nr. 104 / 19 maj 2007

Enmity for ordinary motives

In the post-communist Albania there are thousands of families living shut in and a very great number of murders for blood-feud and ordinary motives. The law is only on the paper but not effective toward the ancient Canon of Lek Dukagjini. The citizen Kol Shtysi from Malësi e Madhe suspected his wife to have an intimate relationship with Anton Malaj and this “shame” should be removed only killing his wife’s lover, according to him. It’s on September 1^st 2005 when Shtysi shots on whom he suspected as his wife’s lover. The bullets perforated the car but fortunately not the body of Anton Malaj. Two bullets caused two holes in the car and the attacked was forced to live hidden until he finds the way to leave his country. The family Malaj is found in blood-feud according to the Canon. Though having no evidence but rumor, the “betrayed” husband is ready to shoot for revenge. The Peace Missionaries League in Malësi e Madhe and the elders of the village have attempted many times to stop the conflict, they had no results. Recently, on May 2, 2007, Aleksandër Malaj, the guy you see in the picture illustrating the writing, the brother of Anton Malaj, came out of his house to check the business he had to provide for his family but someone was waiting for him. He was shot yet he could escape jumping in his car and running home to stay closed once again. Our reliable sources say that they’re trying to kill Aleksander, as they’re unable to find his brother Anton, because the first was supposed to know about an affair his brother had with a married woman. Conflicts are various in Albania. In Shkodra, the children of a murdered man left Albania as their destiny was death, as it happened to their father. We’re talking about the kids of Sefer Bardhi. Sefer Bardhi was killed on August 22, 2006, at about 19.00. The police was unable to find the author while his kids are in serious danger. We had written about this case at the time, but even today, their life is in serious danger and the State isn’t working. The children of Sefer are wondering somewhere in the occidental countries. In this bitter truth the people in conflicts, and not only them, feel safe to move outside with the family after dawn in the northern cities of Albania. Everything can happen, as it is.

Luljeta Ago

Break in the Democratic Party goes in favor of the NDM (National Development Movement)

Representatives of the NDM visited Malësi e Madhe meeting with former supporters of Sali Berisha and the Democratic Party who are disappointed with the Democratic Party and its leaders in Tirana. The purpose of the meeting was the engagement and reorganization of all the adversaries of Berisha and the leadership of the DP, and the organization of the big meeting in the Prefecture.

The Mass-Media were not called for this meeting as it involved some direct opponents of the Prime Minister Sali Berisha. They knew about the meeting when Pjerin Spathari, former mayor of Kastrat was stopped after the meeting by NIS forces, and kept for 10 hours. He told NIS used violence on him, torturing and beating him. “It was terrible as the way they used to beat and torture me was the same I suffered in 1991, the only difference was the color of the prison and the means used”, he said. He said that in that meeting were many former members of the Democratic Party, representatives of the families persecuted by the communist regime and forgotten by the new regime of Berisha, and now they’re opposing Berisha joining NDM. The arrest from NIS in the Name of Berisha convinced us more that Berisha is observing and following us and is trying to make us leave politics at any cost and give up our requests for our legitimate properties and the freedom of speech. Based on this fact we’re asked to join the NDM, to be organized as the third political force and a political factor in Albania.

Mr. Spathari mentioned the names of three other people arrested by NIS on May 2, 2007 within 3-4 hours after the end of the meeting, which were Nikoll Volaj, Paulin Prekaj and the 64 years old Gjon Lumaj. He reported also that the break in the Democratic Party has reinvigorated the NDM, looking for another political force different from the today’s DP. “The attacks Berisha undertook against us weaken the DP and empower the NDM”, he said, “and we won’t stop and are convinced that the DP led by Berisha isn’t being reformed but every day goes downgrading going against the moral of those who inspired and founded it”.

Vasel Gilaj

Life in danger

We, as journalists and equal citizens of this country, think and run to reflect the reality with the simple purpose of making politics, authorities and society more sensible and reflective. But there’s a big obstacle. Many know this obstacle, discusses and comments it in his way, but this is all, because they can’t go beyond it. Neither the government, the Prime Minister can, no matter the intensity of their work. The adult Mafia is working in many directions from many positions, even from the highest position of the State: from the General Prosecutor to the President of the Republic. The Prime Minister Sali Berisha accused the General Prosecutor to “sleep over the crime files”. When the Parliament decided his release, the President of the Republic takes his defense. Mafia keeps working, the organized crime gangs go on with their work, corruption goes on systematically and the powerless law is unable to take action even against well known big names of Mafia.

“There’s nothing worse”, said to me the old R.D., “than to find ourselves in these circumstances of lack of hope and safety. Our friends, neighbors, relatives, young people, students, intellectuals are leaving our country, and lastly left even Dritan, my nephew. He left his birth-country since May 24, 2006 when he had to fight with armed gangs, trying to protect a student. Since that day we had countless threats against Dritan’s life, anonymous phone-calls, letters under the door, explosions and the burning of Dritan’s house”. Another bad situation was the burning of the house of Shaqir Ramiz Dibra, on March 22, 2007, at 2.25 pm. “I don’t know for how long”, concluded the old man, making me think of it. How many sad situations I have seen ending in wounding or murder. They’re so many that a young journalist, recently qualified, said: “When I go to the cemetery, looking at the pictures on the tombs, I find myself to know more of those who’re dead than those alive”. Imagine a 25 year old who knows more dead people! These trembling words, but evident realities, should touch every clean conscience of politicians, though it seems there are very few such… That’s why a popular expression says: “Two hands for the had, everyone should think about saving himself when in danger”, as the State is unable to protect the physical life of anyone.

Editorial office

Blood-feud, the menacing monster of the family Velo

The medieval phenomenon of blood-feud, accompanying Albania and Albanians since centuries, has its most negative side, which is the extend in time. It has no great importance the year it started, as its execution through revenge goes on generation after generation. The story of the family Velo is one of the most meaningful in this sense. It was 1955 when this family had a great conflict with the family Gjekaj, but at the time the communist regime didn’t allow revenge.

Years passed and after 1990, revenge “flourished” in Albania. The heaviest event for the family Velo was that of October 20, 1999. In bar “Palma” in Vlora, there was a shower of bullets shot against Gëzim and Ardian Velo, who worked there. Gëzim and Ardian were wounded, but fortunately didn’t die. The motive of all this was very simple. As we wrote at the beginning, between the family Velo and the family Gjekaj there was enmity since 1955, and after 1990 turned into self-justice through blood-feud. Tonin Gjekaj had been killed by a member of the family Velo, and, having the same surname, every member of the family is in the target of revenge in the name of blood-feud. Reconciliation between the families Velo and Gjekaj is very difficult, for to stop revenge and forgive they need to pay 20 thousands of US dollars.

In most of cases blood-feud doesn’t touch the women of a family in enmity. Yet, there’s another practice even more grieving, the kidnapping of girls, just as it happened to Brunilda, the cousin of Gëzim and Ardian, who was kidnapped in Italy on August 15, 1999. The news was made known even to the Albanian police through Nail Velo. The Albanian police said it is collaborating with the Italian police, but there’s no results until now. Feeling seriously menaced, in the target of the shower of revenge, and also with the fear of kidnapping of the girls and women of the family (who are probably used as prostitutes), the members of the family Velo, that is Hedija 47 years old, Ardian 30 years old, Gëzim 28 years old and Sentiliana 25 years old, had to leave their birth-country, going in emigration. This was one of the most touching stories with a blood-feud background, and the State is unable to stop, or even guarantee the life of the families in enmity, who have to leave their fatherland.

Jetmir Delaj

Where the solitude of the parents cries out

The two parents, Maria and Nikollë Radohina, live in a little house in Bardhaj, a village near Shkodra. Though near the city, it is so poor that it seems to be miles and miles away. We had a short walk through the village accompanied by L. M., who asked us not to identify him because those things on charge of his fellow peasants might bring him trouble, though he didn’t say anything that might make them feel insulted.

The village Grudë e Re isn’t distinguished from the other Albanian villages where the youth is absent, the power that would give a meaning to the life in those landscapes so dear to us. Economical difficulties have forced young people to go around the world and their parents live waiting the financial help, the money from Europe and USA.

After three or four money-transfers the parents know they will come, their sons and daughters, to stay for a few happy days around the table at their homes, telling them about Italy, Greece, Switzerland and the American coast.

Yet there is young people who cannot come. Their parents miss them even more, yet there’s nothing they can do. Such is Maria and Nikollë Radohina, the parents of Prekë and Gjin. It’s 10 years now, since the dark day when the 18 years old Prekë, almost a child, had to keep the side of the Catholic missionaries who were attacked and violated by some criminals.

We knocked at the door. We were opened by Mrs. Maria, Prekë and Gjin’s mother. We told her the journal wanted to talk about the solitude of parents in the villages around Shkodra. She welcomed us. The house looked well-kept, although the older sons were not there, the sisters are elsewhere, as they’re married, and the youngest son is still underage and cannot fill the emptiness.

Nikolla is old and sick and cannot work anymore the field. We had a conversation about the older sons they missed. We were told about Prekë, about whom they have no address, someone says he is in America or in Canada. We had the impression he knows exactly where his sons are, but is afraid to tell us. Maria complains that the time of the party of Enver Hoxha isn’t over yet. She cannot understand how is it possible that the State with an army and police doesn’t help her son who helped the missionaries, leaving him to the criminals who seek for him.

We asked Nikollë why the criminals, those who attacked the missionaries, are still looking for Prekë. “Prekë reported them to the police and they went in prison. Then they were released. Someone says one of them was killed, but our son had nothing to do with this. I’m sure none killed him for the shame caused to those Christian women”, he said.

We left Maria and Nikollë in their solitude and concerned, and went throughout the village walking through uncultivated fields, as those who could cultivate them are far away, beyond seas and oceans.

Many elders are in solitude and many houses are going destroyed, for the youth abandoned the country and their parents have died.

We left Bardhaj with the sadness that follows us. After this solitude crying out, there’s still a question crying within us: “How far this way?”

Editorial office