Increasing insecurity in Albania

koka

nr. 44 / 20 Maj 2003

Rising insecurity in Albania

Insecurity, this typical Albanian phenomenon gives the sensation of living not in 2003, but in the atrocious 1997, when the social-communists set Albania to fire. The Albanian life and politics had a terrible shock while the insecurity for tomorrow for the simple people as well as for the rich men, reached the top of it after the terrible murder of the December leader Azem Hajdari by people of the police, of the teacher Gjon Gjoni from Laç, killed by tortures in the police station and lastly that of Miri of Xhike in Tirana, Florian Vila, the distinguished businessman, president of the well-known iron Enterprise “Flevi”, killed by people in military uniform, as well as that of the spectacular kidnapping of Klajdi Shehu in Valona, the nephew of the biggest cement tradesman in the country. The list of the people arrested and executed by the state is even longer. Sokol Sakaj, former employer of the NIS (National Informative Service), could have been another name of the list. We hope the Albanian state might not reach him out in the Occidental countries where he found shelter, as he refused to obey a command that was against the laws and interests of the country as well as to his moral.

It is obvious that even though NIS is, by law, politically independent, there are still murders, assassinations and arrests of Mafia’s type. Fation Sakaj, cousin of Sokol Sakaj, who recently came from Italy, was arrested just because supposed to know the address of Sokol Sakaj.

The abovementioned cases reveal the fact that people in Albania aren’t defended by the law, even when they wanted to obey the law in keeping with the Constitution and the Human Rights Document, feeling so more in danger. Even the observation of the US Department of State as well as the statement of the European Council for Albania showed this when reporting about the links of crime with the politics as well as the incrimination of the police structures and the secret services.

Sokol Pepushaj

Watch and decide, take your clothes and leave…

Lekë Mark Arapaj is well-known not only in his village Grudë e Re of the district of Shkodra, but even out of it, for his right-winged convictions, who had a little hope during 1992-1996, when the true right-winged were $Description: D:\gazeta\Shqipëria Etnike\internet\she44\lekë arapaj.jpg$ governing led by Sali Berisha. The ex-communists of Enver Hoxha, or better, the socialists of Fatos Nano, after coming back on power by guns and demagogy, on March 1997, brought back the sufferings, darkened his future and threatened with death as well as offending his personality.

This dear good guy is only 32 years old (born on July 13, 1971) and his only fault in his life is that of suffering systematic and innumerous persecutions. This is what happened even to his father and grandfather. In the beginning of the 20^th century, his grandfather, Gjeto, joined those who were looking for nationality, independence and freedom to live. The answer of the authorities of that time was beatings, wounds causing precocious death. Mark, his father, took his belongings and changed house, going a few kilometers from his birth country. Yet he found no peace even there. He was sent to the internment camps in Llakatund of Valona, where he lived for 5 years, though guiltless.

The young Lekë was on the target of the communist regime since 1990, as he joined the true nationalists and democrats. People in uniform stopped and ill-treated him several times. Lekë is willing to show the documents proving the persecution of his father as well as the documents of his membership in the Democratic Party and in many anticommunist organizations founded in Shkodra. When the democrats came on power, there was a heating ray of hope to him, but it fade away as soon as the communists got the power back. Lekë Mark Arapaj delayed his inevitable departure for 7 years, as his father was old and wanted to die in his country. When Mark Arapaj died, his son, Lekë consulted his family and friends about the troubles he had had; the peace he didn’t find and the insecure life. They all answered: You see and decide, take your clothes and leave. His departure from Albania was the only way to survive for Lekë Arapaj and many other young people of this area of Balkan where the hope is dead.

Dashamir Cacaj

Baker, Powell and the Albanians under two socialisms

A cautious observer can notice that the visits of James Baker in 1991 and Colin Powel a few days ago (2003) are $Description: D:\gazeta\Shqipëria Etnike\internet\she44\admir vukaj.jpg$ similar in almost all directions. These Secretaries of the American State visited Albania in two very difficult moments. The first in 1991, when the red communist beast wanted to keep the power at every cost, though wounded. Thousands of freedom loving Albanians looked at James Baker as their hope, waiting him in a wonderful way. They looked at him like he was “God” who would save them from the sufferings caused by communism. Twelve years later, the other Secretary, Colin Powell is visiting in almost the same conditions for Albanians, when the new communists (socialists) usurped the power since 1997 with the typical Bolshevik revolution, wanting to keep this power at all costs. On one hand, they show themselves as angels with a heavenly face to the democratic world, even as submitted servile in whatever they demand, but in the other hand they are so criminal and aggressive toward the Albanian citizens, those who have different ideals from the socialists on power. The true democrats are the first prey of the red beasts with human face, making those democrats decide to leave Albania, if they want to live, for the socialists say this peace of ground of the ethnic Albania is their property “inherited” by their “father”, Enver Hoxha. There are numerous cases of violence and throwing out of Albania of the democrats, yet in this article we wanted to tell about the young democrat Admir Pjetër Vukaj, born in Shkodra on November 21, 1981, in a family of nationalist traditions constantly cultivated to him. This family nationalism caused Pjetër Vukaj, Admir’s father to support and be active in all the peaceful meetings and protests to throw down the communist dictatorship. Pjetër participated in the protests to pull down the bust of the dictator in Shkodra, as well as in defense to the free vote. Mr. Pjetër participated in the protests of April 2, 1991, when the communist, who manipulated the votes, had killed four people (Arben Broci, Bujar Bishanaku, Besnik Ceka and Nazmi Kryeziu) and wounded many others. Mr. Pjetër fortunately had his life safe, but didn’t escape the tortures and ill-treatments by the communist police. Yet Pjetër didn’t surrender even after this, but increased his activity supporting the Democratic Party, helping for the historical victory of March 1992.

After the democrats won, the family of Pjetër Vukaj could taste the fruits of freedom and democracy, unfortunately cut in half by the Bolshevik revolution of the Albanian communists in 1997. The family Vukaj was one of the first democrat families of Shkodra searching to defend the democratic state and its’ institutions, facing the red bandits, who reminded this as soon as they got the power. Even after that, Pjetër didn’t give up his anticommunist and democratic convictions, but cultivated the same convictions in his family, especially to Mirela, his daughter, who was a student. Mirela suffered the consequences not only she was at the head of the students’ protests, but even after she was married Mr. Marin Kruja. This couple (Marin and Mirela Kruja) were obviously forced to depart. Pjetër was also transmitting his convictions to Admir, his only son, taking him along in all the activities of the DP of Shkodra. Admir Vukaj became a member of the DP since March 7, 2000, jut like his father did in 1992. These democrats, father and son (Pjetër and Admir) were amongst the first in Shkodra to participate in the protests against the murder of Azem Hajdari on September 14, 1998, the day of the funeral of this hero of democracy, killed by the social-communists on September 12, 1998. The socialists organized the destruction and stealing of all the possessions the family Vukaj had in their house, when these democrats were in Tirana (on September 14, 1998). After that, “anonymous” phone-calls followed, menacing the life of Pjetër and his son, if they would complain. Pjetër and his son, Admir, do not wave from their democratic convictions, while gave a contribution supporting the alternatives of the DP, no mater the continuous anonymous phone-calls… The social-communists kept their promise as they tried to realize their menaced on April 11, 2001, when Admir Pjetër Vukaj was coming back, along with his young wife, from a meeting of the youth forum of the DP, when some people (agents of SIS) tried to kill him, but thanks God and his driving ability, he escaped the followers for the moment. Nevertheless, because of the ambushes placed by the followers, Admir and his wife fell in a gutter out of the road. This incident brought them near to death as Admir was for six weeks in coma and his wife two weeks. Menaces didn’t stop even after, telling the family Vukaj that this was just the beginning, as they would kill Admir and his young wife would be kidnapped, and after Admir they would also kill Pjetër. Admir and his wife had to leave Albania in these conditions, in order to save their life and young family menaced time after time by the gangs on power, as the life in this hell of state is less than nothing. To me as a journalist there remains nothing to do but to express my deep spiritual regret for how it is possible to have your life unsafe in your country and safe in a foreign place, though we call our country “Fatherland”, the land of our fathers…

Ndue Bacaj

Democrats crushed

The psychological and physical violence is increasing in less than five months from the local elections. The $Description: D:\gazeta\Shqipëria Etnike\internet\she44\familja gaci.jpg$ democrats are being crushed allover Albania. This is a familiar way used by the structures linked to the left winged politics, trying to lower the moral of the democrats, as they’ve frequently done. The democrat Zef Gaci, born on March 26, 1966, along with his family, endured several times physical violence as well as direct death threats. He participated in many peaceful protests in opposition, as well as in elections’ commissions. According to reliable sources beside the Democratic Party, during the elections of October 2, 2000; and those of June 24, 2001, he suffered violence from socialists, as he did not allow manipulation of votes. The democrat Zef Gaci, however, is on the target of the communists. On December 20, 2002, his house was burned up, and fortunately there were no victims. Many of his friends have been killed, while many others have been forced to leave Albania, like he was.

Albert Vataj

Crime times

Our journal, as we report in the editorial article of this edition, has received many threats by terrorist groups. $Description: D:\gazeta\Shqipëria Etnike\internet\she44\paulin shqau.jpg$ The rhythm of those threats decreased only in these days, during the visit of the American Ambassador James Jeffrey in Shkodra. Yet how safe are the simple people, those who aspire in a different Albania, a democratic occidental Albania, when the journalists are threatened? The center of this article is the democrat Paulin Shqau and his family. Paulin is one of the participants in the protests to pull down the bust of Stalin and Enver, respectively on January 14, and December 13, 1990. He also is one of the activists in the Anticommunist Political Association “13 Dhjetori 1990”, as well as participating in the funeral of the leader of December, Azem Hajdari, on September 14, 1998. As a distinguished democrat he was several times appointed by the communists to be eliminated. There were attempts to kidnap his sons, Armando and Amarildo, while in these last days, explosive stuff was put to his house. This is most likely happening as the local elections are drawing near. Paulin Shqau, however was not home, while his wife, Marjana and the two sons had left Albania to save their life seriously in danger.

These incidents make Albania look like Sicily during 1960’s.

Vasel Gilaj

Why did Eduard Krasniqi leave Kosovo?

Trembling news come from Kosovo, while the war left many open wounds. In January of 2002, Nazire $Description: D:\gazeta\Shqipëria Etnike\internet\she44\eduard krasniqi.jpg$ Krasniqi, an old woman, mother of Eduard Krasniqi, commits suicide as she was too sad about his son who left Kosovo since February of 2002 and she had no news. Mehmet Krasniqi, about 50 years old, father of Eduard, was considered dead during the war in Kosovo, killed by the soldiers of KLA. His son sought after him for some time, but didn’t find either him or his body. Eduard’s uncle, Tahir Krasniqi had murdered Vesel Demiri, 39 years old and Sulejman Troshi, 47 years old, on January 6, 2002, as suspected to be the killers of his brother, Mehmet Krasniqi, while Eduard was a young man, born on May 14, 1984. Tahir Krasniqi departs, thus from Kosovo, but even his nephew, Eduard had to go somewhere abroad. As a young man he did not agree at the time, to take the gun and join the KLA, what made them consider him a spy of the Serbs. This is another reason his life is still today in serious danger. On reliable sources we have, this young man went through several ambushes until he departed, maybe losing forever the chance to see Kosovo and Pristine anymore, and maybe neither his mother’s tomb.

The observer

Systems crash

Albania has almost 13 years involved in anarchy. The old dictatorial system and the democratic system crashed and keep on crashing severely. This crash caused innocent victims. This severe crash is now registering the ace of it, as the dictators are leading the state. One of those victims is the democrat Nest Ndr $Description: D:\gazeta\Shqipëria Etnike\internet\she44\met ahmataj.jpg$ ekë Ahmataj, born on October 10, 1973. Nest was member of the Democratic Party since October of 1992. He participated in the democratic movements of 1990-1991. Nest was one of many to protest on April 2, 1991, as the communist party led by the dictator Ramiz Alia, stole the votes on March 31, 1991, declaring the undeserved victory. He suffered violence and was even arrested by the police and kept in prison for ten hours, where he was nearer to death than life, while his father was kept for one week. It is worth to mention that during that crash of systems, on April 2, 1991, four people were killed (Arben Broci, Bujar Bishanaku, Nazmi Kryeziu and Besnik Ceka), over 70 were wounded and many others were arrested, and not only in Shkodra but even in Lezha, Puka, Malësi e Madhe etc. This young man was brought up in an anticommunist family. According to the decision Nr. 501 of 1947, on the register of the Ministry of Justice, Shuk Gjini (Ahmataj), son of Nush and Mrika, was condemned with seven years of political imprisonment. This is the reason this young man had to give his contribution for the installation of a democratic juridical state in Albania. The system crash hit him hardly, likewise this young girl you see beside him, whose name is Miranda Mark Drini, a member of the DP since March 2000, as results in the registers this party has. This democrat is very young, born on November 24, 1982. She suffered violence for several times from the state of dictatorship.

There is only one way for democrats like them, who have their life in serious danger, and this way is the departure from Albania.

Sokol Pepushaj

Notes from Mitrovica

$Description: D:\gazeta\Shqipëria Etnike\internet\she44\gjergj ograja.jpg$ The whole Kosovars have continuously fought for freedom and rights, language, culture and development. The events of these last 23 years spread darkness to the Albanian community, however. The Serbs have mistreated and used violence on Albanians. The Christians in Kosovo have been considered collaborators to the Serbs by the terrorist groups, as there are very few Catholics in Kosovo, and they have suffered violence a were killed for this motive. There are concrete examples in Mitrovica, as it was the murder of the Albanian from Mitrovica, Gjergj Ograja along with his son’s wife, Gjyste, causing the community of this religion to tremble. The people in general are sensible and honest, except the terrorist groups. The terrorist extremists seem to be linked to the Arab countries as the murder of women is against the Albanian costumes. This causes countries like Kosovo, Macedonia, Albania and Bosnia, to be very dangerous.

The observer

Deeds are far from the words

Enver Hoxha and the whole dictatorial staff used to say for 50 years that Albania is a lighting lighthouse, while the reality was one of the darkest in the world. The today’s social-communists speak aloud that we are going proudly toward Europe, while the reality is the same, and the dictatorship is the same. Paulin Mhill Masheku, coming from a persecuted family during the regime of Enver, as they were imprisoned, politically and morally discriminated, suffering internment and confiscation, and still today they are in danger. Since the fou $Description: D:\gazeta\Shqipëria Etnike\internet\she44\paulin masheku.jpg$ ndation of the Democratic Party in Albania, he joined them giving his contribution for a different Albania, a democratic Albania. He was also the driver of Astrit Bushati, the former leader of the DP in Shkodra, now deputy in the Albanian Parliament. This democrat was imprisoned during the dictatorship as he attempted to escape from Albania. For this reason he was arrested and tortured on September 18, 1998, accused for the activity of violence against the state, linked to September 14, 1998, during the funeral of the deputy of DP, Azem Hajdari, murdered on September 12, 1998 at 19⁰⁰, by segments of the state. Paulin Masheku is one of the democrats actively participating in pulling down the bust of Stalin on January 14, 1990, that of Enver on December 13, 1990, in the protests of April 2, 1991. He was distinguished as an activist of the Anticommunist Political Association “13 Dhjetori 1990”, six members of which were arrested by the police two weeks ago (we have published this in this edition). The democrat Masheku participated in the elections’ commissions of June 29, 1997, when the votes were stolen and he suffered violence as a democrat. He also was in the local elections of October 1, 2000, as an observer of the DP in the area Nr. 24, where he reported manipulations. Paulin and his wife Çetina Shllaku, along with their three children received death menaces several times. On February of 2002, his vehicle, an “Opel” type, was burned up in his courtyard, while unknown people shot on him. This caused his life and his family to be in serious danger. Only these last six years have been killed 5000 people and the situation is worsening instead of improving.

The observer

When hope is cut off...

Despice, despotic behaviour and persecution are a continuous phenomenon in Albania, particularly toward catholics, mostly in Shkodra’s district.

Revenge, hatred, nepotism is suffocating and cutting off the hope of youth, that is forced to departure, for lack of perspective in its’ life. The young man, Frederik Broz Simoni, born on December 17, 1982, from Berdica e Madhe of Shkodra, is a victim of this phenomenon.

As Frederik finished the secondary school, he participated an exam to be admitted at t $Description: D:\gazeta\Shqipëria Etnike\internet\she44\frederik simoni.jpg$ he University “Luigj Gurakuqi” of Shkodra, and he was qualified to start the academic year 2001-2002.

He started with the great hope of a graduation, but this wasn’this destiny. Since the very beginning, Frederik was “bombed” with bad votes in almost all subjects. He could not end the first year!

When Frederik was asked about how it was possible to have those votes in all the subjects, he replied he was paying the his father’s “debts”. His father had written an article in “Shqipëria Etnike” journal, on October 30, 2001, continued on November 13, 2001, entitled “The ethnic Albania and the communist owners”, analyzing a book of dictatorship years, entitled “We accuse religion”, written by a certain Prof. H. Hasko. The book unjustly accused the catholic clergy. His father proved that catholic clergy influenced on defending the national identity, while communism was the evil in all. It is supposed the opinions expressed in that writing were not “swallowed” by some professors at dhe university, so Frederik was the innocent victim.

Frederik had to interrupt the studies, though he wanted to go on. He was forced to departure in order to save his life, as under high psychological pressure, because of death threats he received. This was because his father kept on reporting, through the abovementioned newspaper, the high corruption of the authorities in government, especially after the article of January 14, 2003, entitled “His Holiness, Pope John Paul II, in the spotlight of the Albanian clowns”.

Frederik’s family was persecuted during the dictatorship for anticommunist convictions.

In the local elections of June 24, 2001, Frederik was member of the commission representing the candidate of RDP (Renewed Democratic Party), which today is in opposition to the party on power.

Albert Vataj