçirë of Puka. The tragedy of
the 30 years old man in the picture nearby is a painful Calvary.
His father, Zef Filipaj,
was killed by Zef Jak Pjetri, on February 24, 1994, for revenge because of an
old enmity between them. The grandfather of Tonin Filipaj, Marka Ndue Filipaj, had killed the
father of Zef Jak Pjetri in 1945, that’s the motive of the murder of Zef Filipaj. The victim was
thrown face down in a waterway in Kçirë of Puka. He was found the next day by Tonin’s
brother, Nikolla, who reported immediately to the
Police of Puka. The police went immediately at the
place, and the experts proved the murder was done by Zef
Jak Pjetri, in
collaboration with his son, Ben.
Although there was a murder, the family Filipaj is still menaced. The murderers said they will
take again revenge. The family Filipaj had to live
shut in, until all of them found the way to leave Albania. One year after the
macabre happening, the murderer Zef Jak Pjetri was arrested by the
police, but his son is still free today! Menaces continue and another victim
is expected. The relatives of Zef Jak Pjetri, after the return in
Albania of Tonin Filipaj,
from America,
thinking that this one would avenge his father, made known to him that they
will kill him. The gun is ready and the guy is forced to live hiding. Tonin Filipaj came from America
but lives hiding and the avenge is planning the last
shot, his life.
The reality is gloomy and such happenings keep our
country far from the integration in the Euro-Atlantic structures. It looks
like crime and State are one. How far this way?
Vasel Gilaj
Increasing
families living shut-in in Malësi e Madhe
In Malësi e Madhe, in the northern region of Albania, the economical and social problems have no end. Beyond the
low economical level, another sharp problem is blood-feud and living shut-in.
Although in most of other regions of Albania, the Canon of Lek Dukagjini is almost
forgotten, as the law does its part, in Vermosh and
villages around, where the power of the State is still weak, the Canon looks
like “adjusting” or better, destroying the social life of the inhabitants of
this region.
In the recent days, another family adds to the
number of the families living shut-in. It is the family Vushaj
from Vermosh. Looking from outside, this family has
a great reputation in the municipality of Kelmend,
but analyzing the inner life of this family you feel sorry because the old
laws of the Canon have made their life unbearable. Five years ago it was
found unconscious Kolë Vushaj,
beside the bridge
of Sheu
i Gjaneve. The relatives of Kolë
accused Fran Lumaj and Kol
Lumaj for his death. After that, Nikoll Vushaj tries to kill
Fran Lumaj to avenge for his brother. This last one
menaces to death the members of the family Vushaj.
In 2005, the granddaughter of Fran, Vjoleta, after
a long loving relationship with the son of Kolë, Xhevahir Vushaj, was pregnant.
In November 2005, Xhevahir was forced to leave Albania toward Canada. In February 2007 Fran Lumaj tries to kill Gëzim Vushaj to avenge for Xhevahir,
his brother. Gëzim had immediately to leave Albania toward Italy. According to the opinion
of the men of the family Lumaj, the only way to
establish the honor of their family is to kill one of the male members of the
family Vushaj.
When Xhevahir and Vjoleta built up their family and live together in Canada, in Vermosh there’s still too much tension. In unclear
circumstances in spring 2007, Fran Lumaj was found
drowned, though he was menacing to kill any of the male members of the family
Vushaj. The brothers of Fran accuse Nikoll Vushaj for his murder,
and Nikollë had to live shut-in along with his
family.
We met recently this living shut-it family. It is
incredible how this people can live. The house of stone they’ve built has
become their prison. None dares to go out, even to care their fields or the
animals. The inhabitants of the village take care of them for their daily
food. Nikollë, the head of the family, says he is
innocent and what was happening to his family was a catastrophe. He says
they’re trying to survive living shut-in, though they don’t know how long it
will take. He says that the men of this family scattered all over the world
to escape death, and he doesn’t want to leave his house, though conscious he
might be killed. He asks us to help him so that at least the sons of the
family, his grandsons and granddaughters might be “forgiven”, so that they
might attend school.
The Albanian
State doesn’t care
about these social problems of the Albanian citizens. The State seems able to
establish order only in the big cities, while the inhabitants of these
villages of the mountains feel forsaken by the State.
Rifat Ymeri
The number
of victims is unknown
 In the country of the countless crimes
against humanity, in Albania,
it is known the hand-wash before sins . Dictatorship condemns while mocking,
violates while mocking, kills while mocking. It even
washes hands like Pontius Pilates. Those targeted disappear. The couple Artan Hulaj and Marjanë Hulaj, unfortunately became target to be eliminated physically.
Artan’s grandfather was shot by the dictatorship in
1948. His father, Zef Llesh
Hulaj, was politically condemned by 5 years of
prison in 1980. Those who aspire for democracy and human rights are roughly
hit. Statistics are tragic. Only during the last seven years have been shot
dead about 5000 people. Nevertheless the exact number will remain eternally
inexact, for the power accuse each-other: “You keep
the side of crime, I am at the side of the law, and so on”. Reports are only
political and never legal, for killers are not condemned, not even arrested.
Having this ground it’s easy for them to terrorize, kill in the midst of the
day as it was the midst of the night. Artan Hulaj, since the beginning of the democratic processes,  in 1990, is active for the realization
of the aspirations contributing for the democratic forces for an Albania
without dictatorship, without political, racial, religious discrimination. He
was active even during the parliamentary and local elections many times,
always supporting the DP. He was menaced to death by mafias groups who are
used to this kind of confrontations. The ace of the patience or the ace of
anger for the anarchist groups was in 1997, when the depots were broken and Artan Hulaj didn’t give up
defending the institutions of the democratic state. The usurpation of the
State, the civil war, murders even just to see if the gun works, as it was
sold at a cheap price, what made impossible for the young guy to stay in his
country. Artan Hulaj had
to hide until he finds the way to leave Albania unable to come back
anymore. So, just to save his life. Terror continues still today on his
relatives here in Albania.
26 days ago, on August 20, at the place called Krye
Bushat, unknown people waited his father, Zef Hulaj, in an ambush and
shot on the car he was driving. God and destiny saved him. After the contact
we had, Zef thanks God that his son is not here,
for like many other terrorized families, he knows very well the power of
crime.
The number of victims is unknown and the terror has free way and is organized.
Lekë Lumaj
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