America – The Country of Freedom

We Albanians, as the most pro-American nation in the world, maybe also special in building up relationships, and doubtlessly the most successful within the saint borders of the Country of Freedom – comparing to population – are in debt to the respect and the deeper knowledge of the infinitely brilliant history of the human freedom and rights.
In 1492, the Genovese explorer Christopher Columbus, contracted by the Spanish crown, reached on some of the Caribbean Isles, marking the first contact with the native people.
This 4th of July, the Country of Freedom and democracy will feast the 235th anniversary of independence. It was right the 4th of July 1776 the blessed day when the Continental Congress voted on approving the independence document, marking it as the official Independence Day of the USA. That blessed day came after Britain could divide the American colonizers, while three Americans on four where completely faithful to Britain. People, therefore, couldn't imagine getting something through war. America had human capacities; it had an elite as well as freedom heroes.
After the open revolts and fighting between colonies and British military troupes, the delegates of the 13 America's colonies gathered in Philadelphia in the Continental Congress meeting. Discussions on taxes Britain collected, even though American colonies weren't represented in the Kingdom, the abrogation of every law the British didn't like, failings to agreements, send the Congress to the decision on preparing the Independence Document. Thomas Jefferson was the chairman of the elected Committee for this document. While the Committee members were working, the Congress continued on arguing about the question of independence.
The historical day of July 4th 1776 came, when the Independence Statement was voted. It accused the British Government for all injustice made to colonies. It stated that governments exist only to defend their people's rights. It also stated that people had the right to change its government, if this was denying them their rights. This fundamental document of human rights and freedom was never revised. In 1783, the Great Britain acknowledged their independence and gave them the lands behind them up to Mississippi River. Due to the federal Constitution made on September 17, 1787, George Washington was proclaimed President of the United States of America in 1789.
Thus, Americans, though new in their land, with a history that was more than tough to them, are the most tolerant and right, as well as the most powerful country in the world. Like a Lord sacrificed in the name of global freedom and democracy, America gives a physical image of Jesus Christ. Its has surface of 9.83 millions of kilometers square, and a population of 308.745.538 inhabitants, according to the census of the last year's 1st April, known as the official census day. The registration forms where prepared in 59 various languages.
According to the last study, 78,4% of the adults were identified as Christians, while the total of non-Christian religions was reported 4,7%. Religion therefore makes a very important point, as the American Constitution states: "In God we trust".
While here in Albania we're going through an ignorant discussion, considering the census on free declaration as menacing to inter-religious relationships, we'd like to remind our politicians that the America of Freedom which opened the doors and the hart to all the races has done the 23rd census, for the American Constitution has stated a census once every 10 years. The first census in America was in 1790.
The US economy is the biggest in the world, with an estimated GDP on over 14.3 trillion of dollars, in 2008, (almost 23% of the nominal world's GDP and almost 21% according to the population capacities). The foreign policy is the main weapon of the super-country. The immigration caused a huge development of the American economy. Migration and immigration, increasing population and bringing in the most illustrious minds of the world, had its influence on moving natives from their land east to Mississippi and destroying their habitats on west Arkansas and Missouri. The native had their habitation in these lands, which now are considered as Indian wildlife-sanctuary. America is now holding the primary role in global developments, especially after September 11 of 2001, when terrorists of Al-Qaeda hit the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington D.C., killing almost three thousand people, citizens of the world, American citizens, and Albanians too were among them.
The democrat Barack Obama, the 44th American President, the first Afro-American holding this position, is the best example of materialization of rights and freedom God gives people on earth. All the previous presidents were originated from Europe.
No doubt, the Albanian people, with a glorious past originated in Illyria, as one of Europe's most ancient people, has found its strong sustain in America.
The Albanians see the today's American Ambassador in Tirana, Alexander Arvizu, as defender of the most elementary rights. They, unfortunately, do not believe policy and these law-makers who make 100 of various interpretation of a single law. America loves us very much, but we have to love ourselves first.
Let all of us say in this anniversary eve: "God bless America!"

Sokol Pepushaj, Blerti Delija

Countryman: "Elections in Albania, not in respect of the law!"

The attitude of the international factor is becoming every day rougher on the elections of May 8 in Albania. All institutions involved in monitoring the elections as well as high representatives of countries interested on our progress are expressing a clear concern about local elections of May 8.
High representatives of ESCO and ODIHR have been openly criticizing this process, especially the counting part, which became an endless marathon. The Helsinki American Committee too was in the same line, even more severe about managing the process of elections of May 8, appearing suspicious even on the legacy of the procedures followed by the CEC mainly. The States' Undersecretary for Europe and Asia, Thomas Countryman also was reserved, saying clearly that "the elections in Albania weren't in total respect of the law".
The post-elections situation in Albania is very hot and this was admitted both by national and international factors. The most important local institution, the Tirana Municipality, hasn't finished yet the process for the winner. Although the last box for the final results was counted in the presence of the USA Ambassador Mr. Arvizu, the EU Ambassador Mr. Sequi and the ESCO Ambassador Mr. Wolfarth, the latter involvement of the CEC brought everlasting prolongation of the process. The opposition pretends boxes were opened and the votes were touched.
This time, the elections of May 8 are becoming more like those in Afghanistan, were facts come out every day through "live" media, for stolen votes or filled boxes, pressure and serious incidents marking the elections' campaign month in Albania.
The pressure was surely higher in isolated deep areas, mostly in northern Albania. In the village Xhan of Pult (Dukagjin), a few meters from the poll, unidentified people made an ambush to Preke Potaj, hitting, kicking and leaving him unconscious. The aggressors have torn his passport the observer's card and the membership card of the Demochristian Party. They probably thought they killed the citizen Preke Potaj and hurried on leaving the place. That day Preke was an observer of the DCP in that poll. During these elections the DCP was part of the "Alliance for the future" and one of the most threatened parties, not only by stealing their votes but also by seriously menacing their observers. The leader of the Albanian Demo-Christians, Nard Ndoka, was accusing, stating that the elections' system in Albania is highly corrupted and the 8th of May was a dark day on the Albanian horizon.
A bad destiny was following Preke Potaj even during his life and our newspaper has been writing about in those occasions. On September 5, 1999, Preke was shot by people driving a Mercedes. This happened in a village called Grude e Re and lucky him who didn't die during that serious attack against his life.
Being a target for blood-feud revenge because of a 60 year old enmity, Preke Potaj was again in serious danger in November 21st 2006. An out-road car was almost killing him in one of the main squares of Shkodra, nearby "Rozafa" Hotel. This caused Preke serious injuries on his right leg. This made impossible for Preke Potaj to live in his country. Now he has become a target and this last moment of May 8, 2011, near the poll of the village of Xhan in Pult (Dukagjin), makes it very clear. The almost 41 years old Preke, has been facing serious revenge many times in his life and this was the third one.
This is the painful Albanian reality, experiencing for 20 years now its' sad saga: blood-feud and elections, which give more space to crime even because of a lack of normal function of the institutions.

Homosexuals in Albania are threatened with their life

This boy, Arjet Zyberi, born in Shkodër on 27.05.1993, is an unwanted person for the society, also condemned with the life the cause of this is his sexuality.
He now is a declared homosexual.
In Albania the homosexuals are considered foully and his life style is shocking, terrible, and punishable, till the death. That homosexual mass who managed to keep hide the sexual relations, are really happy, but if it is put under the attention of the society, this society till patriarchal is all against them. So not only this young boy but all his family, the brother
Ardit Zyberi although has been graduated, is diferenciated and is offended openly by the society. Even the father Xhabir and the mother Shpresë can not go out during the day, because they are offended and throw to them strong objects as cause of the homosexuality of their son.
The homosexual Arjet Zyberi is not able to inform to the police for the threatening, because then the society provision will protest and his life would be in risk.
Today he had choose the silence and to hide from people, because in he midday his life is too close to death. So happened last year, at the beginning of April in the city next to Shkoder, Lezhë, where the citizens protest organised and threatened in the television that they would shoot to Klodi Cela, the homosexual who declared his sexual tendencies in a "reality- show" in "Big Brother" and here even the interference and the public support with leaders of the state and of the Lezha Municipality, with the parliament of youth and the civil society and the ex American ambassador John Withers and the German ambassador Bernd Borchardt was not able to obstacle the removal with violence of the Cela family from the Lezha City. The case where a transvestite, known by the name "Kristina" her neck was cut with a knife near hotel "Dajti" in Tiranë, who had gone out at night by the time 23.00, and although according to all the Albanian media and the police itself he had asked the police of service for help in the entrance of the General Directory of prisons, where was dead and today there is no author of crime, this was the cause that Klodi Cela leaved Lezha together with his family and Arjet Zyberi feels threatened with his life from nearly all the society. Occurred that even the journalists who defend the rights of the homosexuals or of the lesbians have been violated, so even us, just publish some facts.

The editorial office

An innocent family immobilized

This couple in the photo, Kujtim and Fatmira Mehmeti and their two sons Tauland dhe Esmerald, from Mjeda, a village nearly 20 kilometre near the North city of Shkoder, are among the numerous victims of blood feud. Only during the first six months of this year in Albania were killed 57 persons, among them many women, for blood feud.
The north of Albania , where the canon of Lek Dukagjini has eclipsed the law mostly the last 20 years, it is very problematic and occupies the most part of the murders. The conflict of this immobilised family many years ago initiates with the father of Fatmira, the named Rasim Taraboshi from the village Kuç, nearly 8 kilometre from Shkoder city. A property conflict lead to pass away two people for the Taraboshi relatives, the brother and the father of Fatmira Mehmeti, but still does not have the author of the crime. So from the date 11. 10. 2004, when unidentified persons killed with fire gun at the Bridge of Buna the brother of Fatmira, the named Afrim Taraboshi. The tragedy follows this unfortunate woman who is not guilty, but the only reason is the her maidenhood family is in property conflict. So while Fatmira and her father Rasim Taraboshi were riding in bicycles on the road Shkoder-Bushat, on date 25. 03. 2005, in the place called Melgushe, a car crashed them and avail themselves of darkness leaved without leaving any sign behind, according to the police the event occurred round 20.00 o'clock, where even darkness was in favour of the criminals, who managed to accident to death
Rasim Taraboshi, who passed away on the way to the Regional Hospital of Shkoder and wounded gravely his daughter Fatmira Mehmeti, who escape death wonderfully. Neither today this grave event as many others, was not investigated
And the most grave thing is that Fatmira Mehmeti and her family are risked and are subjection of the immobilisation.
Zef Nika

Fatime Kulli

Chronicle from my country (Albania), where life is the cheapest thing you own

In this chronicle we have no intention to be engaged in politics, neither with the darkness of the Albanian reality, because we love our country, and we want it next to the developed western countries. Our story tell that nowadays in the XXI century we deserve it, as we are one of the oldest people of the old continent (Europe), but on the contrary of this historically truth we are very late, as we till as the first aspiration have to accept Albania in the United Europe "the reasons" of this discordance (history-actuality) are numerous, but the most important is our "possibility" top build and the function of the state, which is used frequently by our politics, not to govern well the country, but for its aims to enrich them selves, under the weight of studding of a "clan" with forms approximately to mafia, and for this is used every means and form, where often this mafia plans to realise their aims of enrichment violent not only the human rights , but in the majority of cases "pass" over the bodies of their innocent nationals ....the cases are many, but this time we thought to public the case of the young Eugen Cen Hasanaj born on 09 April 1991, from the village Kamice of the Commune Qender (Malesi E Madhe).This story was thought casually, as it was told to us with tears on the face, the parent of Eugen, and even his co-villager. Eugen Hasanaj after having had good results in the high school, gained the right to continue the high studying in the University "Luigj Gurakuqi" of Shkoder, in the branch of Foreign Languages. At the beginning of the students seemed to him that every thing was successful, but one day a group of unknown young people invite him to take a coffee, by attracting him with the words that they know him, and we want to discuss with you about a problem, that is even in your interest. The student Eugen Hasanaj accept to take a coffee and to discuss. The discussion of the "unknown" youngest began with issues and discussion about student girls, but step by step they said to him that they know that he lives in Kamice, which is in the boundary with Montenegro, in the coast of Shkodra river, even they remember him that the family of Eugen has even a good boat with motor. We said to him a group (of 3-4 persons), need to collaborate with you, and you and us will earn a lot of money. The young hanged back from these words and asked them what was it about cause he was not understanding, but they laughing said to him with the trade of the "white flour". The Eugen understands it was about the commerce of drugs, at those moments by playing a trick, he did not accept, but they said to him : think about it, and we want an answer within two or three days. Time was running and Eugen after had told to the family, had decided not to accept that mafia offer. The group of the youngest after passed three days met Eugen, who gave them a definitive answer that he did not accept to collaborate. They threaten him, but he after escapes that day, decided to collaborate with the police. Unfortunately the police to whom a s told the story, was a member of this group, that is why he told them what Eugen Hasanaj had told him. In these conditions the group of the traficant immediately began the threatening toward Eugen, in one case he was violated by them (beating him with barbarity). After this tremendous violence toward Eugen, the mafia group said to him, accept to collaborate or you are lost.
In these conditions when the state was not able to ensure defence, Eugen was obligated to left the studying, and to leave and go to Italy on 16 April 2011, where unfortunately even this group (maybe connected to any mafia group of Albanian there)find him, that is why Mr. Eugen Hasanaj, was obligated to return again in Albania on 28 may (2011). Although in his country he remained somehow hidden, again this mafia group found Eugen, and again continued to threaten him with his life, that is why he was obligated that this time by illegal way to leave from Albania. The place of residence of Eugen is not known neither by us as a journal "Shqiperia Etnike", this a sit seems for security effect, as even the familiars of Eugen felt afraid. Even us as a written media have our reasons of not digging further, to know the names of the group, although these maybe are not totally unknown, but are somehow defended from the state structure, as we said above are connected with the state police itself. Although we thought to close this chronicle, by wishing that Mr. Eugen Hasanaj to ensure a quiet life and in that western place where has found actually a shelter.

Ndue Bacaj

Election Cannibalism in Malesi e Madhe

The attention of the public opinion is recently focused in the post election situation in Tirana. The capital of Albania still does not have a new Municipal Mayor even though it passed a month and a half from the 8-th May 2011 when the electors were invited to vote. The usurpation of all institutions from the party-state directed by the prime minister Sali Berisha brought a grave situation for Albanian Democracy. The signals now are clear from the USA through its representatives as Kantrimen, and from the European Union or OSBE. It is not clear when will end the election odyssey for Tirana, but in fact even more grave problems took place even in other locations of the country, as in Malesi e Madhe. As a good expert of the reality in this territory, but also a good broadcaster of the electoral campaign, I have made tragically ascertainment of the elections even on 8-th May 2011 being a present witness as journalist since 17 years.
The electoral elections in Malesi e Madhe was personalize from an un seen of the local structures and the structures depended of central dependence in this district. The threatening and pressures came or all categories, starting from the Educational Office Malesi e Madhe. Its directors have obligated the teachers to e involved in electoral meetings, by interrupting even the educational process, this is severely forbidden by law.
While teachers were obligated to sign for the participation in the electoral campaign in favour of the Democratic Party and its candidates, the educators of the new generation were obligated to involve even the school children in this misbegotten activity. The phenomena has been documented even from medias, even in meetings were was present the Prime Minister Berisha or even the convention chairwoman Jozefina Topalli. In cases when teachers did refuse to obey to the obtrusive violation of law, they have been suspend from the work, and in some cases discharged. The Educational Office Malesi e Madhe served as mechanism in the hands of right power o attack regularly the teachers and educators who did not obey to the political orders. The same line of action was even in the health, agriculture sector, the forest and pasture administration, the commune Koplik etc. All the employers of these sectors have experienced a hard pressure, as being obligate to be part of meetings and electoral activities without their desire and in the working time. The local medias have evidenced a total paralysis of the institutions, door which were totally closed in the days when M.Madhe was visited from the Prime Minister and the Head of the Parliament, ministers or managers of the subjects who are part of the govern coalition.
Even, they were obligated to full even the parks and electoral meetings even in Tirana, being obligated even to sign before for not only their participation but also the one of their relatives.
Another sector totally involved in politics and by law away politic, as the state police, is obligated to be part of the electoral meetings. The blue uniforms, which must be only at the service of the citizens and of law, were part of the scheme by exercising an opened pressure on citizens to be part of the political engagement. The state police showed that is a faithful servant of the political power and a blind tool in the hands of the Prime Minister, the chairwoman but even of the local managers of the institutions command by the democratic party. The state is aggravate in Malesi e Madhe even in the day of voting, on 8-th May 2011.while millions of leke of the Albanian tax payers were used by the Democratic Party and its structures in the local power to realize a very luxury campaign, more money were poured to buy the vote in the election day. In the unities of the local power of M.Madhe the votes was demanded to be bough openly. The candidates of the Democratic Party for Mayor of the municipal or mayor of the communes, reached to buy a vote of the candidates until 200 USD. According to some previous calculations, in base of what was said not publically in the electoral campaign, the candidates of the power in M.Madhe gave nearly 800.000 USD to buy the power with money or more precisely, to hold it with every condition. The deep poorness in this area and the lack of the alternatives from the state to resolve the situation, bring about that the voters were obligated to sell their biggest fortune, the investment on their future and the one of their children: their vote! Now from 6 unities of the local government in M.Madhe, 5 are governed by the Democratic Party. In fact, even the unity nr.6 may be considered hold by the Democratic Party, because the mayor candidate in the duty by the Democratic Party in the year 2007, was announced again winner by candidate again under the symbol of the opposite, as occurred in the Gruemire Commune.
During these election was ascertained even other phenomena very harmful and reprehensible for an Albanian society which attempts to be part of the EU. The municipality of Koplik, the solely municipal in M.Madhe, does not have any Advisor of the catholic religion, from 17 advisor of the Commune Council. Its worth to mention that from the year 2007-2011 there was advisor of the Demo Christian Party, which showed that in the Municipal Koplik, it is possible the coexistence between the religious credence. This occurs in a time when even the percentage of the Christian religion of Kolpik citizens is worthy to have its representatives in this council. The number in total of the citizens of the Christian religion of Koplik with the right to vote, is nearly 25%. This phenomena must make to reflect all the opinion, but in a special way the directors of the Albanian state by the prime minister, the president or the parliament Chairwoman. By turning back to the day of the elections, its worth to be mentioned, that occurred many problems, till physical confronts, near the use of the arms. And many conflicts were evidenced in the centre of the vote counting during the 4 days of this counting. The most flagrant case is the one of the most mountain communes of M.Madhe, Kelmend.
What may be said as summary of the election situation in M.Madhe is that on 8-th May 2011, the election standards were not met. Now, these elections were sealed with blood, as in the case of the commune Shale, where a relative of the left candidate for Mayor of the Municipality- Representative of the Demo Christian Party was wounded with fire gun. In the beginning the police did inform that the wounded was performed form the Mayor in duty of the commune, representative of the Democratic Party but after that was declared that the gun was of the Mayor of the Municipality, but it was used from his relative.
The event took place after that the Election College decides to replay the elections. This is another indicator of the use of the State police for the interests of the party in govern. It is worth to be mentioned that the Commune Shale ids in border with M.Madhe.
The post election situation is out from the state control and its structures. The criminality has increased greatly, with murders, even in the center of Tirana, ex Blloku. Revenge and blood feud are having a great development never seen before, by creating even an unsafe situation for the business, journalists but even the life of the simple citizens.
Even after 20 years, Albania is in the crossroad of the history.
We are unable to make elections, which are the "alpha" of democracy. The govern violates regularly to maintain the domain. How it will be the near future of Albania, nobody may know it. The year 1997 is not very distant that this is accepted now not only by the politicians, but even from the independent analysts.

Vasel Gilaj