nr. 70 / 18 janar 2005

On the event of the 2^nd anniversary of the foundation of NJU

“Gratitude” to the Italian Consul in Shkodra, Roberto Orlando

On December 5, 2004 it’s two years since the foundation of the Northern Journalists Union (NJU) with its center in Shkodra. Besides the newness for Shkodra and the North, the foundation of such an association has also been a good shield for people of media in exercising their informing and forming duties.

Within this picture, the head of NJU honored those people or institutions which were near to this association, also giving a contribution for Shkodra and the North. Obviously the consideration made by the Northern Journalists Union (NJU) is moral, symbolic and founded in the status and rules of this association.

The Consul of Italy in Shkodra, Roberto Orlando was awarded with the diploma “Gratitude”. Orlando, beyond being a friend of this association and the journalists in general, has given a special contribution for Shkodra and the North in general in many areas. The motivation of the diploma “Gratitude” shows this perfectly:

“For the excellent contribution given with his activity at the direction of the Consulate of Italy in Shkodra in favor of the economic, social and cultural development of the Northern Region of Albania. He was, is and will be a friend and close collaborator of the journalists of this Region. We were happy to have the possibility to make known his marvelous and fruitful work in our Region and we hope to keep on for a long time in this direction.”

And in Italian:

“Per lo splendido contributo che ha dato con la sua attività alla guida del Consolato d’Italia e Scutari in favore dello sviluppo economico, sociale e culturale della Regione Nord di Albania. È stato, è ed sarà un amico e collaboratore stretto dei giornalisti di questa Regione. Siamo lieti di aver avuto la possibilità di far’ conoscere il suo magnifico e fruttuoso lavoro nella nostra Regione, e speriamo di continuare a lungo insieme in questa direzione.”

This diploma was handed in to the Consul Orlando during a reception he organized for the journalists on the occasion of the feasts of the end of the year. The Consul Orlando expressed his pleasure for receiving this diploma and promised to continue in his activity, the Consulate and Italy in this direction.

In the same occasion of the 2^nd anniversary of the foundation of the Northern Journalists Union (NJU), the diploma “Gratitude” was given also to the former Director of the Police of Shkodra, Commissar Asllan Dogjani. To one of the pioneers of the free media in Albania, as well as a well-known activist of the Albanians question in Itali, Alban Kraja, was given the diploma “Entrant Honorary” of the Northern Journalists Union (NJU), equal to that given to the Albanian Mandela, Pjetër Arbnori.

Blerti Delija

Departure from Albania, the only way of salvation

Many Albanians, victims of an inhuman terror are forced to emigrate or live hidden, just in order to save their lives. The family Lera, about whom we have previously written, was victim of terrorist gangs since the beginning of the democratic processes in Albania. This family faced tragedies like murders, wounded, imprisonments as well as many serious menaces. Ndue Lera and his wife Luke Lera, have been subject to terror from anarchist groups. The pressure on them was because of people linked to crime who wanted them to give the addresses of their sons Vitor Lera, Vangjel Lera and Valter Lera, who left their country and don’t have an address, choosing departure as the only way to save their lives. The case of the parents Ndue and Luke Lera is a painful fact, for they married their daughter, Flora in November 2004, while none of her abovementioned brothers was in her wedding, for they feared death. This family was invested for democracy in Albania since the beginning of the processes; they have given a contribution in starting back religion, being present in the mass celebrated by Dom Simon Jubani at the “Rrmaji” Cemetery on November 11, 1990. Since then the sons of Ndue Lera were marked to be shot. Along with these data we could have the picture of Vitor Lera, who was menaced many times until he could leave, but none known where, in order to save his life, for his brother Vangjel and the others were wanted, maybe to make a tragedy on them, as it often happened to kill many members of the same family at the same time. Even their relatives have had problems because of them. Their cousin, Angjelin Bungaja, on November 2004 faced a gang at the center of the city of Shkodra. There was meant to eliminate him, but he had a good luck, yet he was arrested after a short time by the police of Koplik and still today is in prison. We don’t want to analyze this fact, but we suppose there might be a link between the gang and the police, for in many cases, what is impossible for the law is made possible through gangs, and if the gangs are unable to do anything, the law could do something. They had also killed Ndoc Bungaja, the father of Angjelin Bungaja, in the beginning of the democratic processes in Albania and his brother, Ardjan Bungaja became disabled and his only hope to live, in these circumstances, was departure. During these years many became disabled, many were shot and many faced violence, many houses were blown up with explosive. This criminal state is only increasing revenge and terrorist acts.

Sokol Pepushaj

Young intellectuals leave Albania because of menaces

The flow of the Albanian “brain” abroad because of very hard economic and social conditions is a distinctive phenomenon from which even the city of Shkodra suffers. Yet a harder phenomenon is the departure of intellectuals from the biggest northern city because of various menaces not only toward them but also toward their families and children. The most painful case is that of Arian Uruçi, who served for some time as a trainer for the elections’ questions, named by the Elections’ Central Commission, and proposed by the Democratic Party in Shkodra.

During his whole activity, especially in the local elections of October 12, 2003, Arian Uruçi was menaced while doing his job. Various menaces were addressed even to his wife Ledina, while their weight and consequences were felt by their two little sons of 3 and 5 years old. Arian was also our colleague as a correspondent of “Shqipëria Etnike” newspaper. Arian was menaced even in this position, likewise many other colleagues working in this tribune of the free speech. In these conditions, he continued his passion and work in the written media, often presenting himself with pseudonyms.

With this column we want to express our sadness for the “hemorrhage” of the intellectuals of Shkodra. We miss our colleague, the young intellectual Arian Uruçi, who is forced now to leave his country with his family because of clear menaces to his life and his family.

Albert Vataj

Feeling bad because of menaces

There are two elders, Xhelal Sallaku and Lutfije Sallaku, whose life is troubled and menaced. These two persons in the picture near are anticommunists, members and activists of the Legality League Party, for whom monarchy is the appropriate system for a troubled Albania. Until the late night of February 21, 2004, Xhelal and Lutfije Sallaku lived with their two sons in law, Shpëtim Shpata and Përparim Shpata, who fell in an ambush, where Përparim was wounded in his right thigh, while his brother, Shpëtim faced a beastly violence. That late night was dark, like many other nights in Albania. Shpëtim Shpata left his house, the house of his father in law, that same night, and none knows even today where he could be. He left along with his wife and children.

Since that tragic night, the elders don’t know anything even for Përparim, the other son in law. They know he was hospitalized that night and his wife went with him at the hospital. It is also known that their two children are at home to his father in law, where the young family lived filled with hopes for the future. These hopes yet are cut in half, for Përparim Shpata and his wife didn’t come home to their children, who are now terrorized along with the elders Sallaku. The elders Xhelal and Lutfije Sallaku had many menaces from unknown people, who wanted the addresses of the two sons in law, Shpëtim and Përparim in order to kill them. The life of Xhelal and Lutfije Sallaku is in serious danger today. Someone has placed explosive the last days near their house. Two elders live in terror and two little children are growing up in terror. We could find the possibility to talk to Xhelal Ali Sallaku and his wife Lutfije Haki Sallaku, to learn something more about their sons in law. The only thing they can say is that they feel menaced, the children cry and feel bad, that their sons in law were anticommunists and legalists and pray that their lives and whosoever God placed on this earth might be quiet and free. Yet such days seem so far away for Albanians, for the State is not only powerless, but it neither means to break apart from Mafia, which actually controls and manages a lot.

Vasel Gilaj