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The
consequences of medieval blood-feud
The phenomenon of blood-feud and its base, the Canon, keep on
challenging the laws at the face of the inefficiency of the structures of the
State. The extend of blood-feud, mostly on the
northern area of Albania, is drastic. There are hundreds of families living
shut-in or hiding to escape the hand of revenge in the name of the medieval
blood-feud. The State has apparently surrendered in front of this many
centuries plague, while gathering the children of Shkodër
in a school in Poliçan (south Albania), to learn
away from their families, protected. Even the family of Dardan
Kelmendi, a family from Shkodra
persecuted by the communist regime in 45 years, besides this Calvary, is
facing even that of the blind blood-feud. Just for political viewpoints Frim, Dardans brother, during
a fight in December 1997, wounds Tani, the son of Demush Gradeci, on his leg,
making him disabled for the rest of his life. After this, the family Dardany makes every effort to reconcile with the harmed
family, who refused vigorously the hand stretched for reconciliation. Between
these two families stands tragically the blood-feud
and its support by the Canon, that is still active, unfortunately, mostly in
North Albania. The family of Dardan Kelmendi is locked in, watching day and night from
revenge in the name of blood-feud by the other family. Besides the social
problems, economical problems begun, making life impossible. In these
circumstances, the 43 years old Dardan Shefqet Kelmendi, just like his
family, had to leave Albania, because their life was threatened. The only
thing we know is that they live abroad, but we dont know where, for further
information might put their life in danger: blood-feud knows no borders. The
case of Dardan and his family is one of thousands
others who suffer the consequences of the medieval blood-feud. This is a
phenomenon that damages our image in the world, not only for the rough way it
works, but also for the high inability of the State to stop it, permitting
the Canon to be more powerful than the laws of the State.
Zog Hysenaj
The family Reçaj in the
Calvary of revenge
It is almost two years and a half now since Gentian Reçi and his old mother had to leave Albania, for their
life was often in danger. This guy is known for his Legalist ideals. The
Legality Movement Party faced pressure from the two powerful political wings,
the DP and the SP, who exchange power between them during these last 16
years. Tahir Reçi,
Gentians father, involved since the beginning of the democratic process es in political activities, faced like
many others, menaces and even attempted terrorist attacks. In Albania,
terrorism is taking the life of many innocent Albanians, at the point that
under the car of Erion Braçe,
the deputy of the Socialist Party, was put explosive right in the center of
Tirana. During the elections of June 24, 2001, Tahir
Reçi gave a great political contribution for the
party of Leka I, the claimer of the throne, and
groups supported by politics, menaced to eliminate him. After those
elections, there was more pressure through anonymous phone-calls, what is
used still today even with cell-phones while its still possible to hide the
number. Even the Prime Minister, Berisha, declared
in Parliament that anonymous phone threats were made to him. Such strange
things happen only in Albania. The bad thing is that this 63 years old man
has to live hiding for two and a half years, while his son and wife had to
leave the country toward some occidental country, with the hope to escape
death. Before they left, Gentian Reçi, and Sofije, his mother, had terrible experiences. In the
afternoon of December 13, 2004, while the family Reçi
was going home after a meeting organized in Shkodër
in the occasion of the 14th anniversary of the anticommunist protests of
December 13, 1990, met an ambush of three persons who menaced to kill them if
they would keep supporting the Anticommunist Association 13 December 1990.
They went home, however, but in the late night, three masked people, either
the first, or others, went in their home presenting themselves as special
forces of the police and menacing with their guns turned everything upside
down, and as they found nothing illegal, they left menacing: The next time
youll get the bullet. This is what Tahir Reçi declared for the journal, saying that at least it
was good that his son and wife were not here. Threats continue until that of
after midnight at the beginning of April 7, 2005, the dark night that
Albanians remember the April 7, 1939, when the Fascist Italy occupied
Albania, and the King Ahmet Zogu,
had no way but to take his family, and his two days born son, Leka I, and emigrate in Greece; this is a dark night even
for the family Reçi, as they support the Legality
Movement Party. While the 7th of April 2005 was beginning, and the family Reçi was still sleeping, a shower of bullets hit the
windows of their house in Shkodër. The noise woke
the neighbors, who said the next morning that two people with motorbikes were
shooting, like in a film. That attack made Gentian go under the bed and his
parents covered, to protect him from the bullets. Their son was wounded by
the pieces of the broken glasses. His parents were wounded too. A doctor in
their neighborhood cured them for three days, while besides the wounds, the young guy had also headache, dizziness and
vomiting. The anarchist didnt stop with that. The next day put a menacing
letter under the door of the house of the family Reçi,
writing: Neither God can save you the next time. Since that time, this
family was hiding. Tahir Reçi
is still living hidden, while his son and his wife left toward occidental
countries, for their life is in danger, likewise many others. How far is the
day when Albanians will live free in their country?
Jetmir Delaj
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