By Visar Zhiti
The Big Tchame Concussion
Shefki Hysa is the author of many narrative and story books in which echoes the troublous Tchame wind and where people’s fate is connected with their land like the roots thrust deeply into stones but also like the life fingers blooded as they are grasp reality. He likes realism and the truth no matter how thrilling is. That is the reason he becomes its historian, strong witness, feeder of collective memory. Aforetime I have written that meanwhile the massacres in Kosovo are a stone’s throw and still vivid, even thought “The Balkan’s executioner”, the Serbian Miloschevich, the last communist dictator keeps on being judged for anti-humanism crimes to the court of Hag (in TV programs was often presented the Byblitical outgo of Kosovo’s, their expatriation from dardany since the world was created), we are exposed to another expatriatation of Albanians in the south most ancient and cruel Ilyric, although it didn’t have international televisions as witnesses nor didn’t congregate the worlds army, NATO, to punish the worse.
And so the Tchame nationalities were expatriotated from their epyrioth land, houses were set on fire. People were slaughtered in concert with live stocks, olive-groves and the future were destroyed; it was killed the national mythology. Their terror peregrinated towards mother-land and than came like another massacre the cruel dull obliteration. Even after three-thousand years no one could say anything, in the mythic Balkan, another Troia in modern times was set on fire. Meanwhile tchames found in their homeland a dictatorship, which nay didn’t try to defend the rights of its fellow countrymen, but on contrary didn’t let them alone. Maybe it prosecuted them more than the others, invented enemies, and imprisoned them. In order to meet their dreams, tchame people among their motherland communist prisons joined to Kosovo’s people to elope from hither to thither. But… the only thing they were going to meet was the rusty manacle. In this way, meanwhile Albania was cruelly fragmented by the others; Albanians did fragment inside by themselves. Later on was difficult to remember Kosovo and tchame… nothing was says about in geographic scholastic prints, history didn’t dare, conscious was constrained…
Nonetheless collective memory which milled about like a subterranean river, hidey reinforced and hardened the right resistance. Literature achieved to bring out some anonymous songs about splited lands, any tremulous Tcham wail or a blustery Kosovo elegy. Folk-dancing’s recalled apocalypse with their hullabaloo, while writers tried to create metaphoric possibilities or to say sth about Kosovo and Tchame through Ezopy’s language. I recollect that, if the poet ALI PODRIMJA like in our big sorrow would go in the trans-national coast Tchame , and would write hermetic poems which he would secure thrice: from the Albanian dictatorship, the Serbian conqueror and from the Chauvin Greeks. Here, in the remaining Albania, Tchame writers felt difficulty and prosecution. Books were prohibited to them; they set themselves in prisons, eloped, kept mum, waited….
Now the Tchame voice has came back from its sorrow ember, covered with the ash of the ancient obliteration, to cracker of promethean fire and the world is always seeing and feeling more and more its illumination and its fervour, will be longed for the truth and justice… and a slaughter population deserves to be given back their land and their spirit, wealth songs and the future…
A thrilling squawk is the literal creativity of Shefki Hyses, bearer of the tragedy of its population, that the mythical Balkan found its calmness…
Translated: By Dr. Haim Reitan
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
By Dr. Haim Reitan
A remarkable creative individuality
Shefki Hysa was born in Ersekë on July 20, 1957 in an intellectual family.
His father, Mazar, was a teacher for the minority vlleh at this time and followed their pastoral movement, passing the summer in "Gramoz" mountains in the region of Kolonje with Erseka as municipality, pending the winter so in Saranda, always concerned for the education of shepherds’ children. All his family lived in Shalës, Konispol.
The mother of Shefki, Bahrieja followed up her husband in his movements taking care of the family. Shefki belongs to an old patriot family settled in Konispol, Shales in the 18-th century, perhaps in the period of the Muslim influence in the region, since it is considered as one of the first seven founding families of Shales village, according to the popular memory. AS we can see, it was a rich family, who lived caring for livestock and agriculture, owns several timber, pasture and cropland, therefore they can be considered as real patriots and they were ready to be sacrificed to protect their homeland, La Patrie - Tchameri, from the separatory intentions of Greek invasion.
The grandfather of Shefki, the well-known patriot Shefki Hoxha (they were religious for generations and that’s why they were called "Hoxha"), is known as one of the founders of the first patriots’ clubs of Konispol, Filat, as a donor of the first schools in the Albanian region Çamëri (Konispol, Filat and Gumenicë), and as a tough critic of any power, such as Turkish and following the royal power of Zog The I-st . In the early 20-s, Shefki Hoxha was famous as a democrat, a great adherent of Noli and his reformist government, regardless of the fact that its properties could be affected. This was one of the reasons why he was imprisoned by the regime of Zog I. The popular poet of the region sang:
"Telegrams come and go, / gendarmes raise custody, / a rebellion was spoken for, / when the Tchameri King denied, / deny Ahmet his majesty. / In Shales took Shefki, / Konispol, Maze Hami / and also Xhafo Pandalejmoni "…
Shefki Hoxha fell ill in prison in Lezha and died in 1936, because of unbearable pain of imprisonment.
The father of Shefki Hysa, Mazar, has been persecuted as anti-dictatorship, although their home in Shales was an important war support. In 1960 Mazar was fired from Education, because of his brother nationalist Sadedin, shot without trial by the Communists on November 13 of 1943 at the Partisan hospital of Theollogos. So, their family was involved in the blind mechanism of the war classes, which seriously affected even Shefki, after the death of his father, Mazar, in 1976. Mazar Hysa, the father of Shefki Hysa, left this world with the bitter taste of this life. Shefki has managed to survive thanks to the genes inherited from the grandparents.
Shefki has begun his studies in the village of Shalës, Konispol. He started high school, with agricultural profile, in 1972 and completed in 1976 at Konispol, Tchamëri . (The communist regime of the period had obliged him to attend the agricultural school, because of his "bad" biography, as a family of rich and anti-communist origin and for the fact that his uncle, Sadedin, was shot for political reasons). After ten years of surviving efforts, in 1985, Shefki is able to have the right of studying literature at the University of Tirana. Thanks to the insistence of the well-known Albanian writer Dritëro Agolli, his position as Chairman of the Union of Artists and Writers of Albania, allowed him to give Shefki the right to follow his university studies and also in other occasions, as in the case when to poet Namik Mane was denied the right of publications, he did his best to help him.
In 1989 he was graduated in language and literature at the Faculty of History and Philology, at the University of Tirana. Meanwhile he continued to write and published his first stories. So finally Shefki Hysa has been recognized and valued his talent for prose, characterized by a remarkable creative individuality as the critics expressed for his first lyrics, welcomed by the public and literary readers. "My dear teller, by strange comments and sensitive feelings; a writer always appreciated by me and others," so expressed Dritëro, enthusiastic for his literary future and he never would be disappointed. During 1991-97 he worked as a journalist for the newspaper "Çamëria" and as chief editor for newspapers "Kombi" and "Dielli". In the meantime he attended several specializations for journalism, publishing, public relations and international issues.
Since 1997, he continued working in the administration of the Parliament of Albania.
He founded and continues to run the Cultural Association "Bilal Xhaferri" and Publishing House "Bilal Xhaferri".
He is the Secretary of the Union of Writers and Artists of Albania.
Among his publications, he has "The bird and the devil," stories (1992), published by "Bilal Xhaferri" Publishing House.
" Peace Hostages" novel (1994), published by " Bilal Xhaferri" Publishing house"
"Dammed Paradise" novel (1997), published by "Bilal Xhaferri" Publishing House.
"Confessions of a thief," stories (1999), published by "Arbëria" Publishing House
"Tchameri Flavor" stories (2004), published by "Bilal Xhaferri" Publishing House, ISBN 99927-960-1-4
"False Miracles," stories (2005) publication of the "Bilal Xhaferri" publishing house, ISBN 99927-960-0-6
Editor of the novel "The Prostitute worthy of respect" (1992), writer Jean Paul Sartre.
Editor of the romance "Fatal Love" (1992), writer Alfred de Musset.
Editor of the romance "Bloody Love (Beyond distances)" (1992), writer Bilal Xhaferri.
Editor of the romance "Krasta Kraus (Berat ceded)" (1993), writer Bilal Xhaferri.
Editor of the novel "Invasion of the Vikings" (1993), writer Pjetër Arbnori.
Editor of the romance "La belle with the shadow" (1994), writer Pjetër Arbnori.
Editor of poetry volume "The vine of Tears" (1995), poet Namik Mane.
Editor of stories volume "One ordinary night " (2003), author Namik Mane.
Editor of stories volume "White desert" (2007), author Jack London.
Editor's novel " We have traveled the World with our paws " (2007), writer Xhulia Xhekaj, and etc etc. Publications, and literary essays edited and created by him and other authors.
Since 1995 publishes and edits as chief editor the monthly magazine "Eagle’s Wing", a political, cultural, literary and social magazine, published first in 1971, in two languages, Albanian and in English, as organ of Tchame League in Chicago, the - US. Its first founder, editor and leader was Bilal Xhaferri, poet, prose-writer and a well-known dissident publicist, who was born on November 2, 1935 at Ninat, Konispol, and after an intense literary and publicist, died in exile (fleeing Albania in 1969 as anti-communist nationalist) on October 14, 1986 in Chicago, in the United States.
"The Eagle’s Wing" was a forum of free democratic thinking basically by anticommunist, anti -dictatorial and anti-enverists inclinations, which tended the union of all Albanian political forces in exile, the unification of thought, programs and their goals for a free Albania Pro-Western. The magazine dealt largely Albanian national issues, especially Tchame issues, the problem of Kosova, and other territories left outside the legitimate borders of Albania, and also the problems of the Albanian communities everywhere in the world and Diaspora. Bilal Xhaferri was able to publish 39 editions.
Since 1995 and after "Eagle’s Wing" has continued to be published in Tirana, as the official journal of the Cultural Association "Bilal Xhaferri" (The Cultural Community of Tchameri) founded and directed by journalist and well-known writer Shefki Hysa, who enabled the return of Bilal Xhaferri bones in Albania and to glorify the extraordinary values of this rare personality, persecuted and thrown into oblivion of the communist dictatorship in Albania. Shefki Hysa, acting as editor and chief editor of the monthly magazine, with its contributions and those of his friends, was able to publish 80 editions and continues insisting to glorify this pedestal of free thinking, following Bilal Xhaferri’s ideals.
His ideal: Tchameri and ethnic Albania.
Prepared by: Dr. Haim Reitan
A remarkable creative individuality
Shefki Hysa was born in Ersekë on July 20, 1957 in an intellectual family.
His father, Mazar, was a teacher for the minority vlleh at this time and followed their pastoral movement, passing the summer in "Gramoz" mountains in the region of Kolonje with Erseka as municipality, pending the winter so in Saranda, always concerned for the education of shepherds’ children. All his family lived in Shalës, Konispol.
The mother of Shefki, Bahrieja followed up her husband in his movements taking care of the family. Shefki belongs to an old patriot family settled in Konispol, Shales in the 18-th century, perhaps in the period of the Muslim influence in the region, since it is considered as one of the first seven founding families of Shales village, according to the popular memory. AS we can see, it was a rich family, who lived caring for livestock and agriculture, owns several timber, pasture and cropland, therefore they can be considered as real patriots and they were ready to be sacrificed to protect their homeland, La Patrie - Tchameri, from the separatory intentions of Greek invasion.
The grandfather of Shefki, the well-known patriot Shefki Hoxha (they were religious for generations and that’s why they were called "Hoxha"), is known as one of the founders of the first patriots’ clubs of Konispol, Filat, as a donor of the first schools in the Albanian region Çamëri (Konispol, Filat and Gumenicë), and as a tough critic of any power, such as Turkish and following the royal power of Zog The I-st . In the early 20-s, Shefki Hoxha was famous as a democrat, a great adherent of Noli and his reformist government, regardless of the fact that its properties could be affected. This was one of the reasons why he was imprisoned by the regime of Zog I. The popular poet of the region sang:
"Telegrams come and go, / gendarmes raise custody, / a rebellion was spoken for, / when the Tchameri King denied, / deny Ahmet his majesty. / In Shales took Shefki, / Konispol, Maze Hami / and also Xhafo Pandalejmoni "…
Shefki Hoxha fell ill in prison in Lezha and died in 1936, because of unbearable pain of imprisonment.
The father of Shefki Hysa, Mazar, has been persecuted as anti-dictatorship, although their home in Shales was an important war support. In 1960 Mazar was fired from Education, because of his brother nationalist Sadedin, shot without trial by the Communists on November 13 of 1943 at the Partisan hospital of Theollogos. So, their family was involved in the blind mechanism of the war classes, which seriously affected even Shefki, after the death of his father, Mazar, in 1976. Mazar Hysa, the father of Shefki Hysa, left this world with the bitter taste of this life. Shefki has managed to survive thanks to the genes inherited from the grandparents.
Shefki has begun his studies in the village of Shalës, Konispol. He started high school, with agricultural profile, in 1972 and completed in 1976 at Konispol, Tchamëri . (The communist regime of the period had obliged him to attend the agricultural school, because of his "bad" biography, as a family of rich and anti-communist origin and for the fact that his uncle, Sadedin, was shot for political reasons). After ten years of surviving efforts, in 1985, Shefki is able to have the right of studying literature at the University of Tirana. Thanks to the insistence of the well-known Albanian writer Dritëro Agolli, his position as Chairman of the Union of Artists and Writers of Albania, allowed him to give Shefki the right to follow his university studies and also in other occasions, as in the case when to poet Namik Mane was denied the right of publications, he did his best to help him.
In 1989 he was graduated in language and literature at the Faculty of History and Philology, at the University of Tirana. Meanwhile he continued to write and published his first stories. So finally Shefki Hysa has been recognized and valued his talent for prose, characterized by a remarkable creative individuality as the critics expressed for his first lyrics, welcomed by the public and literary readers. "My dear teller, by strange comments and sensitive feelings; a writer always appreciated by me and others," so expressed Dritëro, enthusiastic for his literary future and he never would be disappointed. During 1991-97 he worked as a journalist for the newspaper "Çamëria" and as chief editor for newspapers "Kombi" and "Dielli". In the meantime he attended several specializations for journalism, publishing, public relations and international issues.
Since 1997, he continued working in the administration of the Parliament of Albania.
He founded and continues to run the Cultural Association "Bilal Xhaferri" and Publishing House "Bilal Xhaferri".
He is the Secretary of the Union of Writers and Artists of Albania.
Among his publications, he has "The bird and the devil," stories (1992), published by "Bilal Xhaferri" Publishing House.
" Peace Hostages" novel (1994), published by " Bilal Xhaferri" Publishing house"
"Dammed Paradise" novel (1997), published by "Bilal Xhaferri" Publishing House.
"Confessions of a thief," stories (1999), published by "Arbëria" Publishing House
"Tchameri Flavor" stories (2004), published by "Bilal Xhaferri" Publishing House, ISBN 99927-960-1-4
"False Miracles," stories (2005) publication of the "Bilal Xhaferri" publishing house, ISBN 99927-960-0-6
Editor of the novel "The Prostitute worthy of respect" (1992), writer Jean Paul Sartre.
Editor of the romance "Fatal Love" (1992), writer Alfred de Musset.
Editor of the romance "Bloody Love (Beyond distances)" (1992), writer Bilal Xhaferri.
Editor of the romance "Krasta Kraus (Berat ceded)" (1993), writer Bilal Xhaferri.
Editor of the novel "Invasion of the Vikings" (1993), writer Pjetër Arbnori.
Editor of the romance "La belle with the shadow" (1994), writer Pjetër Arbnori.
Editor of poetry volume "The vine of Tears" (1995), poet Namik Mane.
Editor of stories volume "One ordinary night " (2003), author Namik Mane.
Editor of stories volume "White desert" (2007), author Jack London.
Editor's novel " We have traveled the World with our paws " (2007), writer Xhulia Xhekaj, and etc etc. Publications, and literary essays edited and created by him and other authors.
Since 1995 publishes and edits as chief editor the monthly magazine "Eagle’s Wing", a political, cultural, literary and social magazine, published first in 1971, in two languages, Albanian and in English, as organ of Tchame League in Chicago, the - US. Its first founder, editor and leader was Bilal Xhaferri, poet, prose-writer and a well-known dissident publicist, who was born on November 2, 1935 at Ninat, Konispol, and after an intense literary and publicist, died in exile (fleeing Albania in 1969 as anti-communist nationalist) on October 14, 1986 in Chicago, in the United States.
"The Eagle’s Wing" was a forum of free democratic thinking basically by anticommunist, anti -dictatorial and anti-enverists inclinations, which tended the union of all Albanian political forces in exile, the unification of thought, programs and their goals for a free Albania Pro-Western. The magazine dealt largely Albanian national issues, especially Tchame issues, the problem of Kosova, and other territories left outside the legitimate borders of Albania, and also the problems of the Albanian communities everywhere in the world and Diaspora. Bilal Xhaferri was able to publish 39 editions.
Since 1995 and after "Eagle’s Wing" has continued to be published in Tirana, as the official journal of the Cultural Association "Bilal Xhaferri" (The Cultural Community of Tchameri) founded and directed by journalist and well-known writer Shefki Hysa, who enabled the return of Bilal Xhaferri bones in Albania and to glorify the extraordinary values of this rare personality, persecuted and thrown into oblivion of the communist dictatorship in Albania. Shefki Hysa, acting as editor and chief editor of the monthly magazine, with its contributions and those of his friends, was able to publish 80 editions and continues insisting to glorify this pedestal of free thinking, following Bilal Xhaferri’s ideals.
His ideal: Tchameri and ethnic Albania.
Prepared by: Dr. Haim Reitan
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Monday, April 21, 2008
Sunday, April 20, 2008
By Dr. Haim Reitan
A remarkable creative individuality
Shefki Hysa was born in Ersekë on July 20, 1957 in an intellectual family.
His father, Mazar, was a teacher for the minority vlleh at this time and followed their pastoral movement, passing the summer in "Gramoz" mountains in the region of Kolonje with Erseka as municipality, pending the winter so in Saranda, always concerned for the education of shepherds’ children. All his family lived in Shalës, Konispol. The mother of Shefki, Bahrieja followed up her husband in his movements taking care of the family.
Shefki belongs to an old patriot family settled in Konispol, Shales in the 18-th century, perhaps in the period of the Muslim influence in the region, since it is considered as one of the first seven founding families of Shales village, according to the popular memory. AS we can see, it was a rich family, who lived caring for livestock and agriculture, owns several timber, pasture and cropland, therefore they can be considered as real patriots and they were ready to be sacrificed to protect their homeland, La Patrie - Tchameri, from the separatory intentions of Greek invasion.
The grandfather of Shefki, the well-known patriot Shefki Hoxha (they were religious for generations and that’s why they were called "Hoxha"), is known as one of the founders of the first patriots’ clubs of Konispol, Filat, as a donor of the first schools in the Albanian region Çamëri (Konispol, Filat and Gumenicë), and as a tough critic of any power, such as Turkish and following the royal power of Zog The I-st .
In the early 20-s, Shefki Hoxha was famous as a democrat, a great adherent of Noli and his reformist government, regardless of the fact that its properties could be affected. This was one of the reasons why he was imprisoned by the regime of Zog I. The popular poet of the region sang: "Telegrams come and go, / gendarmes raise custody, / a rebellion was spoken for, / when the Tchameri King denied, / deny Ahmet his majesty. / In Shales took Shefki, / Konispol, Maze Hami / and also Xhafo Pandalejmoni "…
Shefki Hoxha fell ill in prison in Lezha and died in 1936, because of unbearable pain of imprisonment. The father of Shefki Hysa, Mazar, has been persecuted as anti-dictatorship, although their home in Shales was an important war support. In 1960 Mazar was fired from Education, because of his brother nationalist Sadedin, shot without trial by the Communists on November 13 of 1943 at the Partisan hospital of Theollogos.
So, their family was involved in the blind mechanism of the war classes, which seriously affected even Shefki, after the death of his father, Mazar, in 1976. Hysa Mazar, the father of Hysa Shefki, left this world with the bitter taste of this life. Shefki has managed to survive thanks to the genes inherited from the grandparents.
Shefki has begun his studies in the village of Shalës, Konispol. He started high school, with agricultural profile, in 1972 and completed in 1976 at Konispol, Tchamëri . (The communist regime of the period had obliged him to attend the agricultural school, because of his "bad" biography, as a family of rich and anti-communist origin and for the fact that his uncle, Sadedin, was shot for political reasons). After ten years of surviving efforts, in 1985, Shefki is able to have the right of studying literature at the University of Tirana. Thanks to the insistence of the well-known Albanian writer Dritëro Agolli, his position as Chairman of the Union of Artists and Writers of Albania, allowed him to give Shefki the right to follow his university studies and also in other occasions, as in the case when to poet Namik Mane was denied the right of publications, he did his best to help him.
In 1989 he was graduated in language and literature at the Faculty of History and Philology, at the University of Tirana. Meanwhile he continued to write and published his first stories.
So finally Shefki Hysa has been recognized and valued his talent for prose, characterized by a remarkable creative individuality as the critics expressed for his first lyrics, welcomed by the public and literary readers. "My dear teller, by strange comments and sensitive feelings; a writer always appreciated by me and others," so expressed Dritëro, enthusiastic for his literary future and he never would be disappointed.
During 1991-97 he worked as a journalist for the newspaper "Çamëria" and as chief editor for newspapers "Kombi" and "Dielli".
In the meantime he attended several specializations for journalism, publishing, public relations and international issues.
Since 1997, he continued working in the administration of the Parliament of Albania.
He founded and continues to run the Cultural Association "Bilal Xhaferri" and Publishing House "Bilal Xhaferri".
He is the Secretary of the Union of Writers and Artists of Albania.
Among his publications, he has "The bird and the devil," stories (1992), published by "Bilal Xhaferri" Publishing House.
" Peace Hostages" novel (1994), published by " Bilal Xhaferri" Publishing house"
"Dammed Paradise" novel (1997), published by "Bilal Xhaferri" Publishing House.
"Confessions of a thief," stories (1999), published by "Arbëria" Publishing House
"Tchameri Flavor" stories (2004), published by "Bilal Xhaferri" Publishing House, ISBN 99927-960-1-4
"False Miracles," stories (2005) publication of the "Bilal Xhaferri" publishing house, ISBN 99927-960-0-6
Editor of the novel "The Prostitute worthy of respect" (1992), writer Jean Paul Sartre.
Editor of the romance "Fatal Love" (1992), writer Alfred de Musset.
Editor of the romance "Bloody Love (Beyond distances)" (1992), writer Bilal Xhaferri.
Editor of the romance "Krasta Kraus (Berat ceded)" (1993), writer Bilal Xhaferri.
Editor of the novel "Invasion of the Vikings" (1993), writer Pjetër Arbnori.
Editor of the romance "La belle with the shadow" (1994), writer Pjetër Arbnori.
Editor of poetry volume "The vine of Tears" (1995), poet Namik Mane.
Editor of stories volume "One ordinary night " (2003), author Namik Mane.
Editor's of stories volume "White desert" (2007), writen by Jack London.
Editor's novel "We have traveled the World with our paws" (2007), writer Xhulia Xhekaj, and etc etc. Publications, and literary essays edited and created by him and other authors.
Since 1995 publishes and edits as chief editor the monthly magazine "Eagle’s Wing", a political, cultural, literary and social magazine, published first in 1971, in two languages, Albanian and in English, as organ of Tchame League in Chicago, the - US. Its first founder, editor and leader was Bilal Xhaferri, poet, prose-writer and a well-known dissident publicist, who was born on November 2, 1935 at Ninat, Konispol, and after an intense literary and publicist, died in exile (fleeing Albania in 1969 as anti-communist nationalist) on October 14, 1986 in Chicago, in the United States.
"The Eagle’s Wing" was a forum of free democratic thinking basically by anticommunist, anti -dictatorial and anti-enverists inclinations, which tended the union of all Albanian political forces in exile, the unification of thought, programs and their goals for a free Albania Pro-Western. The magazine dealt largely Albanian national issues, especially Tchame issues, the problem of Kosova, and other territories left outside the legitimate borders of Albania, and also the problems of the Albanian communities everywhere in the world and Diaspora. Bilal Xhaferri was able to publish 39 editions.
Since 1995 and after "Eagle’s Wing" has continued to be published in Tirana, as the official journal of the Cultural Association "Bilal Xhaferri" (The Cultural Community of Tchameri) founded and directed by journalist and well-known writer Shefki Hysa, who enabled the return of Bilal Xhaferri bones in Albania and to glorify the extraordinary values of this rare personality, persecuted and thrown into oblivion of the communist dictatorship in Albania.
Shefki Hysa, acting as editor and chief editor of the monthly magazine, with its contributions and those of his friends, was able to publish 80 editions and continues insisting to glorify this pedestal of free thinking, following Bilal Xhaferri’s ideals
His ideal: Tchameri and ethnic Albania.
Dr. Haim Reitan, Diplomat,
Honorary President
of the Diplomatic Mission
Peace and Prosperity
A remarkable creative individuality
Shefki Hysa was born in Ersekë on July 20, 1957 in an intellectual family.
His father, Mazar, was a teacher for the minority vlleh at this time and followed their pastoral movement, passing the summer in "Gramoz" mountains in the region of Kolonje with Erseka as municipality, pending the winter so in Saranda, always concerned for the education of shepherds’ children. All his family lived in Shalës, Konispol. The mother of Shefki, Bahrieja followed up her husband in his movements taking care of the family.
Shefki belongs to an old patriot family settled in Konispol, Shales in the 18-th century, perhaps in the period of the Muslim influence in the region, since it is considered as one of the first seven founding families of Shales village, according to the popular memory. AS we can see, it was a rich family, who lived caring for livestock and agriculture, owns several timber, pasture and cropland, therefore they can be considered as real patriots and they were ready to be sacrificed to protect their homeland, La Patrie - Tchameri, from the separatory intentions of Greek invasion.
The grandfather of Shefki, the well-known patriot Shefki Hoxha (they were religious for generations and that’s why they were called "Hoxha"), is known as one of the founders of the first patriots’ clubs of Konispol, Filat, as a donor of the first schools in the Albanian region Çamëri (Konispol, Filat and Gumenicë), and as a tough critic of any power, such as Turkish and following the royal power of Zog The I-st .
In the early 20-s, Shefki Hoxha was famous as a democrat, a great adherent of Noli and his reformist government, regardless of the fact that its properties could be affected. This was one of the reasons why he was imprisoned by the regime of Zog I. The popular poet of the region sang: "Telegrams come and go, / gendarmes raise custody, / a rebellion was spoken for, / when the Tchameri King denied, / deny Ahmet his majesty. / In Shales took Shefki, / Konispol, Maze Hami / and also Xhafo Pandalejmoni "…
Shefki Hoxha fell ill in prison in Lezha and died in 1936, because of unbearable pain of imprisonment. The father of Shefki Hysa, Mazar, has been persecuted as anti-dictatorship, although their home in Shales was an important war support. In 1960 Mazar was fired from Education, because of his brother nationalist Sadedin, shot without trial by the Communists on November 13 of 1943 at the Partisan hospital of Theollogos.
So, their family was involved in the blind mechanism of the war classes, which seriously affected even Shefki, after the death of his father, Mazar, in 1976. Hysa Mazar, the father of Hysa Shefki, left this world with the bitter taste of this life. Shefki has managed to survive thanks to the genes inherited from the grandparents.
Shefki has begun his studies in the village of Shalës, Konispol. He started high school, with agricultural profile, in 1972 and completed in 1976 at Konispol, Tchamëri . (The communist regime of the period had obliged him to attend the agricultural school, because of his "bad" biography, as a family of rich and anti-communist origin and for the fact that his uncle, Sadedin, was shot for political reasons). After ten years of surviving efforts, in 1985, Shefki is able to have the right of studying literature at the University of Tirana. Thanks to the insistence of the well-known Albanian writer Dritëro Agolli, his position as Chairman of the Union of Artists and Writers of Albania, allowed him to give Shefki the right to follow his university studies and also in other occasions, as in the case when to poet Namik Mane was denied the right of publications, he did his best to help him.
In 1989 he was graduated in language and literature at the Faculty of History and Philology, at the University of Tirana. Meanwhile he continued to write and published his first stories.
So finally Shefki Hysa has been recognized and valued his talent for prose, characterized by a remarkable creative individuality as the critics expressed for his first lyrics, welcomed by the public and literary readers. "My dear teller, by strange comments and sensitive feelings; a writer always appreciated by me and others," so expressed Dritëro, enthusiastic for his literary future and he never would be disappointed.
During 1991-97 he worked as a journalist for the newspaper "Çamëria" and as chief editor for newspapers "Kombi" and "Dielli".
In the meantime he attended several specializations for journalism, publishing, public relations and international issues.
Since 1997, he continued working in the administration of the Parliament of Albania.
He founded and continues to run the Cultural Association "Bilal Xhaferri" and Publishing House "Bilal Xhaferri".
He is the Secretary of the Union of Writers and Artists of Albania.
Among his publications, he has "The bird and the devil," stories (1992), published by "Bilal Xhaferri" Publishing House.
" Peace Hostages" novel (1994), published by " Bilal Xhaferri" Publishing house"
"Dammed Paradise" novel (1997), published by "Bilal Xhaferri" Publishing House.
"Confessions of a thief," stories (1999), published by "Arbëria" Publishing House
"Tchameri Flavor" stories (2004), published by "Bilal Xhaferri" Publishing House, ISBN 99927-960-1-4
"False Miracles," stories (2005) publication of the "Bilal Xhaferri" publishing house, ISBN 99927-960-0-6
Editor of the novel "The Prostitute worthy of respect" (1992), writer Jean Paul Sartre.
Editor of the romance "Fatal Love" (1992), writer Alfred de Musset.
Editor of the romance "Bloody Love (Beyond distances)" (1992), writer Bilal Xhaferri.
Editor of the romance "Krasta Kraus (Berat ceded)" (1993), writer Bilal Xhaferri.
Editor of the novel "Invasion of the Vikings" (1993), writer Pjetër Arbnori.
Editor of the romance "La belle with the shadow" (1994), writer Pjetër Arbnori.
Editor of poetry volume "The vine of Tears" (1995), poet Namik Mane.
Editor of stories volume "One ordinary night " (2003), author Namik Mane.
Editor's of stories volume "White desert" (2007), writen by Jack London.
Editor's novel "We have traveled the World with our paws" (2007), writer Xhulia Xhekaj, and etc etc. Publications, and literary essays edited and created by him and other authors.
Since 1995 publishes and edits as chief editor the monthly magazine "Eagle’s Wing", a political, cultural, literary and social magazine, published first in 1971, in two languages, Albanian and in English, as organ of Tchame League in Chicago, the - US. Its first founder, editor and leader was Bilal Xhaferri, poet, prose-writer and a well-known dissident publicist, who was born on November 2, 1935 at Ninat, Konispol, and after an intense literary and publicist, died in exile (fleeing Albania in 1969 as anti-communist nationalist) on October 14, 1986 in Chicago, in the United States.
"The Eagle’s Wing" was a forum of free democratic thinking basically by anticommunist, anti -dictatorial and anti-enverists inclinations, which tended the union of all Albanian political forces in exile, the unification of thought, programs and their goals for a free Albania Pro-Western. The magazine dealt largely Albanian national issues, especially Tchame issues, the problem of Kosova, and other territories left outside the legitimate borders of Albania, and also the problems of the Albanian communities everywhere in the world and Diaspora. Bilal Xhaferri was able to publish 39 editions.
Since 1995 and after "Eagle’s Wing" has continued to be published in Tirana, as the official journal of the Cultural Association "Bilal Xhaferri" (The Cultural Community of Tchameri) founded and directed by journalist and well-known writer Shefki Hysa, who enabled the return of Bilal Xhaferri bones in Albania and to glorify the extraordinary values of this rare personality, persecuted and thrown into oblivion of the communist dictatorship in Albania.
Shefki Hysa, acting as editor and chief editor of the monthly magazine, with its contributions and those of his friends, was able to publish 80 editions and continues insisting to glorify this pedestal of free thinking, following Bilal Xhaferri’s ideals
His ideal: Tchameri and ethnic Albania.
Dr. Haim Reitan, Diplomat,
Honorary President
of the Diplomatic Mission
Peace and Prosperity
Friday, March 28, 2008
By Dritëro Agolli
A new stage of creativity
I have in front a manuscript of the new book with short stories, "False Miracles", by Shefki Hysa. Before reading it, I thought I would find in it the same elements of narration style I used to find in his previous books, particularly in the book with short stories "The thief’s narrations". By that time, this book was the most distinguished one regarding the spirit of the real contemporary realism, embodying several problems and social ideas, characteristic for the time. I remember I was impressed by the fragment: "Babloku", extracted from the novel "The cursed paradise", which I would consider expressionistic, due to the deep emotional impressions felt after its reading.
While reading through the lines of "Babloku" an idea struck my mind: the writing process of Shefki Hysa is about to pass into a new stage! Anyhow, I was not very much convinced…
So, I started to read "False Miracles", without succeeding to get out of my mind "Babloku". Those elements, ready in embryo at the "False Miracles" were now about to bloom.
But what are these blooming buds? I think they are present in the mixture of fantastic and grotesque together with the allegory which conveys the idea indirectly. Let us take into consideration the short story "False Miracles", which is part of the book with the same title. Its idea is that no matter how beautiful and precious things are in themselves, if they do not serve the mankind, they are common like all the rest. The daydreaming hero enters the world of magic, in the arms of an enchanting girl with luxurious palaces and magical library. She is eager to have all these miracles, including love as well, all for herself and her lover. Here comes out the conflict. This is in a few words the content, which is revealed at the beginning in the psychoanalyst spirit:
"When he opened the eyes, he saw the sun caressing the wall in front. It was high time to get up but he did not want to leave the bed. He gasped and took his arms out of the sheets. He remembered that last night he puzzled his wits to change something in his life. To make something worthy, to the benefit of mankind, but still he was ruminating what.
He wanted to think it over again before taking the next step. He had all the time ahead until two o’clock in the afternoon, when he had to start the job at the old bus garage. He was a mechanical engineer.
He had to go through the same things lately: get up at eight, wander around to drive away the sleep, then to near at the old basin with his gritting teeth, comb the hair at the washed out mirror nailed against one of the wardrobe doors, get dressed and leave."
Such psychoanalysis is revealed bit by bit to depict the realistic-phantasmagorical character:
"He was perplexed in various thoughts, until he reached the corner of the road, that left behind the inhabited zone and could make out the high-school girl in her black school uniform and white collar, which stirred up in him the nostalgia of migratory birds, the swallows, maybe because she used to commute every day from town to village and vice versa. With his heart pounding, he slowed down the pace and waited she passed by him. He could feel in every cell of his body her approach and his heartbeat melted suddenly into her deer-like steps. He could hardly breathe in those moments, his back thrilled and his nape got sweaty. He could feel her troubled breath kissing his ears but did not dare to turn around. He could feel the inner voice urging to speak, but they have never greeted each-other so far."
So, bit by bit, portraying figuratively the character, the short story turns into a symbol. And while in this story we have to do with a symbol, in the other one "The donkeys" we come across the grotesque that whips the kingdom of inefficiency mingled with the cringe. The inefficient people, the donkeys, live happily thanks to the skilfulness of other people- the well-known formula of all the times. Even here the author doesn’t skip the psychoanalyses, the paradox together with the grotesque mixed together with the sarcasm and the contemporary satire. The metamorphoses elements remind us of Apuleiu’s novel, the famous Latin writer "Metamorphoses or the golden ass", which unfortunately is not translated yet into Albanian.
In his short story "The donkeys", the author writes:
"Strangely, every night he dreamt of himself turned into a donkey. Nevertheless, even though his being might enter the skin of that animal, he would never believe it. How could such a thing be believed? He was the number one of the Presidential staff… He was right after the President in rank. Everyone feared him more than His Excellency, the President himself. No! Rrapush could never be and would never turn into a four-footed despite that strange feeling that tormented him at nights and deepened him into the dream world, becoming a donkey…"
It is not the case to enter a minute analysis on the book "False miracles", because it would ask some time. That is why I mentioned only some short stories, typical of the actual level of the works of Shefki Hysa. But I cannot let without mentioning the unique short novel: "The village headman", which contests the greediness and voracity. I would say, the traits of the expressionism are more obvious than in any other short story, not leaving aside the paradox and grotesque or phantasmagoria, all mixed together in realism. The short story evokes figuratively the corruption and degeneration of the society through the unique cinematographic dynamics. Each word here is readable and transparent.
In these few lines, I would also like to mention "The magic" that belongs to the kind of short novels above, but differs in the anxiety it lets out and the fear not to become a written calamity.
"Oh, I know you would call me nuts, evocative, fascinated, raving into the infernal grounds of a scary dream, or whatever epithet you’d like to add, when I mention magic. Your job, nevertheless, or otherwise- the vivid fact, the outcome of its violence, is me. Looking closely at me, you would understand the transfiguration of my being. Hence, look at my unshaved skinny face, swollen and bloody nose and lips, pimpled and scabby cheekbones, shaggy, untidy, muddy hair, becoming scarce in the widened and creasing forehead because of the fear sheltered deep inside the skull, outlining more and more clearly. Just look at my numb and cold body! So… aren’t you feeling fear, pain, pity, disgust, taunt, or anything else, because of the way I look like? …."
As I mentioned above, the actual level of the writing process of the narrator Shefki Hysa is perceived by the expressionist traits. But permit us to say, very friendly that we would like to have this tendency hidden from time to time and not to come out strongly and open. It is clear that the early expressionism despite the tendency of the idea hidden in it, it was also distinguished for the pathos of "catastrophe and scream". The new expressionism should be different and I am convinced that Shefki Hysa is aware of that, because his stories are characterised by the national spirit and signs of the clever Cham spirit, always troubled and always in search to discover, because he knows well the book of life and that of library.
Dritëro Agolli
July 2003
Transladed by: Dr. Haim Reitan
A new stage of creativity
I have in front a manuscript of the new book with short stories, "False Miracles", by Shefki Hysa. Before reading it, I thought I would find in it the same elements of narration style I used to find in his previous books, particularly in the book with short stories "The thief’s narrations". By that time, this book was the most distinguished one regarding the spirit of the real contemporary realism, embodying several problems and social ideas, characteristic for the time. I remember I was impressed by the fragment: "Babloku", extracted from the novel "The cursed paradise", which I would consider expressionistic, due to the deep emotional impressions felt after its reading.
While reading through the lines of "Babloku" an idea struck my mind: the writing process of Shefki Hysa is about to pass into a new stage! Anyhow, I was not very much convinced…
So, I started to read "False Miracles", without succeeding to get out of my mind "Babloku". Those elements, ready in embryo at the "False Miracles" were now about to bloom.
But what are these blooming buds? I think they are present in the mixture of fantastic and grotesque together with the allegory which conveys the idea indirectly. Let us take into consideration the short story "False Miracles", which is part of the book with the same title. Its idea is that no matter how beautiful and precious things are in themselves, if they do not serve the mankind, they are common like all the rest. The daydreaming hero enters the world of magic, in the arms of an enchanting girl with luxurious palaces and magical library. She is eager to have all these miracles, including love as well, all for herself and her lover. Here comes out the conflict. This is in a few words the content, which is revealed at the beginning in the psychoanalyst spirit:
"When he opened the eyes, he saw the sun caressing the wall in front. It was high time to get up but he did not want to leave the bed. He gasped and took his arms out of the sheets. He remembered that last night he puzzled his wits to change something in his life. To make something worthy, to the benefit of mankind, but still he was ruminating what.
He wanted to think it over again before taking the next step. He had all the time ahead until two o’clock in the afternoon, when he had to start the job at the old bus garage. He was a mechanical engineer.
He had to go through the same things lately: get up at eight, wander around to drive away the sleep, then to near at the old basin with his gritting teeth, comb the hair at the washed out mirror nailed against one of the wardrobe doors, get dressed and leave."
Such psychoanalysis is revealed bit by bit to depict the realistic-phantasmagorical character:
"He was perplexed in various thoughts, until he reached the corner of the road, that left behind the inhabited zone and could make out the high-school girl in her black school uniform and white collar, which stirred up in him the nostalgia of migratory birds, the swallows, maybe because she used to commute every day from town to village and vice versa. With his heart pounding, he slowed down the pace and waited she passed by him. He could feel in every cell of his body her approach and his heartbeat melted suddenly into her deer-like steps. He could hardly breathe in those moments, his back thrilled and his nape got sweaty. He could feel her troubled breath kissing his ears but did not dare to turn around. He could feel the inner voice urging to speak, but they have never greeted each-other so far."
So, bit by bit, portraying figuratively the character, the short story turns into a symbol. And while in this story we have to do with a symbol, in the other one "The donkeys" we come across the grotesque that whips the kingdom of inefficiency mingled with the cringe. The inefficient people, the donkeys, live happily thanks to the skilfulness of other people- the well-known formula of all the times. Even here the author doesn’t skip the psychoanalyses, the paradox together with the grotesque mixed together with the sarcasm and the contemporary satire. The metamorphoses elements remind us of Apuleiu’s novel, the famous Latin writer "Metamorphoses or the golden ass", which unfortunately is not translated yet into Albanian.
In his short story "The donkeys", the author writes:
"Strangely, every night he dreamt of himself turned into a donkey. Nevertheless, even though his being might enter the skin of that animal, he would never believe it. How could such a thing be believed? He was the number one of the Presidential staff… He was right after the President in rank. Everyone feared him more than His Excellency, the President himself. No! Rrapush could never be and would never turn into a four-footed despite that strange feeling that tormented him at nights and deepened him into the dream world, becoming a donkey…"
It is not the case to enter a minute analysis on the book "False miracles", because it would ask some time. That is why I mentioned only some short stories, typical of the actual level of the works of Shefki Hysa. But I cannot let without mentioning the unique short novel: "The village headman", which contests the greediness and voracity. I would say, the traits of the expressionism are more obvious than in any other short story, not leaving aside the paradox and grotesque or phantasmagoria, all mixed together in realism. The short story evokes figuratively the corruption and degeneration of the society through the unique cinematographic dynamics. Each word here is readable and transparent.
In these few lines, I would also like to mention "The magic" that belongs to the kind of short novels above, but differs in the anxiety it lets out and the fear not to become a written calamity.
"Oh, I know you would call me nuts, evocative, fascinated, raving into the infernal grounds of a scary dream, or whatever epithet you’d like to add, when I mention magic. Your job, nevertheless, or otherwise- the vivid fact, the outcome of its violence, is me. Looking closely at me, you would understand the transfiguration of my being. Hence, look at my unshaved skinny face, swollen and bloody nose and lips, pimpled and scabby cheekbones, shaggy, untidy, muddy hair, becoming scarce in the widened and creasing forehead because of the fear sheltered deep inside the skull, outlining more and more clearly. Just look at my numb and cold body! So… aren’t you feeling fear, pain, pity, disgust, taunt, or anything else, because of the way I look like? …."
As I mentioned above, the actual level of the writing process of the narrator Shefki Hysa is perceived by the expressionist traits. But permit us to say, very friendly that we would like to have this tendency hidden from time to time and not to come out strongly and open. It is clear that the early expressionism despite the tendency of the idea hidden in it, it was also distinguished for the pathos of "catastrophe and scream". The new expressionism should be different and I am convinced that Shefki Hysa is aware of that, because his stories are characterised by the national spirit and signs of the clever Cham spirit, always troubled and always in search to discover, because he knows well the book of life and that of library.
Dritëro Agolli
July 2003
Transladed by: Dr. Haim Reitan
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Declaration of Independence of Kosovo
17. 02. 2008
Convened in an extraordinary meeting on February 17, 2008, in Pristina, the capital of Kosovo,
Answering the call of the people to build a society that honors human dignity and affirms the pride and purpose of its citizens,
Committed to confront the painful legacy of the recent past in a spirit of reconciliation and forgiveness,
Dedicated to protecting, promoting and honoring the diversity of our people,
Reaffirming our wish to become fully integrated into the Euro-Atlantic family of democracies,
Observing that Kosovo is a special case arising from Yugoslavia's non-consensual breakup and is not a precedent for any other situation,
Recalling the years of strife and violence in Kosovo, that disturbed the conscience of all civilized people,
Grateful that in 1999 the world intervened, thereby removing Belgrade's governance over Kosovo and placing Kosovo under United Nations interim administration,
Proud that Kosovo has since developed functional, multi-ethnic institutions of democracy that express freely the will of our citizens,
Recalling the years of internationally-sponsored negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina over the question of our future political status,
Regretting that no mutually acceptable status outcome was possible, in spite of the good-faith engagement of our leaders,
Confirming that the recommendations of UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari provide Kosovo with a comprehensive framework for its future development and are in line with the highest European standards of human rights and good governance,
Determined to see our status resolved in order to give our people clarity about their future, move beyond the conflicts of the past and realize the full democratic potential of our society,
Honoring all the men and women who made great sacrifices to build a better future for Kosovo,
1. We, the democratically elected leaders of our people, hereby declare Kosovo to be an independent and sovereign state. This declaration reflects the will of our people and it is in full accordance with the recommendations of UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari and his Comprehensive Proposal for the Kosovo Status Settlement.
2. We declare Kosovo to be a democratic, secular and multi-ethnic republic, guided by the principles of non-discrimination and equal protection under the law. We shall protect and promote the rights of all communities in Kosovo and create the conditions necessary for their effective participation in political and decision-making processes.
3. We accept fully the obligations for Kosovo contained in the Ahtisaari Plan, and welcome the framework it proposes to guide Kosovo in the years ahead. We shall implement in full those obligations including through priority adoption of the legislation included in its Annex XII, particularly those that protect and promote the rights of communities and their members.
4. We shall adopt as soon as possible a Constitution that enshrines our commitment to respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all our citizens, particularly as defined by the European Convention on Human Rights. The Constitution shall incorporate all relevant principles of the Ahtisaari Plan and be adopted through a democratic and deliberative process.
5. We welcome the international community's continued support of our democratic development through international presence established in Kosovo on the basis of UN Security Council resolution 1244 (1999). We invite and welcome an international civilian presence to supervise our implementation of the Ahtisaari Plan, and a European Union-led rule of law mission. We also invite and welcome the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to retain the leadership role of the international military presence in Kosovo and to implement responsibilities assigned to it under UN Security Council resolution 1244 (1999) and the Ahtisaari Plan, until such time as Kosovo institutions are capable of assuming these responsibilities. We shall cooperate fully with these presence to ensure Kosovo's future peace, prosperity and stability.
6. For reasons of culture, geography and history, we believe our future lies with the European family. We therefore declare our intention to take all steps necessary to facilitate full membership in the European Union as soon as feasible and implement the reforms required for European and Euro-Atlantic integration.
7. For P ahead period the in work its continues it as Nations United with constructively working to committed are We democracy. Of institutions build and war from rebuild recover us help done has gratitude deep our express.
8. With independence comes the duty of responsible membership in the international community. We accept fully this duty and shall abide by the principles of the United Nations Charter, the Helsinki Final Act, other acts of the Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the international legal obligations and principles of international comity that mark the relations among states. Kosovo shall have its international borders as set forth in Annex VIII of the Ahtisaari Plan, and shall fully respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all our neighbors. Kosovo shall also refrain from the threat or use of force in any manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations.
9. We hereby undertake the international obligations of Kosovo, including those concluded on our behalf by the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and treaty and other obligations of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to which we are bound as a former constituent part, including the Vienna Conventions on diplomatic and consular relations. We shall cooperate fully with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. We intend to seek membership in international organizations, in which Kosovo shall seek to contribute to the pursuit of international peace and stability.
10. Kosovo declares its commitment to peace and stability in our region of southeast Europe. Our independence brings to an end the process of Yugoslavia's violent dissolution. While this process has been a painful one, we shall work tirelessly to contribute to a reconciliation that would allow southeast Europe to move beyond the conflicts of our past and forge new links of regional cooperation. We shall therefore work together with our neighbors to advance a common European future.
11. We express, in particular, our desire to establish good relations with all our neighbors, including the Republic of Serbia with whom we have deep historical, commercial and social ties that we seek to develop further in the near future. We shall continue our efforts to contribute to relations of friendship and cooperation with the Republic of Serbia, while promoting reconciliation among our people.
12. We hereby affirm, clearly, specifically, and irrevocably, that Kosovo shall be legally bound to comply with the provisions contained in this Declaration, including, especially, the obligations for it under the Ahtisaari Plan. In all of these matters, we shall act consistent with principles of international law and resolutions of the Security Council of the United Nations, including resolution 1244 (1999). We declare publicly that all states are entitled to rely upon this declaration, and appeal to them to extend to us their support and friendship.
17. 02. 2008
Convened in an extraordinary meeting on February 17, 2008, in Pristina, the capital of Kosovo,
Answering the call of the people to build a society that honors human dignity and affirms the pride and purpose of its citizens,
Committed to confront the painful legacy of the recent past in a spirit of reconciliation and forgiveness,
Dedicated to protecting, promoting and honoring the diversity of our people,
Reaffirming our wish to become fully integrated into the Euro-Atlantic family of democracies,
Observing that Kosovo is a special case arising from Yugoslavia's non-consensual breakup and is not a precedent for any other situation,
Recalling the years of strife and violence in Kosovo, that disturbed the conscience of all civilized people,
Grateful that in 1999 the world intervened, thereby removing Belgrade's governance over Kosovo and placing Kosovo under United Nations interim administration,
Proud that Kosovo has since developed functional, multi-ethnic institutions of democracy that express freely the will of our citizens,
Recalling the years of internationally-sponsored negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina over the question of our future political status,
Regretting that no mutually acceptable status outcome was possible, in spite of the good-faith engagement of our leaders,
Confirming that the recommendations of UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari provide Kosovo with a comprehensive framework for its future development and are in line with the highest European standards of human rights and good governance,
Determined to see our status resolved in order to give our people clarity about their future, move beyond the conflicts of the past and realize the full democratic potential of our society,
Honoring all the men and women who made great sacrifices to build a better future for Kosovo,
1. We, the democratically elected leaders of our people, hereby declare Kosovo to be an independent and sovereign state. This declaration reflects the will of our people and it is in full accordance with the recommendations of UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari and his Comprehensive Proposal for the Kosovo Status Settlement.
2. We declare Kosovo to be a democratic, secular and multi-ethnic republic, guided by the principles of non-discrimination and equal protection under the law. We shall protect and promote the rights of all communities in Kosovo and create the conditions necessary for their effective participation in political and decision-making processes.
3. We accept fully the obligations for Kosovo contained in the Ahtisaari Plan, and welcome the framework it proposes to guide Kosovo in the years ahead. We shall implement in full those obligations including through priority adoption of the legislation included in its Annex XII, particularly those that protect and promote the rights of communities and their members.
4. We shall adopt as soon as possible a Constitution that enshrines our commitment to respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all our citizens, particularly as defined by the European Convention on Human Rights. The Constitution shall incorporate all relevant principles of the Ahtisaari Plan and be adopted through a democratic and deliberative process.
5. We welcome the international community's continued support of our democratic development through international presence established in Kosovo on the basis of UN Security Council resolution 1244 (1999). We invite and welcome an international civilian presence to supervise our implementation of the Ahtisaari Plan, and a European Union-led rule of law mission. We also invite and welcome the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to retain the leadership role of the international military presence in Kosovo and to implement responsibilities assigned to it under UN Security Council resolution 1244 (1999) and the Ahtisaari Plan, until such time as Kosovo institutions are capable of assuming these responsibilities. We shall cooperate fully with these presence to ensure Kosovo's future peace, prosperity and stability.
6. For reasons of culture, geography and history, we believe our future lies with the European family. We therefore declare our intention to take all steps necessary to facilitate full membership in the European Union as soon as feasible and implement the reforms required for European and Euro-Atlantic integration.
7. For P ahead period the in work its continues it as Nations United with constructively working to committed are We democracy. Of institutions build and war from rebuild recover us help done has gratitude deep our express.
8. With independence comes the duty of responsible membership in the international community. We accept fully this duty and shall abide by the principles of the United Nations Charter, the Helsinki Final Act, other acts of the Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the international legal obligations and principles of international comity that mark the relations among states. Kosovo shall have its international borders as set forth in Annex VIII of the Ahtisaari Plan, and shall fully respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all our neighbors. Kosovo shall also refrain from the threat or use of force in any manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations.
9. We hereby undertake the international obligations of Kosovo, including those concluded on our behalf by the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and treaty and other obligations of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to which we are bound as a former constituent part, including the Vienna Conventions on diplomatic and consular relations. We shall cooperate fully with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. We intend to seek membership in international organizations, in which Kosovo shall seek to contribute to the pursuit of international peace and stability.
10. Kosovo declares its commitment to peace and stability in our region of southeast Europe. Our independence brings to an end the process of Yugoslavia's violent dissolution. While this process has been a painful one, we shall work tirelessly to contribute to a reconciliation that would allow southeast Europe to move beyond the conflicts of our past and forge new links of regional cooperation. We shall therefore work together with our neighbors to advance a common European future.
11. We express, in particular, our desire to establish good relations with all our neighbors, including the Republic of Serbia with whom we have deep historical, commercial and social ties that we seek to develop further in the near future. We shall continue our efforts to contribute to relations of friendship and cooperation with the Republic of Serbia, while promoting reconciliation among our people.
12. We hereby affirm, clearly, specifically, and irrevocably, that Kosovo shall be legally bound to comply with the provisions contained in this Declaration, including, especially, the obligations for it under the Ahtisaari Plan. In all of these matters, we shall act consistent with principles of international law and resolutions of the Security Council of the United Nations, including resolution 1244 (1999). We declare publicly that all states are entitled to rely upon this declaration, and appeal to them to extend to us their support and friendship.
Friday, March 14, 2008
By Ismail Kadare
A book of messages of hope and peace for Tchamëria
I was impressed by the book with short stories "Tchamëria’s flavour" written by Shefki Hysa, promoted in one of the programs of the national TV Channel. I am interested in every publication on Tchamëria, whenever it is remembered. This is not to encourage any disturbances in the Balkans, as someone might think of, but to calm down any restless conscience. This is why I said that I was impressed by the book with short stories "Tchamëria’s flavour" of this author of Tchamëria’s origin. I was interested in reading this book and I was anxious to go carefully through its pages and come across the message of hope and peace that it conveys to the reader.
In short, I would say that this book is necessary, imperative and moral, like every publication of this nature. There are many reasons that the Tchams do not forget Tchamëria and this is not only their right, but also the right of all the Albanians. Furthermore, it is a moral task, because one can never forget the suffering wound of thousands and thousands people. It can never be forgotten the displacement, it can never be forgotten the birth place, where the hearth is. All of these will help to get rid of the nightmares, as the book "Tchamëria’s flavour" does.
It is high time for the Balkans to get rid of the old crimes, and one of them is what happened to Tchamëria - the Tchams drama. In this way, the Balkans will pave the way towards the emancipation. Only after this, the Balkans might become part of the emancipated European family.
January, 2004
Translated by: Dr. Haim Reitan,
Honorary President
of the Diplomatic Mission
Peace and Prosperity
A book of messages of hope and peace for Tchamëria
I was impressed by the book with short stories "Tchamëria’s flavour" written by Shefki Hysa, promoted in one of the programs of the national TV Channel. I am interested in every publication on Tchamëria, whenever it is remembered. This is not to encourage any disturbances in the Balkans, as someone might think of, but to calm down any restless conscience. This is why I said that I was impressed by the book with short stories "Tchamëria’s flavour" of this author of Tchamëria’s origin. I was interested in reading this book and I was anxious to go carefully through its pages and come across the message of hope and peace that it conveys to the reader.
In short, I would say that this book is necessary, imperative and moral, like every publication of this nature. There are many reasons that the Tchams do not forget Tchamëria and this is not only their right, but also the right of all the Albanians. Furthermore, it is a moral task, because one can never forget the suffering wound of thousands and thousands people. It can never be forgotten the displacement, it can never be forgotten the birth place, where the hearth is. All of these will help to get rid of the nightmares, as the book "Tchamëria’s flavour" does.
It is high time for the Balkans to get rid of the old crimes, and one of them is what happened to Tchamëria - the Tchams drama. In this way, the Balkans will pave the way towards the emancipation. Only after this, the Balkans might become part of the emancipated European family.
January, 2004
Translated by: Dr. Haim Reitan,
Honorary President
of the Diplomatic Mission
Peace and Prosperity
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Pandeli Koçi
The truly friends of Bilal Xhaferi and my own friends incited me to be dedicated entirely to this initiative, especially to Pandeli Koçi. He is both my friend and my professor, academic of Kosovo literature in Faculty of History and Philology during years 1985 – 1992.
But who is this golden-heart man?
Pandeli Koçi, (the literary name – Sazan Goliku), was born in Vlora on 6 January 1942. Elementary school, eight year school and high school finished in Vlora. Graduated in the University of Tirana, in the Faculty of History and Philology, branch Albanian Language and Literature. He has completed some specializations in the field of journalism and publications. Mr. Koçi worked as teacher, culture worker, journalist, and literature editor in the publishing house "Naim Frasheri", etc.
Since year 1970 undertaken the publication in Albania of the Kosovo literature and was lecturer of this wing of Albanian literature in the University of Tirana.
From 1981 until 2002 worked in the Press Sector as spokesperson, as chief of official publishing sector, and editor of Official Journal (Fletorja Zyrtare) of the Parliament of the Republic of Albania.
Since the year 1960 are published studies, literature critics, and books redacting in various magazines and newspapers: Studime Filologjike, Nentori, Jeta e Re, Jehona, Drita, Fjala, Rilindja, Flake e Vllazerimit, Zeri i Rinise, Albania, Shqip, Telegraf, Shekulli etc.and especially in the magazine "The Wing of the Eagle"(Krahu i Shqiponjes).
Since 1972 are published over 20 artistic books for children.
Some of the studies and literature creations are evaluated with prices of the national level.
Several published books:
"Vague" (Turbull), poetry, 2007
"The triangle of the black sky" (Trekendeshi i qiellit te zi), stories, 2006, ISBN 99943-620-7-0
"One morning adventures" (Aventurat e nje mengjesi), poem, 2002, ISBN 99927-54-43-5
"The fallen petals" (Petalet e rena), poetry, 2001
"The White Mountain’s Guerillas (Komitet e Malit te Bardhe), novel, 1999
"Cosmic Epidemy (Epidemi kozmike), poetry, 1996
"Love dream (Enderr dashurie), poetry, 1996
"Adventures of freedom" (Aventurat e lirise), short story, 1995
"Infirmity" (Intimitet), poetry, 1987
"Light flower" (Lule drite), poetry, 1977
"The broken mirror" (Pasqyra e thyer), short story, 1972
Pandeli Koçi, writer, publicist, literature critic, was an intense ally of the Bilal Xhaferi work and the cam problem. Since the beginning of 80’s, when I firstly met him, he not only helped me during the most difficult years of the Communist Regime, when no one dared to freely talk to me cause of my biography as anticommunist, but as well nourished and incited me with the desire to be a valuable intellectual for the country. I am thankful to him for all the support and motivation that gave me to work with the figure of Bilal and with cam (Albanian çam) ideal. My friend
Pandeli Koçi, has contributed as a great patriot that cam ideal could be a true reality, so deserves the respect of all cams.
Bianka Bilali
The truly friends of Bilal Xhaferi and my own friends incited me to be dedicated entirely to this initiative, especially to Pandeli Koçi. He is both my friend and my professor, academic of Kosovo literature in Faculty of History and Philology during years 1985 – 1992.
But who is this golden-heart man?
Pandeli Koçi, (the literary name – Sazan Goliku), was born in Vlora on 6 January 1942. Elementary school, eight year school and high school finished in Vlora. Graduated in the University of Tirana, in the Faculty of History and Philology, branch Albanian Language and Literature. He has completed some specializations in the field of journalism and publications. Mr. Koçi worked as teacher, culture worker, journalist, and literature editor in the publishing house "Naim Frasheri", etc.
Since year 1970 undertaken the publication in Albania of the Kosovo literature and was lecturer of this wing of Albanian literature in the University of Tirana.
From 1981 until 2002 worked in the Press Sector as spokesperson, as chief of official publishing sector, and editor of Official Journal (Fletorja Zyrtare) of the Parliament of the Republic of Albania.
Since the year 1960 are published studies, literature critics, and books redacting in various magazines and newspapers: Studime Filologjike, Nentori, Jeta e Re, Jehona, Drita, Fjala, Rilindja, Flake e Vllazerimit, Zeri i Rinise, Albania, Shqip, Telegraf, Shekulli etc.and especially in the magazine "The Wing of the Eagle"(Krahu i Shqiponjes).
Since 1972 are published over 20 artistic books for children.
Some of the studies and literature creations are evaluated with prices of the national level.
Several published books:
"Vague" (Turbull), poetry, 2007
"The triangle of the black sky" (Trekendeshi i qiellit te zi), stories, 2006, ISBN 99943-620-7-0
"One morning adventures" (Aventurat e nje mengjesi), poem, 2002, ISBN 99927-54-43-5
"The fallen petals" (Petalet e rena), poetry, 2001
"The White Mountain’s Guerillas (Komitet e Malit te Bardhe), novel, 1999
"Cosmic Epidemy (Epidemi kozmike), poetry, 1996
"Love dream (Enderr dashurie), poetry, 1996
"Adventures of freedom" (Aventurat e lirise), short story, 1995
"Infirmity" (Intimitet), poetry, 1987
"Light flower" (Lule drite), poetry, 1977
"The broken mirror" (Pasqyra e thyer), short story, 1972
Pandeli Koçi, writer, publicist, literature critic, was an intense ally of the Bilal Xhaferi work and the cam problem. Since the beginning of 80’s, when I firstly met him, he not only helped me during the most difficult years of the Communist Regime, when no one dared to freely talk to me cause of my biography as anticommunist, but as well nourished and incited me with the desire to be a valuable intellectual for the country. I am thankful to him for all the support and motivation that gave me to work with the figure of Bilal and with cam (Albanian çam) ideal. My friend
Pandeli Koçi, has contributed as a great patriot that cam ideal could be a true reality, so deserves the respect of all cams.
Bianka Bilali
Friday, February 15, 2008
By Vaso Pasha
ALBANIA
Oh, poor Albania, bruised from lashes,
Who dared push your face into the ashes?
Hailed once as a woman of noble birth,
Mother you were called by men of this Earth.
Rich you were, to tell the truth.
With lovely girls and handsome youth,
With cattle, gardens and farms
With Latin rifles and other arms
With men of courage and women of cheer
In all the world you had no peer.
When guns boomed like the crack of thunder
Albania’s men rushed out of yonder,
And always fought well, till the end came,
And never soiled their name with shame.
When men of Albania pledged to fight,
All of Rumelia shivered with fright,
In fierce battles they fought and died,
With honor their memory inscribed.
But now, Albania, you’re a sight of woe
Like an oak tree brought down low!
All step on you as if you were dead,
And not one kind word to you is said.
Once you dressed well, like a woman high-born,
Today, your fine robes are badly torn,
You’ve lost your name, your faith, too,
And none is to blame for it but you.
Albanians, you are slaying one another,
Some shout for country, some against sin,
One says I’m Turk, another Latin,
Others Greeks or Slavs profess to be,
Fools! You are brothers, can’t you see?
Priests and mullahs have made you mute
To keep you split and destitute.
Foreigners sit by your fireplace,
Your wives and sisters they disgrace,
And if money comes knocking on your door
The faith of your father you ignore,
You become slaves of alien boors,
Whose race and tongue differ from yours.
Weep, oh, your rifles, and you who care,
Albanians, like birds, are caught in a snare,
Weep with us, you warriors all around,
For Mother Albania, lying on the ground;
She has no bread or meat to eat,
Nor fire in the hearth, not light or heat,
Pale of cheek and unrespected,
She lies broken and neglected!
Gather you women, so pretty and spry,
Who know so well to weep and cry.
For she’s shorn of honor and forlorn,
She’s like a widow whose man is gone,
She’s like a mother without a son!
Who has the heart to let cruel death,
Take this brave woman, panting for breath?
Can we allow aliens to smother
And trample on our cherished Mother?
No, no! Such shame no one can bear,
Such vile conduct all men forswear!
Let warriors die carrying the banner
Before Albania is lost in this manner.
Awake, Albania, it’s time to rise
And bind yourselves with brotherly ties;
Look not to church or mosque for pietism,
The faith of Albanians is Albanians!
From Tivar all the way to Preveze
The sun sends down its light and rays;
It’s our land, the land of our ancestors,
To the death we’ll defend it from predators.
Better to die for it like the men of old,
Than in shame before the Lord!
ALBANIA
Oh, poor Albania, bruised from lashes,
Who dared push your face into the ashes?
Hailed once as a woman of noble birth,
Mother you were called by men of this Earth.
Rich you were, to tell the truth.
With lovely girls and handsome youth,
With cattle, gardens and farms
With Latin rifles and other arms
With men of courage and women of cheer
In all the world you had no peer.
When guns boomed like the crack of thunder
Albania’s men rushed out of yonder,
And always fought well, till the end came,
And never soiled their name with shame.
When men of Albania pledged to fight,
All of Rumelia shivered with fright,
In fierce battles they fought and died,
With honor their memory inscribed.
But now, Albania, you’re a sight of woe
Like an oak tree brought down low!
All step on you as if you were dead,
And not one kind word to you is said.
Once you dressed well, like a woman high-born,
Today, your fine robes are badly torn,
You’ve lost your name, your faith, too,
And none is to blame for it but you.
Albanians, you are slaying one another,
Some shout for country, some against sin,
One says I’m Turk, another Latin,
Others Greeks or Slavs profess to be,
Fools! You are brothers, can’t you see?
Priests and mullahs have made you mute
To keep you split and destitute.
Foreigners sit by your fireplace,
Your wives and sisters they disgrace,
And if money comes knocking on your door
The faith of your father you ignore,
You become slaves of alien boors,
Whose race and tongue differ from yours.
Weep, oh, your rifles, and you who care,
Albanians, like birds, are caught in a snare,
Weep with us, you warriors all around,
For Mother Albania, lying on the ground;
She has no bread or meat to eat,
Nor fire in the hearth, not light or heat,
Pale of cheek and unrespected,
She lies broken and neglected!
Gather you women, so pretty and spry,
Who know so well to weep and cry.
For she’s shorn of honor and forlorn,
She’s like a widow whose man is gone,
She’s like a mother without a son!
Who has the heart to let cruel death,
Take this brave woman, panting for breath?
Can we allow aliens to smother
And trample on our cherished Mother?
No, no! Such shame no one can bear,
Such vile conduct all men forswear!
Let warriors die carrying the banner
Before Albania is lost in this manner.
Awake, Albania, it’s time to rise
And bind yourselves with brotherly ties;
Look not to church or mosque for pietism,
The faith of Albanians is Albanians!
From Tivar all the way to Preveze
The sun sends down its light and rays;
It’s our land, the land of our ancestors,
To the death we’ll defend it from predators.
Better to die for it like the men of old,
Than in shame before the Lord!
THE CULTURAL, PARADOXES, AND TIE INFLUENCES ON EMIGRINTS LIFE
(About the book of Dr. Zyhdi Dervishi, "The crossed glimpses on the sea''
By: Prof. Dr. Jakup MATO
In the impetuous and irrepressible flow of I current' Albanian editions, it is difficult to I distinct real scientific or artistic values from I the ordinary values written by scriveners. It I happens like in a mountain when the stray I turns of the fallen leaves have covered the flows of vivifying waters. It is needed a careful work to discover them. Something similar it happens also to editions when poems, stories, sensational and erotic literature, memories, studies, valuable or without any value have covered important books. The artistic criticism even the scientific one if it exists has lost the orientation. The artistic criticism even the scientific criticism turned into almost friendly advertisement. In this whirl of the editions and in a fog of criticism suffer more the scientific editions which do not succeed to be taken into consideration appropriately.
Anyhow, the book it has a strange fate. The artistic and scientific, sociological and practice values of the books with such real values can't be Obscured by anything. Zyhdi Dervish’s book "The crossed glimpses on the sea" was edited last year. a theoretical and practical study in the field of the sociology of culture. In it, as underlined in the subtitle, it was made a comparative analysis between cultures through socio-cultural integration of the Albanian emigrants in Italy. After you read this book your mind is preoccupied wide a multitude of extremely interesting issues of theoretical and practical character: and it leaves an impression on you that until now this book or the problems that were presented in this book didn't attract the media attention, although the author is often present in these media. In this edition in your memory remain significant facts and data, sometimes figures sometimes the detailed sayings through sincere interviews which very often distress you with the dramatic subject and the coloring they contain. Through them come out into conspicuousness some characteristics of cultural co-actions in actual conditions of Albanian massive emigrations and some dramatic situations they reminisce. The conclusions for every issue are proved with the given examples and numerous data. But, even if the reader has any fixed idea for an issue, he is informed with new and rich facts that make him think.
The structure of the book forms the trio: Albanian culture. Italian culture, and the intermediate link among them, emigrants. In these processes they are the receptors but they keep and show also the characters of their national culture, certainly with differences according to the experience, education, provincial features etc. In this study it was shown that the emigrants bring a national cultural structure, with good and bad sides, with a medley of opinions and practical experiences. But, at the same time it has been proved in details that they are also usurpers of a foreign rich culture. The author often refers to the theoretical theses for the elements of culture, but he insists more on facts, practices and life data. In general it is not spoken about the components of the culture, as for instance: the living culture, production, artistic culture which for decades developed in quite propagandistic forms. He deals with its particular and concrete elements, as tolerance, sincerity, courage, correctness, rationalism, competition, optimism, pledge, patriotism, the characteristics of human's life in the automation society and many other issues. Therefore, a lot of issues create a link with some of main cultural spheres but they create the possibility to be discovered by social psychology and the consciousness of social groups. All these elements of culture can be seen on their opposite side, when they appear as values or when they appear with elements of anti-values. Thus, when we deal with innovative soul at the same time we deal with adoption processes, with the occurrence of spiritual inertia, and in such a case he has studied the sincerity and naivety events, mutual respect but also prejudices. Also many features and other cultural particularities are studied on their opposite side. This had an influence on the presentation of elements with an attractive and modem language. The contemporary sociological theories that it can be realized clearly are well known by the author are used as instruments to he discovered in details the colorings that use cultural feature, during mutual influences or coincidences on a, a con sequence of the changes between cultural structures of both nations. The author of this study has collected extraordinary factual material through interviews, conversations, and special editions for these topics. He aims to go deep into consciousness of experiences and psychological situations of the social groups he studies. The living and dynamic alternation of theoretical instruments and of concrete living data composes a precious value, even special one from the methodological standpoint. In order to be proved the presented ideas for study, he omen calls for help also the theses of other scholars of mind, spiritual culture and social psychology. The skillful conjunction of sociological theoretical theses with life evidences discovered through reminiscences and confessions of the emigrants make the book to he read also as a serious: scientific study, as an attractive edition, satiated with emotional and sincere confessions of the interviewed. The value of such an edition is determined from the object of study, after the research of the cultural confrontations between emigrants and natives, since in 1998 Albania had 528 thousand emigrants: while now their number has been increased much, more. Their life problems, among other factors, depend on their adaptation capability with other cultures and the levee, of their own culture. Due to this reason, parallel with scientific values of the developed theoretical issues, this edition presents a special practical interest. Many cultural elements of Albanian emigrants ate researched in the beginning by the author to find out in which scale they possess contemporary values and after this he researches them in comparison with Italian culture, or more concretely with the culture of Siena inhabitants. When he brings them together he discovers joint Clements, colorings of differences, mutual influences and oppositions: and he stands out with objectivity the real values and detects of one or another culture. Although time after time it seems that, the feelings and courage for Albanian ethno-cultural traditions intervene to stress the virtues of the compatriots; in general the scholar is object and is characterized by a critical glimpse, therefore he differs real and rich values but also weaknesses and cultural detects of both cultures, while he is not at all under the influence of xenophobic psychology, or xenophobic mania. Anyhow, the author was able to make deep researches for Albanian culture through the conceptual sociological instruments, and to stress its propensities towards some samples of the culture of western civilization. 19 Such a study presents numerous difficulties to explain theoretical meanings of the issues moreover to collect the factual material. The author had to clarify even in the beginning what do we exactly understand by the notion "culture". Among hundred formulations, the author stresses as more accepted the definition that culture is an entirety, of mentalities and the models of behavior and of the living manners that reflect on the entire activity of the culture members. In this way the notion culture includes all mentalities and practices despite their nature and quality. In Albanian editions culture has been perceived as an entirety of achievements (values) in material and spiritual life, a dentition that is closer with Robin William's idea mentioned in the book that perceives the culture, only on values, neglecting those that are not qualitative achievements.
The dentition that was taken as a basis, if it can be discussed, creates the possibilities for more completed standpoints of chiaroscuros of every cultural feature. When he researches the mentalities, experiences and models of the behavior of Albanian emigrants (according to the groups and educational level), the author aims at the same time to discover and prove how much they are oriented towards the medication of the models according to Italian standards. But at the same time it shows how much is strong the force of the tradition in order not to abandon the samples of Albanian culture. He researches from several standpoints every cultural and psychological feature (creative soul, courage, pledge, openness etc.) showing in which culture are presents superlative values and in which stand out the defects. In order to prove his theses the author used fully surveys and their data are presented graphically. Certainly, the surveys have their defects too, since all it depends on number and composition of those who were researched. Anyhow, they speak with an expressive and emotional language, special clearness, with concrete figures regarding some truths that are connected with the concerns of large groups of emigrants. So, about 72% of the interviewed emigrants say that in the working relationship, Italians arc a little or fairly sincere, this it proves big difficulties they face due to the lack of correctness in the working relationship, failure to implement the agreements as a consequence of greediness and the dishonest exploitation of unprotected foreign manpower. The author used the surveys' dawn, according to scientific criterions, dithering ages, experiences and completed education from each group. It has been proved that the judgments of those who have a superior education usually are more objective and convincible.
Likewise all other cultural values that have been researched, the value of tolerance as a possibility to amortize the conflicts between cultures, its general features in the culture of the world and Albanian mentality or optimism and pessimism as the formed spiritual states by living conditions are developed with a rich theoretical and factual material, focusing at the same time several other problems that are connected and mutually subordinated. So, it has been shown that during the period when the emigrants were in desperation, for some time paled also the feeling of patriotism. But, that feeling is waking up and it is coming to life as an expression or mentality in order to nod its own dignity. [( is interesting the gained conclusion after several surveys and analyses that Albanian superior educated specialists feel more and more themselves as a foreigner in emigration and they are not attracted any more by the commodity and profit. In this study, according to the way in which it was developed the scientific subject is attractive especially the chapter where are treated theoretically and practically the issues of ethnocentrism and xenon-centrism, the basic idea that the propensities and psychosis of ethnocentrism transform your own culture into a comparative criterion for the evaluation of other cultures, bad or good ones, high or low, serves to enlighten several events in the relationships between emigrants and foreigners and some contradictions that crone out. When we treat the ethnocentrism, mentalities that were inspired by the monist ideology we get some conclusions for cultural, social and economical consequences that were brought in Albanian life.
In this study were developed and examined, o many 1ife problems and mentalities of the emigrants, always compared with the jives that you can create the idea that you will tined then: all emigrants' concerns with j all their contradictions. How to survive and to adapt to the working conditions and life conditions in a foreign land, how they build the relationships between Albanians and foreigners, do they have to risk or to be stained with common pronto, should they be sincere, naive cry emotional or rational, reserved or malice should they create the families with foreigners or only with Albanians, should they go back to fatherland one day or to stay and be always as emigrants and serial other problems are treated with al! Their contradictions, with all their reelections in different groups, according to the age, experience, level of education. In the end you are shocked by the conclusions that the author gets by researching the judgments of many emigrants who notice that in there country, in Albania, became alienated many cultural and moral values: the human and altruist spirit is being replaced by the spirit of harsh and often dishonest competition, the collectivist spirit of facing, the difficulties is being replaced by extreme individualism, the pledge, to keep one'$ given word, has been transformed into a practical trick for profit, human values are replaced by the fevers of enrichment. So, a lot of Albanian noble cultural values arc transformed into problematic forms. So the emigrants, also in the fatherland, find the second, desperation. All these ideas, although given as prejudgments are also a consequence of a lot of interviews and conversations.
In the book "The crossed glimpses on the sea" is researched and developed a multitude of problems that must be recognized by the Albanian society, especially the emigrants. The content of this edition will help them to clarify the attitude for many issues, to go deeper on their judgments and activities, to distinct real cultural values they havoc and the cultural values of natives. This book will make them be more conscious for many problems they have to face in the foreign land. The data and the conclusions of this edition can be used also by different organizations that deal with social problems, or with emigrants in order to be informed with them and to be found a more useful solution for some of them.
(About the book of Dr. Zyhdi Dervishi, "The crossed glimpses on the sea''
By: Prof. Dr. Jakup MATO
In the impetuous and irrepressible flow of I current' Albanian editions, it is difficult to I distinct real scientific or artistic values from I the ordinary values written by scriveners. It I happens like in a mountain when the stray I turns of the fallen leaves have covered the flows of vivifying waters. It is needed a careful work to discover them. Something similar it happens also to editions when poems, stories, sensational and erotic literature, memories, studies, valuable or without any value have covered important books. The artistic criticism even the scientific one if it exists has lost the orientation. The artistic criticism even the scientific criticism turned into almost friendly advertisement. In this whirl of the editions and in a fog of criticism suffer more the scientific editions which do not succeed to be taken into consideration appropriately.
Anyhow, the book it has a strange fate. The artistic and scientific, sociological and practice values of the books with such real values can't be Obscured by anything. Zyhdi Dervish’s book "The crossed glimpses on the sea" was edited last year. a theoretical and practical study in the field of the sociology of culture. In it, as underlined in the subtitle, it was made a comparative analysis between cultures through socio-cultural integration of the Albanian emigrants in Italy. After you read this book your mind is preoccupied wide a multitude of extremely interesting issues of theoretical and practical character: and it leaves an impression on you that until now this book or the problems that were presented in this book didn't attract the media attention, although the author is often present in these media. In this edition in your memory remain significant facts and data, sometimes figures sometimes the detailed sayings through sincere interviews which very often distress you with the dramatic subject and the coloring they contain. Through them come out into conspicuousness some characteristics of cultural co-actions in actual conditions of Albanian massive emigrations and some dramatic situations they reminisce. The conclusions for every issue are proved with the given examples and numerous data. But, even if the reader has any fixed idea for an issue, he is informed with new and rich facts that make him think.
The structure of the book forms the trio: Albanian culture. Italian culture, and the intermediate link among them, emigrants. In these processes they are the receptors but they keep and show also the characters of their national culture, certainly with differences according to the experience, education, provincial features etc. In this study it was shown that the emigrants bring a national cultural structure, with good and bad sides, with a medley of opinions and practical experiences. But, at the same time it has been proved in details that they are also usurpers of a foreign rich culture. The author often refers to the theoretical theses for the elements of culture, but he insists more on facts, practices and life data. In general it is not spoken about the components of the culture, as for instance: the living culture, production, artistic culture which for decades developed in quite propagandistic forms. He deals with its particular and concrete elements, as tolerance, sincerity, courage, correctness, rationalism, competition, optimism, pledge, patriotism, the characteristics of human's life in the automation society and many other issues. Therefore, a lot of issues create a link with some of main cultural spheres but they create the possibility to be discovered by social psychology and the consciousness of social groups. All these elements of culture can be seen on their opposite side, when they appear as values or when they appear with elements of anti-values. Thus, when we deal with innovative soul at the same time we deal with adoption processes, with the occurrence of spiritual inertia, and in such a case he has studied the sincerity and naivety events, mutual respect but also prejudices. Also many features and other cultural particularities are studied on their opposite side. This had an influence on the presentation of elements with an attractive and modem language. The contemporary sociological theories that it can be realized clearly are well known by the author are used as instruments to he discovered in details the colorings that use cultural feature, during mutual influences or coincidences on a, a con sequence of the changes between cultural structures of both nations. The author of this study has collected extraordinary factual material through interviews, conversations, and special editions for these topics. He aims to go deep into consciousness of experiences and psychological situations of the social groups he studies. The living and dynamic alternation of theoretical instruments and of concrete living data composes a precious value, even special one from the methodological standpoint. In order to be proved the presented ideas for study, he omen calls for help also the theses of other scholars of mind, spiritual culture and social psychology. The skillful conjunction of sociological theoretical theses with life evidences discovered through reminiscences and confessions of the emigrants make the book to he read also as a serious: scientific study, as an attractive edition, satiated with emotional and sincere confessions of the interviewed. The value of such an edition is determined from the object of study, after the research of the cultural confrontations between emigrants and natives, since in 1998 Albania had 528 thousand emigrants: while now their number has been increased much, more. Their life problems, among other factors, depend on their adaptation capability with other cultures and the levee, of their own culture. Due to this reason, parallel with scientific values of the developed theoretical issues, this edition presents a special practical interest. Many cultural elements of Albanian emigrants ate researched in the beginning by the author to find out in which scale they possess contemporary values and after this he researches them in comparison with Italian culture, or more concretely with the culture of Siena inhabitants. When he brings them together he discovers joint Clements, colorings of differences, mutual influences and oppositions: and he stands out with objectivity the real values and detects of one or another culture. Although time after time it seems that, the feelings and courage for Albanian ethno-cultural traditions intervene to stress the virtues of the compatriots; in general the scholar is object and is characterized by a critical glimpse, therefore he differs real and rich values but also weaknesses and cultural detects of both cultures, while he is not at all under the influence of xenophobic psychology, or xenophobic mania. Anyhow, the author was able to make deep researches for Albanian culture through the conceptual sociological instruments, and to stress its propensities towards some samples of the culture of western civilization. 19 Such a study presents numerous difficulties to explain theoretical meanings of the issues moreover to collect the factual material. The author had to clarify even in the beginning what do we exactly understand by the notion "culture". Among hundred formulations, the author stresses as more accepted the definition that culture is an entirety, of mentalities and the models of behavior and of the living manners that reflect on the entire activity of the culture members. In this way the notion culture includes all mentalities and practices despite their nature and quality. In Albanian editions culture has been perceived as an entirety of achievements (values) in material and spiritual life, a dentition that is closer with Robin William's idea mentioned in the book that perceives the culture, only on values, neglecting those that are not qualitative achievements.
The dentition that was taken as a basis, if it can be discussed, creates the possibilities for more completed standpoints of chiaroscuros of every cultural feature. When he researches the mentalities, experiences and models of the behavior of Albanian emigrants (according to the groups and educational level), the author aims at the same time to discover and prove how much they are oriented towards the medication of the models according to Italian standards. But at the same time it shows how much is strong the force of the tradition in order not to abandon the samples of Albanian culture. He researches from several standpoints every cultural and psychological feature (creative soul, courage, pledge, openness etc.) showing in which culture are presents superlative values and in which stand out the defects. In order to prove his theses the author used fully surveys and their data are presented graphically. Certainly, the surveys have their defects too, since all it depends on number and composition of those who were researched. Anyhow, they speak with an expressive and emotional language, special clearness, with concrete figures regarding some truths that are connected with the concerns of large groups of emigrants. So, about 72% of the interviewed emigrants say that in the working relationship, Italians arc a little or fairly sincere, this it proves big difficulties they face due to the lack of correctness in the working relationship, failure to implement the agreements as a consequence of greediness and the dishonest exploitation of unprotected foreign manpower. The author used the surveys' dawn, according to scientific criterions, dithering ages, experiences and completed education from each group. It has been proved that the judgments of those who have a superior education usually are more objective and convincible.
Likewise all other cultural values that have been researched, the value of tolerance as a possibility to amortize the conflicts between cultures, its general features in the culture of the world and Albanian mentality or optimism and pessimism as the formed spiritual states by living conditions are developed with a rich theoretical and factual material, focusing at the same time several other problems that are connected and mutually subordinated. So, it has been shown that during the period when the emigrants were in desperation, for some time paled also the feeling of patriotism. But, that feeling is waking up and it is coming to life as an expression or mentality in order to nod its own dignity. [( is interesting the gained conclusion after several surveys and analyses that Albanian superior educated specialists feel more and more themselves as a foreigner in emigration and they are not attracted any more by the commodity and profit. In this study, according to the way in which it was developed the scientific subject is attractive especially the chapter where are treated theoretically and practically the issues of ethnocentrism and xenon-centrism, the basic idea that the propensities and psychosis of ethnocentrism transform your own culture into a comparative criterion for the evaluation of other cultures, bad or good ones, high or low, serves to enlighten several events in the relationships between emigrants and foreigners and some contradictions that crone out. When we treat the ethnocentrism, mentalities that were inspired by the monist ideology we get some conclusions for cultural, social and economical consequences that were brought in Albanian life.
In this study were developed and examined, o many 1ife problems and mentalities of the emigrants, always compared with the jives that you can create the idea that you will tined then: all emigrants' concerns with j all their contradictions. How to survive and to adapt to the working conditions and life conditions in a foreign land, how they build the relationships between Albanians and foreigners, do they have to risk or to be stained with common pronto, should they be sincere, naive cry emotional or rational, reserved or malice should they create the families with foreigners or only with Albanians, should they go back to fatherland one day or to stay and be always as emigrants and serial other problems are treated with al! Their contradictions, with all their reelections in different groups, according to the age, experience, level of education. In the end you are shocked by the conclusions that the author gets by researching the judgments of many emigrants who notice that in there country, in Albania, became alienated many cultural and moral values: the human and altruist spirit is being replaced by the spirit of harsh and often dishonest competition, the collectivist spirit of facing, the difficulties is being replaced by extreme individualism, the pledge, to keep one'$ given word, has been transformed into a practical trick for profit, human values are replaced by the fevers of enrichment. So, a lot of Albanian noble cultural values arc transformed into problematic forms. So the emigrants, also in the fatherland, find the second, desperation. All these ideas, although given as prejudgments are also a consequence of a lot of interviews and conversations.
In the book "The crossed glimpses on the sea" is researched and developed a multitude of problems that must be recognized by the Albanian society, especially the emigrants. The content of this edition will help them to clarify the attitude for many issues, to go deeper on their judgments and activities, to distinct real cultural values they havoc and the cultural values of natives. This book will make them be more conscious for many problems they have to face in the foreign land. The data and the conclusions of this edition can be used also by different organizations that deal with social problems, or with emigrants in order to be informed with them and to be found a more useful solution for some of them.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
ROBERT ELSIE
Albanian Literature since World War II
After the Stalinist purges under Koçi Xoxe (1917-1949) and the elimination of the first postwar minister of cultural affairs, the liberal Marxist Sejfulla Malëshova (pseudo: Lame Kodra, 1901-1971), intellectual life in Albania had been virtually wiped out and literary production, as a consequence, had come to a standstill. The early writers of SOCIALIST REALISM in the 1950s, Dhimitër Shuteriqi (b. 1915), Shevqet Musaraj (1914-1986), Jakov Xoxa (1923-1979), and Aleks Çaçi (1916-1989) could not demonstrate any particular talent under the unbolting terror of the Hoxha regime.
From 1961, the year of Albania's break with the Soviet Union, a new generation of more talented writers arose. Represented by Ismail Kadare, Dritëro Agolli, and Fatos Arapi (b. 1930). Kadare, in particular, did much to emancipate Albanian literature gradually from the shackles of the past and in the 1970s and 1980s came to dominate the literary scene. After the French-language publication of his first major novel, Gjenerali i ushtrise së vdekur (1963; The General of the Dead Army. 1971), his international reputation grew, giving him confidence at home to continue his subtle attacks against the otherwise all-pervading doctrine of socialist realism. Among his pioneering novels to have appeared in English are Kronikë në gur (1971; Chronicle in Stone, 1987), Prilli i thyer (1978; Broken April, 1990), and Nëpunësi i pallatit të ëndrrave ( 1981: The Palace of Dreams, 1993). At the end of October 1990, a mere few months before the collapse of the dictatorship, Kadare sought political asylum in Paris, where he has been living and writing ever since. Other noted prose authors of the period include Petro Marko (1913-1991), Kasem Trebeshina (b. 1926), Dhimitër Xhuvani (b. 1934), and Bilal Xhaferri (1935-1986). Of the poets of the 1980s and early 1990s, mention can be made of Xhevahir Spahiu (b. 1945), Natasha Lako (b. 1948), Bardhyl Londo (b. 1948), Visar Zhiti (b. 1952) who survived seven years of prison and concentration camps, and Mimoza Ahmeti (b. 1963).
Albanian literature in Kosovo was put into motion by poet Esad Mekuli (1916-1993) with the founding in 1949 of the literary periodical Jeta e re, but did not produce much of note until the 1960s. Exceptions must be made for the novelist Adem Demaçi (b. 1936) who was to spend the next twenty-eight years as a political prisoner of the Belgrade regime, and of the verse collections Nji fyell ndër male (1953; a Flute in the Mountains), and Kanga e vërrinit (1954: Song of the Lowland Pastures) by Martin Camaj, later to become a leading scholar of Albanian studies in Rome and Munich. The Yugoslav constitution of 1974 gave Kosovo Albanians more freedom and a semblance of equality for the first time, and literature flourished on the Plain of the Blackbird in the decade to follow. Of leading prose writers, mention can be made of the experimental Anton Pashku (1937-1995), Rexhep Qosja (b. 1936), notably for his explosive political novel Vdekja më vjen prej syve të tillë (1974; Death Comes with Such Eyes), the prolific Nazmi Rrahmani (b. 1941) and Teki Dervishi (b. 1943). The poetry of Kosovo has been far more experimental and creative than that of Albania. Among its leading proponents are Din Mehmeti (b. 1932), Besim Bokshi (b. 1932). Azem Shkreli (b. 1938), Rrahman Dedaj (b. 1939), Ali Podrimja (b. 1942), Eqrem Basha (b. 1948), Sabri Hamiti (b. 1950), and Basri Çapriqi (b. 1960. Since the military occupation of Kosovo and its forceful annexation by Serbia, the Albanians have returned to their status of second-class citizens. Economic, cultural and literary life in Kosovo have been virtually destroyed in the process (suspension of Albanian-Language secondary schooling, closing-down of the University of Prishtina for non-Serbs, takeover of the Rilindja publishing company, and the paramilitary occupation of the Institute of Albanian Studies in Prishtina). The future of Albanian literature in Kosovo is uncertain.
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Mann, S. E., Albanian Literature (1955); Bihiku, K., History of' Albanian
Literature (1986): Elsie, R., Anthology of Modern Albanian Poetry (1993); Elsie, R., Dictionary of Albanian Literature (1995).
[Published in: Encyclopedia of World Literature in the 20th century. Third Edition. Vol. I: A-D. General Editor: Steven R. Serafin. (St. James Press, Farmington Hills MI 1999), p. 35-36]
Albanian Literature since World War II
After the Stalinist purges under Koçi Xoxe (1917-1949) and the elimination of the first postwar minister of cultural affairs, the liberal Marxist Sejfulla Malëshova (pseudo: Lame Kodra, 1901-1971), intellectual life in Albania had been virtually wiped out and literary production, as a consequence, had come to a standstill. The early writers of SOCIALIST REALISM in the 1950s, Dhimitër Shuteriqi (b. 1915), Shevqet Musaraj (1914-1986), Jakov Xoxa (1923-1979), and Aleks Çaçi (1916-1989) could not demonstrate any particular talent under the unbolting terror of the Hoxha regime.
From 1961, the year of Albania's break with the Soviet Union, a new generation of more talented writers arose. Represented by Ismail Kadare, Dritëro Agolli, and Fatos Arapi (b. 1930). Kadare, in particular, did much to emancipate Albanian literature gradually from the shackles of the past and in the 1970s and 1980s came to dominate the literary scene. After the French-language publication of his first major novel, Gjenerali i ushtrise së vdekur (1963; The General of the Dead Army. 1971), his international reputation grew, giving him confidence at home to continue his subtle attacks against the otherwise all-pervading doctrine of socialist realism. Among his pioneering novels to have appeared in English are Kronikë në gur (1971; Chronicle in Stone, 1987), Prilli i thyer (1978; Broken April, 1990), and Nëpunësi i pallatit të ëndrrave ( 1981: The Palace of Dreams, 1993). At the end of October 1990, a mere few months before the collapse of the dictatorship, Kadare sought political asylum in Paris, where he has been living and writing ever since. Other noted prose authors of the period include Petro Marko (1913-1991), Kasem Trebeshina (b. 1926), Dhimitër Xhuvani (b. 1934), and Bilal Xhaferri (1935-1986). Of the poets of the 1980s and early 1990s, mention can be made of Xhevahir Spahiu (b. 1945), Natasha Lako (b. 1948), Bardhyl Londo (b. 1948), Visar Zhiti (b. 1952) who survived seven years of prison and concentration camps, and Mimoza Ahmeti (b. 1963).
Albanian literature in Kosovo was put into motion by poet Esad Mekuli (1916-1993) with the founding in 1949 of the literary periodical Jeta e re, but did not produce much of note until the 1960s. Exceptions must be made for the novelist Adem Demaçi (b. 1936) who was to spend the next twenty-eight years as a political prisoner of the Belgrade regime, and of the verse collections Nji fyell ndër male (1953; a Flute in the Mountains), and Kanga e vërrinit (1954: Song of the Lowland Pastures) by Martin Camaj, later to become a leading scholar of Albanian studies in Rome and Munich. The Yugoslav constitution of 1974 gave Kosovo Albanians more freedom and a semblance of equality for the first time, and literature flourished on the Plain of the Blackbird in the decade to follow. Of leading prose writers, mention can be made of the experimental Anton Pashku (1937-1995), Rexhep Qosja (b. 1936), notably for his explosive political novel Vdekja më vjen prej syve të tillë (1974; Death Comes with Such Eyes), the prolific Nazmi Rrahmani (b. 1941) and Teki Dervishi (b. 1943). The poetry of Kosovo has been far more experimental and creative than that of Albania. Among its leading proponents are Din Mehmeti (b. 1932), Besim Bokshi (b. 1932). Azem Shkreli (b. 1938), Rrahman Dedaj (b. 1939), Ali Podrimja (b. 1942), Eqrem Basha (b. 1948), Sabri Hamiti (b. 1950), and Basri Çapriqi (b. 1960. Since the military occupation of Kosovo and its forceful annexation by Serbia, the Albanians have returned to their status of second-class citizens. Economic, cultural and literary life in Kosovo have been virtually destroyed in the process (suspension of Albanian-Language secondary schooling, closing-down of the University of Prishtina for non-Serbs, takeover of the Rilindja publishing company, and the paramilitary occupation of the Institute of Albanian Studies in Prishtina). The future of Albanian literature in Kosovo is uncertain.
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Mann, S. E., Albanian Literature (1955); Bihiku, K., History of' Albanian
Literature (1986): Elsie, R., Anthology of Modern Albanian Poetry (1993); Elsie, R., Dictionary of Albanian Literature (1995).
[Published in: Encyclopedia of World Literature in the 20th century. Third Edition. Vol. I: A-D. General Editor: Steven R. Serafin. (St. James Press, Farmington Hills MI 1999), p. 35-36]
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Bilal Xhaferri
Bilal Xhaferri (1935-1986), Albanian writer, (poet, novelist and remarkable dissident publicist) was born in Ninat, Konispol, Cameria district and died in Chicago, USA.
Bio data
Main dates of Bilal Xhaferri’s life and activity.
1935, 2 November was born in Ninat village, Konispol, Cameria region.
1943, his mother passed away.
1945, his nationalist and anti-communist, father was executed
1948, leaves his home village.
1948-1952 resides and works in Saranda, as courier and simple worker.
1954-1955 attends the seventh-grade school in Sukth village, Durres city.
1962-1963 publishes his first lyrics and stories in "Zeri i Rinise" (The voice of Youth", "Drita" (Light), in magazines such as "Nëntori",
(November), Ylli", (The Star) etc.
1966 His first summary of stories is published entitled "Njerëz të rinj, tokë e lashtë" (Young people, ancient land), which had an extraordinary success.
1967 The summary of lyrics is published entitled "Lirishta e kuqe" (Red Valley), which was forbidden by communist censure.
1967 writes the novel "Krastakraus" published post-mortem in 1993.
1968 writes the script for the artistic movie "Era shtyn mjegullat" (The wind pushes the fog).
1968 was denied the right of publishing. Communist censure prohibited the distribution of his books and has been exiled in "Hamalle" village, Durres city.
After being exclude from "Lidhja e Shkrimtarëve & e Artistëve të Shqipërisë" (Albanian Writers’ & Artists League) under the reason that he had criticize Ismail Kadare’s novel "Dasma" (The wedding).
1969, 30 August he escapes secretly from Albania to Greece and later on in USA due to the file compiled by the State Security Service for his arrest and custody.
1970, arrives in Boston, USA.
1970-1972 works for "Dielli" (The Sun) newspaper in Boston, USA.
1972 Demands to publish the novel "Ra Berati" (Berati Surrenders) to the Publishing Enterprise "Rilindja".
1974, October, in Chicago, USA founded the magazine "Krahu i shqiponjës" (The Eagle Wing) in Albanian and English, a product of Cam League.
1974-1986 directs, publishes and edits the magazine "Krahu i shqiponjës", where he published a lot of articles, lyrics, stories, novels, cartoons, artistic photos etc.
This magazine became the tribune of freethinking and continuously dealt cam issues, national concerns, and dictatorship issues in Albania and after 1981, more intensively about Kosovo concerns.
Bilal, used to publish on this magazine not only his literature creations but translation and literature products of many foreign and Albanian writers as well.
He managed to publish 39 editions of this magazine in two languages, Albanian and English till he died in unknown circumstances on 14 October 1986
1975 publishes fragments of the novel "Trotuare të Kundërta" Opposite Avenues" on the magazine "Krahu i shqiponjës" (Eagle Wing).
1977 He publishes fragments of the novel "Hëna e kantjereve" (The Site Moon) on "Krahu i shqiponjës" magazine.
1978 some strangers wounded him.
1981 The editor’s house "Krahu i shqiponjës" burned down ", where he has his literature manuscripts, studies, scientific researches, translations, correspondence, political notes, photos, paintings.
1986 His disease was recognized and he was submitted to a surgery operation.
1986, 14 October, he died in Chicago, at unknown circumstances.
1995, 3rd May the President of Albanian Republic issued him an honor
"Martyr of Democracy" (Decree 1089), with the motivation "For his dedication as publicist and dissident politician in the fight against communism and dictatorship, for his deep national and democratic aspiration".
1995, 6th May, the writer Shefki Hysa, chairman of the Cultural Association "Bilal Xhaferri", in cooperation with Albanian government initiated and organized the ceremony of carcass return in homeland of the outstanding dissident poet, novelist, Bilal Xhaferri who rests now in his hometown, Saranda.
Book titles:
"Young People, Ancient Land" – summary of stories (1966)
"The Red Valley" - lyrics (1967) [1]
"Bloody Love" – romantic novel (1992)
"Krastakraus" - novel (1967), (Published post mortem 1993)
"Sadness, come" (1995)
"Berati surrenders" novel, published by - Prishtina 1995 ISBN 99943-904-5-7
"Beyond distance " – prose and articles (1996)
Bianka Bilali
Bilal Xhaferri (1935-1986), Albanian writer, (poet, novelist and remarkable dissident publicist) was born in Ninat, Konispol, Cameria district and died in Chicago, USA.
Bio data
Main dates of Bilal Xhaferri’s life and activity.
1935, 2 November was born in Ninat village, Konispol, Cameria region.
1943, his mother passed away.
1945, his nationalist and anti-communist, father was executed
1948, leaves his home village.
1948-1952 resides and works in Saranda, as courier and simple worker.
1954-1955 attends the seventh-grade school in Sukth village, Durres city.
1962-1963 publishes his first lyrics and stories in "Zeri i Rinise" (The voice of Youth", "Drita" (Light), in magazines such as "Nëntori",
(November), Ylli", (The Star) etc.
1966 His first summary of stories is published entitled "Njerëz të rinj, tokë e lashtë" (Young people, ancient land), which had an extraordinary success.
1967 The summary of lyrics is published entitled "Lirishta e kuqe" (Red Valley), which was forbidden by communist censure.
1967 writes the novel "Krastakraus" published post-mortem in 1993.
1968 writes the script for the artistic movie "Era shtyn mjegullat" (The wind pushes the fog).
1968 was denied the right of publishing. Communist censure prohibited the distribution of his books and has been exiled in "Hamalle" village, Durres city.
After being exclude from "Lidhja e Shkrimtarëve & e Artistëve të Shqipërisë" (Albanian Writers’ & Artists League) under the reason that he had criticize Ismail Kadare’s novel "Dasma" (The wedding).
1969, 30 August he escapes secretly from Albania to Greece and later on in USA due to the file compiled by the State Security Service for his arrest and custody.
1970, arrives in Boston, USA.
1970-1972 works for "Dielli" (The Sun) newspaper in Boston, USA.
1972 Demands to publish the novel "Ra Berati" (Berati Surrenders) to the Publishing Enterprise "Rilindja".
1974, October, in Chicago, USA founded the magazine "Krahu i shqiponjës" (The Eagle Wing) in Albanian and English, a product of Cam League.
1974-1986 directs, publishes and edits the magazine "Krahu i shqiponjës", where he published a lot of articles, lyrics, stories, novels, cartoons, artistic photos etc.
This magazine became the tribune of freethinking and continuously dealt cam issues, national concerns, and dictatorship issues in Albania and after 1981, more intensively about Kosovo concerns.
Bilal, used to publish on this magazine not only his literature creations but translation and literature products of many foreign and Albanian writers as well.
He managed to publish 39 editions of this magazine in two languages, Albanian and English till he died in unknown circumstances on 14 October 1986
1975 publishes fragments of the novel "Trotuare të Kundërta" Opposite Avenues" on the magazine "Krahu i shqiponjës" (Eagle Wing).
1977 He publishes fragments of the novel "Hëna e kantjereve" (The Site Moon) on "Krahu i shqiponjës" magazine.
1978 some strangers wounded him.
1981 The editor’s house "Krahu i shqiponjës" burned down ", where he has his literature manuscripts, studies, scientific researches, translations, correspondence, political notes, photos, paintings.
1986 His disease was recognized and he was submitted to a surgery operation.
1986, 14 October, he died in Chicago, at unknown circumstances.
1995, 3rd May the President of Albanian Republic issued him an honor
"Martyr of Democracy" (Decree 1089), with the motivation "For his dedication as publicist and dissident politician in the fight against communism and dictatorship, for his deep national and democratic aspiration".
1995, 6th May, the writer Shefki Hysa, chairman of the Cultural Association "Bilal Xhaferri", in cooperation with Albanian government initiated and organized the ceremony of carcass return in homeland of the outstanding dissident poet, novelist, Bilal Xhaferri who rests now in his hometown, Saranda.
Book titles:
"Young People, Ancient Land" – summary of stories (1966)
"The Red Valley" - lyrics (1967) [1]
"Bloody Love" – romantic novel (1992)
"Krastakraus" - novel (1967), (Published post mortem 1993)
"Sadness, come" (1995)
"Berati surrenders" novel, published by - Prishtina 1995 ISBN 99943-904-5-7
"Beyond distance " – prose and articles (1996)
Bianka Bilali
"Krahu i shqiponjës" ("Eagle Wing")
"Eagle Wing" is an Albanian magazine, which aims to promote the literary, social and artistic Albanian life, serving to an important national goal, and to defend and support unfavorable society groups in Balkans. Its spiritual leader was and remains Bilal Xhaferri.
Historical background
"Eagle Wing" is a political, cultural, literary magazine, published for the first time in October, 1974, in two languages, Albanian and English, as a periodical of Cam League in Chicago, USA. Its founder, publisher and director was Bilal Xhaferri, poet, novelist and well-known dissident publicist, who was born on 2nd November 1935 in Ninat, Konispol, Cam district, who after an extensive literary- journalistic activity, died in exile (escaped from Albania in 1969 because of his national and anti-communist views and persecuted by the State Security Service) in 14th October 1986 in Chicago, USA.
"Eagle Wing" was a forum of free democratic ideas, with powerful and deep anti-communist, anti- dictatorship trends, aiming to unite all Albanian political forces in exile in order for them to unify ideas, programs and goals for a Free Pro-Western Albania.
The magazine represented widely the Albanian national issues, especially cam concern, Kosovo issue, and other territories divided from the territorial borders of homeland Albania, and Albanian community issues (Diaspora) all over the world.
Bilal Xhaferri managed to publish 39 editions.
Since August 1995 till present "Eagle Wing" continue to be published in Tirana as periodical of Cultural Association "Bilal Xhaferri" (Cam Cultural Community) established and directed by the well-known journalist and writer Shefki Hysa, who initiated the return of Bilal Xhaferri carcass in Albania and the graced the extraordinary values of this rare figure, mistreated and forgotten by the former Albanian communist dictatorship.
"Eagle Wing" pages hosted articles and interviews of Albanian and foreign politicians who defend Albanian national issue, in particular cam concern. Articles and selected stories of personalities of Albanian and world literature are published on this magazine, such as: Alfred de Musset, Bilal Xhaferri, Christina Rossetti, Dritëro Agolli, Edgar Allan Poe, Ismail Kadare, Martin Mato, Miranda Vickers, Namik Mane, Pjetër Arbnori, Shefki Hysa, Vath Koreshi, Jack London, Jean-Paul Sartre, etj.
Shefki Hysa, in charge of publisher and editor of this magazine, based on his own funds and those of his friends, has managed to publish over 80 editions and consistently chant this pedestal of freethinking following up the footway of Bilal Xhaferri ideals.
Bianka Bilali
"Eagle Wing" is an Albanian magazine, which aims to promote the literary, social and artistic Albanian life, serving to an important national goal, and to defend and support unfavorable society groups in Balkans. Its spiritual leader was and remains Bilal Xhaferri.
Historical background
"Eagle Wing" is a political, cultural, literary magazine, published for the first time in October, 1974, in two languages, Albanian and English, as a periodical of Cam League in Chicago, USA. Its founder, publisher and director was Bilal Xhaferri, poet, novelist and well-known dissident publicist, who was born on 2nd November 1935 in Ninat, Konispol, Cam district, who after an extensive literary- journalistic activity, died in exile (escaped from Albania in 1969 because of his national and anti-communist views and persecuted by the State Security Service) in 14th October 1986 in Chicago, USA.
"Eagle Wing" was a forum of free democratic ideas, with powerful and deep anti-communist, anti- dictatorship trends, aiming to unite all Albanian political forces in exile in order for them to unify ideas, programs and goals for a Free Pro-Western Albania.
The magazine represented widely the Albanian national issues, especially cam concern, Kosovo issue, and other territories divided from the territorial borders of homeland Albania, and Albanian community issues (Diaspora) all over the world.
Bilal Xhaferri managed to publish 39 editions.
Since August 1995 till present "Eagle Wing" continue to be published in Tirana as periodical of Cultural Association "Bilal Xhaferri" (Cam Cultural Community) established and directed by the well-known journalist and writer Shefki Hysa, who initiated the return of Bilal Xhaferri carcass in Albania and the graced the extraordinary values of this rare figure, mistreated and forgotten by the former Albanian communist dictatorship.
"Eagle Wing" pages hosted articles and interviews of Albanian and foreign politicians who defend Albanian national issue, in particular cam concern. Articles and selected stories of personalities of Albanian and world literature are published on this magazine, such as: Alfred de Musset, Bilal Xhaferri, Christina Rossetti, Dritëro Agolli, Edgar Allan Poe, Ismail Kadare, Martin Mato, Miranda Vickers, Namik Mane, Pjetër Arbnori, Shefki Hysa, Vath Koreshi, Jack London, Jean-Paul Sartre, etj.
Shefki Hysa, in charge of publisher and editor of this magazine, based on his own funds and those of his friends, has managed to publish over 80 editions and consistently chant this pedestal of freethinking following up the footway of Bilal Xhaferri ideals.
Bianka Bilali
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Images of Albania and Albanians in English
Literature from Edith Durham's
The Albanian State, as we know it now, was born at the turn of the twentieth century, but the history of Albania [PERHAPS] predates that of Greece. History has been cruel to the Albanians since the Roman conquest. Except for the 1443-1468 period, when the Albanian national hero Gjergj Kastrioti, Skanderbeg, (1403 - 1468) was successful in his mammoth task to defeat the Ottomans (thus defending both the Albanian nation and Catholic Europe), the fifteen years (1925-1939) when Ahmed Zogolli (1895-1961) ruled Albania first as a president and then as a monarch, and the post World War II period, for the last two millennia the Albanians have been constantly living under occupation.
In this respect, Albania is the closest European equivalent to Egypt. Like the Egyptians, who had to wait for almost three millennia until they finally could govern themselves again in 1952, the Albanians never abandoned the dream for self-rule. As opposed to the Egyptians, however, when the Albanians finally succeeded in proclaiming their country's independence in 1912, they were not left with much of a country to govern
The Albania that resulted from the dreadful historical miscalculations and injustices culminating in the London Conference of the Ambassadors of the Six European Great Powers in 1913, was a dismembered nation, something of a still-birth whose long-term survival was never taken seriously. But survive the fledgling Albanian State did, and so did the Albanians living in Albania territories unjustly left outside Albania. Survival has been a basic instinct of the Albanians since 169 BC when Gent, the last Illyrian king, was captured by the Romans at Shkodra. This has always baffled foreign Albanologists.
It was this specific Albanian characteristic that surprised and marveled Edith Durham (1863-1944), one of the most well known, some would say controversial, Western Albanologists of the first half of the twentieth century. A British woman, a self-taught anthropologist, writer and artist, she spent the first two decades of this century traveling in the Balkans, took up the Albanian cause, wrote seven books on the Balkans and influenced British foreign policy. She was adamant that it was not religious difference that caused the bloodshed of the Balkan Wars. She observed and took photographs of religious processions. Some, taken in Scutari (today's Shkodër) show clearly from the clothing and headgear of the participants that they were from different religions. And the same was true when Pope Paul II visited Shkodra in l993. People attend religious ceremonies regardless of which faith they belong to, as a form of social gathering. Numerous Western travelers have remarked on this.Mary Edith Durham was born in 1863 in Hanover Square, London. Her father, Arthur Edward Durham, was a distinguished surgeon who sired a large Victorian family of eight children, all of whom went on to excel in respectable professions. Edith manifested artistic ambitions and, after being educated privately in London, attended the Royal Academy of Arts. She became an accomplished illustrator and watercolorist, exhibiting widely and contributing detailed drawings to the amphibian and reptiles volume of the Cambridge Natural History.
As the eldest child - and still unmarried in her thirties - Edith took on the task of caring for her ailing mother after her father's death. Filial responsibility turned out to be the unlikely impetus for her Balkan entanglements. At thirty-seven, Durham sailed from Trieste down the Dalmatian coast to Cattaro and trekked overland to Çetinje, the capital of the exotic principality of Montenegro.
She was not a scholar when she first visited the Balkans and the Albanian territories in 1900. It would probably be unwise to consider everything she wrote on the region's complicated history as being indisputably correct.
Durham did not go to the Balkans to do fieldwork; she went there on medical advice when she was ill and depressed. She left England for a cure and found a vocation. She was one of the first Western travel-writers to discover that the Balkans is a career.
Many British and European hopefuls are trying to emulate Durham's example, especially recently when so much has happened in the Balkans: the collapse of Communism, the disintegration of the former Yugoslavia, the wars in Bosnia, Croatia and Kosova, and the fighting in Macedonia.
As opposed to some recently self-proclaimed Western experts in Balkan and Albanian affairs, Durham appears to have gone to the region not with many preconceptions and prejudices. While it is true that she wrote favourably more often than not about the Albanians, her 'preference' for one of the most ancient European nations was not inspired or motivated by the interests of her own country in the Balkans or Albania.
The problem re-emerged after the Balkan wars of 1912-1913, when an arbitrary and unjust decision by the London Conference in 1913 assigned Kosova to Serbia and other parts of Albania to Macedonia and Montenegro. With the rebirth of Yugoslavia in 1945, Kosova was annexed to Serbia by the decision of the Great Powers. In 1908 the famous Albanologist, Edith Durham said: "Empires came and went, and passed over the Albanian as does the water off a duck's back."
Durham was, however, the twentieth century's indispensable interpreter of Albania, and arguably the most important writer on that culture since J. C. Hobhouse journeyed through the Albanian lands with Byron. She was adored among the Albanians themselves, who knew her as "Kralica e Malësorevet" - the Queen of the Highlanders. "She gave us her heart and she won the ear of our mountaineers", the exiled Albanian king, Zog, wrote to The Times on her death in 1944 (even though she was not on good terms with him, either). The only other Briton to have been so lionized was, improbably, Norman Wisdom, whom the Communist dictator Enver Hoxha found uproariously entertaining.
She remained involved in Albanian affairs for the rest of her life and was secretary of the Anglo-Albanian society. In fact, with Aubrey Herbert (a relation to Lord Carnarvon, who discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun), she is credited as having Albania finally recognized by the League of Nations in 1920.
Durham was a scholar by instinct rather than by trade. She based her judgments on her own observations. She wrote about what she saw. In this respect she is different from the nineteenth-century German writer Karl May, who offered to the German readership an almost entirely fictitious picture of the Albanians.
She upset many of her contemporary, one-sided and often blinked Balkans experts because she championed the cause of a long-neglected people. But this was not done for reasons of self-interest. Despite her initial reason for visiting the Balkans, Durham benefited the region more than it benefited her. The Albanians were so impressed with her relentless efforts on their behalf (in Albania and the UK) that they expressed their gratitude by referring to her as their Kratlitse (Queen).
She approached and vigorously defended the Albanian question primarily as a humanist. As opposed to some recently self-proclaimed Western experts in Balkan and Albanian affairs, Durham appears to have gone to the region not with many preconceptions and prejudices. While it is true that she wrote favorably more often than not about the Albanians, her 'preference' for one of the most ancient European nations was not inspired or motivated by the interests of her own country in the Balkans or Albania.
Durham was her own spokesperson when she defended the Albanians. With her determination to speak her own mind, she set an example seldom followed by her contemporary British and Western Balkanists and Albanologists.
She' discovered' Albania, especially Northern Albania, the country was perceived as being in a state of hibernation as a result of successive invasions by the Celts, the Romans, the Slavs and the Turks. The Albanians appeared ossified. Although geographically near, they were politically and economically far from the European Powers that had perpetually chosen to ignore and often abandon them in favor of their own political and economic interests.
When Durham visited Albania, Europe had little time for the long neglected country. She found the Albanians isolated, but not of their own volition. They had been forced into isolation. Cut off from Europe, the Albanians had no alternative but to ensure their survival by relying on their ancient mythology, laws and traditions. These were bound to change and in some cases to become distorted in order to suit the often extraordinary circumstances the Albanian nation had experienced during the previous two thousand years. The Canon of Lek Dukagjin, for instance, is probably the best example of the need the Albanians felt to revive, preserve, update and to some extent 'spoil' their ancient traditions of self-government in order to meet the challenges of surviving under Turkish rule and the constant threat of assimilation by their neighbors.
Much as she regretted the Albanians' imposed isolation from Western Europe, Durham makes no secret of her exultation at discovering the exotic Albania and Albanians. While it is true she differs from many former and contemporary European 'experts' in Albania for the unfashionable sympathy for the Albanians, the exotic is as central in her writings on Albania as it is in the work of other Western travel writers, past and present.
Although Durham traveled widely throughout the Albanian territories, her most inspired work High Albania (1909) concentrates on one of the most isolated and as such, one of the most exotic parts of Albania and the Albanian nation.
High Albania offered Durham a unique opportunity to see a 'backwater of life' at the heart of Europe, which has 'primitive virtues, without many of the meannesses of what is called civilization. It is uncorrupted by luxury' It was in this particular region of Albania, well known for its breathtaking and epic landscape and its people's proverbial hospitality, that Durham felt transported into an alien yet majestic world of living myths and legends, about which her European education had taught her almost nothing.
She had been well received in the Albanian uplands, and although it was unusual for a woman to travel to the remoter mountain districts, the notion of a lone female wanderer actually fitted with Albanian custom: the tradition of Albanian "Sworn Virgins"* - women who assumed the responsibilities of manhood and wore men's clothes and held a protected status in tribal society - meant that Durham traveled unmolested.
Charmed by a reality she had never thought it existed, Durham remarks: I think no place where human beings live has given me such an impression of majestic isolation from all the world. It is a spot where the centuries shrivel; the river might be the world's well-spring, its banks the fit home of elemental instincts - passions that are red and rapid.
She became a fervent promoter of the Albanian national cause all over the world. I looked her up to see that, "many thought her at best wildly eccentric and at worst completely mad." And yet, her most famous work High Albania published in 1909, is still one of the leading guides to the culture and customs of this area. She was much loved by the Albanians, who gave her the name "Queen of the Highlanders."
Durham that she often 'forgot all about the rest of the world'. In High Albania Durham came into contact with an enchanting wilderness, which explains why when she was there she commented: 'I never want books. They are dull compared to the life stories that are daily enacted among the bare Grey rocks' .
This mountainous part of Albania was for Durham something of an exotic oasis at the heart of Europe, which at times she felt was better left unspoiled. In High Albania Durham the humanist and champion of the rights of small nations is at times subdued by Durham the selfish Western tourist who seems to believe that the world and other nationalities exist primarily for her own recreation and entertainment. Thus Durham emerges as judge and jury; she alone knows best what is good or bad for the Albanians and what they should and should not do.
Her patronizing attitude is seen especially in the comments she makes when hearing that the farmers in one of the most fertile regions in Albania would welcome the building of a new railway: I looked at the room full of long, lean cat-o'-mountains, and wondered whether it would benefit anybody - let alone themselves - to turn them into fat corn and horse dealers 'Civilisation is vexation, And progress is as bad, The things that be, they puzzle me, And Cultchaw drives me mad.' (Durham 1985)
Durham was not the only one who would have preferred the Albanians to remain 'uncivilized'. 'God cast you into Hell,' a priest once said to her, 'that you might tell of it in England - that you might cry to every Catholic in England: 'Save these people!'' (Ibid., 197).
Durham understood the Albanians well enough to realize that they were no twilled' and 'uncivilized'. She tried hard to comprehend and explain, sometimes successfully sometimes not, why they were lagging behind other European nations. Occasionally, however, Durham glorifies the 'primitive' life in which contemporary Albanians lived. Dazzled by the festive atmosphere she witnessed throughout the feast of St. John, she remarked: I thought how dull London dinner-parties are, and wondered why people ever think they would like to be civilized. This was as good as being Alice at the Mad Hatter's Tea-party.
If not taken out of context, Durham's remarks on the Albanians' lack of civilization are on the whole light-hearted. I personally enjoy reading her work not because she wrote, and in most cases favorably, about Albania. She had the ability to rediscover Albania, to reinterpret the country, the people and the culture not just for the European audience still largely ignorant of this terra incognito, but also for the Albanians. Her independent mind, her eye for details and her sincere and fresh narrative are bound to continue to attract the attention of open-minded readers who do not judge Albania and the Albanians.
High Albania depicted only one Albanian region. Durham made it clear from the beginning of the book that the conditions there 'are very different from those in South Albania, and it is with the wildest part of High Albania alone that this book deals' (Ibid., 1). Did she offer this explanation simply because she wanted to clarify to the readers the scope and focus of her book, or because she was afraid lest her work would be seen as the 'definitive' picture of all Albania? Whatever her reasons were, it cannot be disputed that in High Albania and other works, Edith Durham introduced Albania and the Albanians to the British readers in a sympathetic light (although at times patronizingly) hardly seen before.
Edith Durham's work belongs to the best tradition of the British travel writing where foreigners are depicted not as the alien and hostile 'other' but as fellow human beings who try hard, at times against all odds, to retain and protect their individual and national identity and integrity. Writers like Edith Durham, D. H. Lawrence, George Orwell and E. M. Forster presented a new picture and perception of overseas peoples and cultures to a largely ignorant and at times misinformed British readership.
She continued her campaign throughout the 1930s and befriended many Albanians driven into exile in London. On "Black Friday" (Good Friday 1939) after hearing that Mussolini's forces had invaded Albania, the outraged 76 year old Edith Durham paraded the London streets wearing a placard with the slogan "Hands off Albania!" She died in November 1944. An obituary containing an emotional tribute written by a leading Albanian politician appeared in the Daily Telegraph:- "Open-minded and generous as she was, she speedily understood Albania's soul ... Fearlessly and without compromise she told the world and its rulers what she had learned... Albanians have never forgotten, and never will forget this Englishwoman. In the Albanian mountains she knew so well, the news of her death will echo from peak to peak, the news of the death of one who was loved there".
Literature from Edith Durham's
The Albanian State, as we know it now, was born at the turn of the twentieth century, but the history of Albania [PERHAPS] predates that of Greece. History has been cruel to the Albanians since the Roman conquest. Except for the 1443-1468 period, when the Albanian national hero Gjergj Kastrioti, Skanderbeg, (1403 - 1468) was successful in his mammoth task to defeat the Ottomans (thus defending both the Albanian nation and Catholic Europe), the fifteen years (1925-1939) when Ahmed Zogolli (1895-1961) ruled Albania first as a president and then as a monarch, and the post World War II period, for the last two millennia the Albanians have been constantly living under occupation.
In this respect, Albania is the closest European equivalent to Egypt. Like the Egyptians, who had to wait for almost three millennia until they finally could govern themselves again in 1952, the Albanians never abandoned the dream for self-rule. As opposed to the Egyptians, however, when the Albanians finally succeeded in proclaiming their country's independence in 1912, they were not left with much of a country to govern
The Albania that resulted from the dreadful historical miscalculations and injustices culminating in the London Conference of the Ambassadors of the Six European Great Powers in 1913, was a dismembered nation, something of a still-birth whose long-term survival was never taken seriously. But survive the fledgling Albanian State did, and so did the Albanians living in Albania territories unjustly left outside Albania. Survival has been a basic instinct of the Albanians since 169 BC when Gent, the last Illyrian king, was captured by the Romans at Shkodra. This has always baffled foreign Albanologists.
It was this specific Albanian characteristic that surprised and marveled Edith Durham (1863-1944), one of the most well known, some would say controversial, Western Albanologists of the first half of the twentieth century. A British woman, a self-taught anthropologist, writer and artist, she spent the first two decades of this century traveling in the Balkans, took up the Albanian cause, wrote seven books on the Balkans and influenced British foreign policy. She was adamant that it was not religious difference that caused the bloodshed of the Balkan Wars. She observed and took photographs of religious processions. Some, taken in Scutari (today's Shkodër) show clearly from the clothing and headgear of the participants that they were from different religions. And the same was true when Pope Paul II visited Shkodra in l993. People attend religious ceremonies regardless of which faith they belong to, as a form of social gathering. Numerous Western travelers have remarked on this.Mary Edith Durham was born in 1863 in Hanover Square, London. Her father, Arthur Edward Durham, was a distinguished surgeon who sired a large Victorian family of eight children, all of whom went on to excel in respectable professions. Edith manifested artistic ambitions and, after being educated privately in London, attended the Royal Academy of Arts. She became an accomplished illustrator and watercolorist, exhibiting widely and contributing detailed drawings to the amphibian and reptiles volume of the Cambridge Natural History.
As the eldest child - and still unmarried in her thirties - Edith took on the task of caring for her ailing mother after her father's death. Filial responsibility turned out to be the unlikely impetus for her Balkan entanglements. At thirty-seven, Durham sailed from Trieste down the Dalmatian coast to Cattaro and trekked overland to Çetinje, the capital of the exotic principality of Montenegro.
She was not a scholar when she first visited the Balkans and the Albanian territories in 1900. It would probably be unwise to consider everything she wrote on the region's complicated history as being indisputably correct.
Durham did not go to the Balkans to do fieldwork; she went there on medical advice when she was ill and depressed. She left England for a cure and found a vocation. She was one of the first Western travel-writers to discover that the Balkans is a career.
Many British and European hopefuls are trying to emulate Durham's example, especially recently when so much has happened in the Balkans: the collapse of Communism, the disintegration of the former Yugoslavia, the wars in Bosnia, Croatia and Kosova, and the fighting in Macedonia.
As opposed to some recently self-proclaimed Western experts in Balkan and Albanian affairs, Durham appears to have gone to the region not with many preconceptions and prejudices. While it is true that she wrote favourably more often than not about the Albanians, her 'preference' for one of the most ancient European nations was not inspired or motivated by the interests of her own country in the Balkans or Albania.
The problem re-emerged after the Balkan wars of 1912-1913, when an arbitrary and unjust decision by the London Conference in 1913 assigned Kosova to Serbia and other parts of Albania to Macedonia and Montenegro. With the rebirth of Yugoslavia in 1945, Kosova was annexed to Serbia by the decision of the Great Powers. In 1908 the famous Albanologist, Edith Durham said: "Empires came and went, and passed over the Albanian as does the water off a duck's back."
Durham was, however, the twentieth century's indispensable interpreter of Albania, and arguably the most important writer on that culture since J. C. Hobhouse journeyed through the Albanian lands with Byron. She was adored among the Albanians themselves, who knew her as "Kralica e Malësorevet" - the Queen of the Highlanders. "She gave us her heart and she won the ear of our mountaineers", the exiled Albanian king, Zog, wrote to The Times on her death in 1944 (even though she was not on good terms with him, either). The only other Briton to have been so lionized was, improbably, Norman Wisdom, whom the Communist dictator Enver Hoxha found uproariously entertaining.
She remained involved in Albanian affairs for the rest of her life and was secretary of the Anglo-Albanian society. In fact, with Aubrey Herbert (a relation to Lord Carnarvon, who discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun), she is credited as having Albania finally recognized by the League of Nations in 1920.
Durham was a scholar by instinct rather than by trade. She based her judgments on her own observations. She wrote about what she saw. In this respect she is different from the nineteenth-century German writer Karl May, who offered to the German readership an almost entirely fictitious picture of the Albanians.
She upset many of her contemporary, one-sided and often blinked Balkans experts because she championed the cause of a long-neglected people. But this was not done for reasons of self-interest. Despite her initial reason for visiting the Balkans, Durham benefited the region more than it benefited her. The Albanians were so impressed with her relentless efforts on their behalf (in Albania and the UK) that they expressed their gratitude by referring to her as their Kratlitse (Queen).
She approached and vigorously defended the Albanian question primarily as a humanist. As opposed to some recently self-proclaimed Western experts in Balkan and Albanian affairs, Durham appears to have gone to the region not with many preconceptions and prejudices. While it is true that she wrote favorably more often than not about the Albanians, her 'preference' for one of the most ancient European nations was not inspired or motivated by the interests of her own country in the Balkans or Albania.
Durham was her own spokesperson when she defended the Albanians. With her determination to speak her own mind, she set an example seldom followed by her contemporary British and Western Balkanists and Albanologists.
She' discovered' Albania, especially Northern Albania, the country was perceived as being in a state of hibernation as a result of successive invasions by the Celts, the Romans, the Slavs and the Turks. The Albanians appeared ossified. Although geographically near, they were politically and economically far from the European Powers that had perpetually chosen to ignore and often abandon them in favor of their own political and economic interests.
When Durham visited Albania, Europe had little time for the long neglected country. She found the Albanians isolated, but not of their own volition. They had been forced into isolation. Cut off from Europe, the Albanians had no alternative but to ensure their survival by relying on their ancient mythology, laws and traditions. These were bound to change and in some cases to become distorted in order to suit the often extraordinary circumstances the Albanian nation had experienced during the previous two thousand years. The Canon of Lek Dukagjin, for instance, is probably the best example of the need the Albanians felt to revive, preserve, update and to some extent 'spoil' their ancient traditions of self-government in order to meet the challenges of surviving under Turkish rule and the constant threat of assimilation by their neighbors.
Much as she regretted the Albanians' imposed isolation from Western Europe, Durham makes no secret of her exultation at discovering the exotic Albania and Albanians. While it is true she differs from many former and contemporary European 'experts' in Albania for the unfashionable sympathy for the Albanians, the exotic is as central in her writings on Albania as it is in the work of other Western travel writers, past and present.
Although Durham traveled widely throughout the Albanian territories, her most inspired work High Albania (1909) concentrates on one of the most isolated and as such, one of the most exotic parts of Albania and the Albanian nation.
High Albania offered Durham a unique opportunity to see a 'backwater of life' at the heart of Europe, which has 'primitive virtues, without many of the meannesses of what is called civilization. It is uncorrupted by luxury' It was in this particular region of Albania, well known for its breathtaking and epic landscape and its people's proverbial hospitality, that Durham felt transported into an alien yet majestic world of living myths and legends, about which her European education had taught her almost nothing.
She had been well received in the Albanian uplands, and although it was unusual for a woman to travel to the remoter mountain districts, the notion of a lone female wanderer actually fitted with Albanian custom: the tradition of Albanian "Sworn Virgins"* - women who assumed the responsibilities of manhood and wore men's clothes and held a protected status in tribal society - meant that Durham traveled unmolested.
Charmed by a reality she had never thought it existed, Durham remarks: I think no place where human beings live has given me such an impression of majestic isolation from all the world. It is a spot where the centuries shrivel; the river might be the world's well-spring, its banks the fit home of elemental instincts - passions that are red and rapid.
She became a fervent promoter of the Albanian national cause all over the world. I looked her up to see that, "many thought her at best wildly eccentric and at worst completely mad." And yet, her most famous work High Albania published in 1909, is still one of the leading guides to the culture and customs of this area. She was much loved by the Albanians, who gave her the name "Queen of the Highlanders."
Durham that she often 'forgot all about the rest of the world'. In High Albania Durham came into contact with an enchanting wilderness, which explains why when she was there she commented: 'I never want books. They are dull compared to the life stories that are daily enacted among the bare Grey rocks' .
This mountainous part of Albania was for Durham something of an exotic oasis at the heart of Europe, which at times she felt was better left unspoiled. In High Albania Durham the humanist and champion of the rights of small nations is at times subdued by Durham the selfish Western tourist who seems to believe that the world and other nationalities exist primarily for her own recreation and entertainment. Thus Durham emerges as judge and jury; she alone knows best what is good or bad for the Albanians and what they should and should not do.
Her patronizing attitude is seen especially in the comments she makes when hearing that the farmers in one of the most fertile regions in Albania would welcome the building of a new railway: I looked at the room full of long, lean cat-o'-mountains, and wondered whether it would benefit anybody - let alone themselves - to turn them into fat corn and horse dealers 'Civilisation is vexation, And progress is as bad, The things that be, they puzzle me, And Cultchaw drives me mad.' (Durham 1985)
Durham was not the only one who would have preferred the Albanians to remain 'uncivilized'. 'God cast you into Hell,' a priest once said to her, 'that you might tell of it in England - that you might cry to every Catholic in England: 'Save these people!'' (Ibid., 197).
Durham understood the Albanians well enough to realize that they were no twilled' and 'uncivilized'. She tried hard to comprehend and explain, sometimes successfully sometimes not, why they were lagging behind other European nations. Occasionally, however, Durham glorifies the 'primitive' life in which contemporary Albanians lived. Dazzled by the festive atmosphere she witnessed throughout the feast of St. John, she remarked: I thought how dull London dinner-parties are, and wondered why people ever think they would like to be civilized. This was as good as being Alice at the Mad Hatter's Tea-party.
If not taken out of context, Durham's remarks on the Albanians' lack of civilization are on the whole light-hearted. I personally enjoy reading her work not because she wrote, and in most cases favorably, about Albania. She had the ability to rediscover Albania, to reinterpret the country, the people and the culture not just for the European audience still largely ignorant of this terra incognito, but also for the Albanians. Her independent mind, her eye for details and her sincere and fresh narrative are bound to continue to attract the attention of open-minded readers who do not judge Albania and the Albanians.
High Albania depicted only one Albanian region. Durham made it clear from the beginning of the book that the conditions there 'are very different from those in South Albania, and it is with the wildest part of High Albania alone that this book deals' (Ibid., 1). Did she offer this explanation simply because she wanted to clarify to the readers the scope and focus of her book, or because she was afraid lest her work would be seen as the 'definitive' picture of all Albania? Whatever her reasons were, it cannot be disputed that in High Albania and other works, Edith Durham introduced Albania and the Albanians to the British readers in a sympathetic light (although at times patronizingly) hardly seen before.
Edith Durham's work belongs to the best tradition of the British travel writing where foreigners are depicted not as the alien and hostile 'other' but as fellow human beings who try hard, at times against all odds, to retain and protect their individual and national identity and integrity. Writers like Edith Durham, D. H. Lawrence, George Orwell and E. M. Forster presented a new picture and perception of overseas peoples and cultures to a largely ignorant and at times misinformed British readership.
She continued her campaign throughout the 1930s and befriended many Albanians driven into exile in London. On "Black Friday" (Good Friday 1939) after hearing that Mussolini's forces had invaded Albania, the outraged 76 year old Edith Durham paraded the London streets wearing a placard with the slogan "Hands off Albania!" She died in November 1944. An obituary containing an emotional tribute written by a leading Albanian politician appeared in the Daily Telegraph:- "Open-minded and generous as she was, she speedily understood Albania's soul ... Fearlessly and without compromise she told the world and its rulers what she had learned... Albanians have never forgotten, and never will forget this Englishwoman. In the Albanian mountains she knew so well, the news of her death will echo from peak to peak, the news of the death of one who was loved there".
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
By Anthony Weir
NOTE OF ALBANIA'S HISTORY
Albania, anciently known as Illyria, and occupying a large part of the Western Balkans, lost its independence in 169 BC, when Gent, king of the Illyrians, was defeated and captured by the Romans at Shkodra.
But in the two thousand years that their land was ruled by foreigners, Albanians lost neither their identity nor their ancient language - more ancient than Latin, and related both to Greek and Etruscan.
The Albanian state which came into being in 1912 was really the remnants of Shqiperisë (Eagle-Realm in Albanian) that the Greeks, Serbs and Bulgarians had by some miracle been unable to lay claim to. It was considered by Western nations to be first a ruritanian, then a totalitarian joke. But Albanian has survived in its truncated form the Italian, Greek and German occupations and incursions of the Second World War - and the rule of its last paranoid war-lord, Enver Hoxha.
Albanians swallowed up by the neighboring countries - especially Greece - were considered rather as the Slavs were considered by the Nazis. Before the First World War, Albanian was spoken as far south as Athens - but a policy of linguistic cleansing more successful than that of Britain or France soon fixed that. Janina, the chief Albanian city under Turkish rule, became the entirely Greek-speaking and Greek-thinking capital of Southern Epirus.
Having seized Southern Epirus, the Greeks (whose national costume is actually Albanian) laid claim, and still lay claim, to "Northern Epirus", which is more or less the southern half of modern Albania.
Given this history, and the collapse both moral and economic of the 'Communist Bloc' after the destruction by East Germans of the notorious Wall in 1990, it is not surprising that Albania has exported a quarter of its population and is in thrall to the insidiously destructive values of American capitalism. Television can in a decade destroy a culture which has survived two thousand years of satrapy, for television has become both God and the manifestation of the sordid culture of capitalism which has choked the planet with its foulness
NOTE OF ALBANIA'S HISTORY
Albania, anciently known as Illyria, and occupying a large part of the Western Balkans, lost its independence in 169 BC, when Gent, king of the Illyrians, was defeated and captured by the Romans at Shkodra.
But in the two thousand years that their land was ruled by foreigners, Albanians lost neither their identity nor their ancient language - more ancient than Latin, and related both to Greek and Etruscan.
The Albanian state which came into being in 1912 was really the remnants of Shqiperisë (Eagle-Realm in Albanian) that the Greeks, Serbs and Bulgarians had by some miracle been unable to lay claim to. It was considered by Western nations to be first a ruritanian, then a totalitarian joke. But Albanian has survived in its truncated form the Italian, Greek and German occupations and incursions of the Second World War - and the rule of its last paranoid war-lord, Enver Hoxha.
Albanians swallowed up by the neighboring countries - especially Greece - were considered rather as the Slavs were considered by the Nazis. Before the First World War, Albanian was spoken as far south as Athens - but a policy of linguistic cleansing more successful than that of Britain or France soon fixed that. Janina, the chief Albanian city under Turkish rule, became the entirely Greek-speaking and Greek-thinking capital of Southern Epirus.
Having seized Southern Epirus, the Greeks (whose national costume is actually Albanian) laid claim, and still lay claim, to "Northern Epirus", which is more or less the southern half of modern Albania.
Given this history, and the collapse both moral and economic of the 'Communist Bloc' after the destruction by East Germans of the notorious Wall in 1990, it is not surprising that Albania has exported a quarter of its population and is in thrall to the insidiously destructive values of American capitalism. Television can in a decade destroy a culture which has survived two thousand years of satrapy, for television has become both God and the manifestation of the sordid culture of capitalism which has choked the planet with its foulness
Çameria
Çameria geographically is situated on the to-day north-west Greece. This beautiful region, has a rich Albanian her5tage and it was only in the 1912 that it was annexed unfairly and unjustifiably from Greece. This was the aftermath of the decision of the great powers to give Çameria to Greece, just as the great powers had made similar decisions to give Kosova and other Albanian territories to Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro.
The word Çam is an evolution of the word "t'chiam" which is the name of an ancient river passing right through Çameria (The word T'chamis appears on many ancient Roman and even Hellenic maps, indicating that the word Chameria is older than the word Epirus, and it's used only by Albanians). Another branch of this river remains to be known to this day as the "lumi i kalamait" (Kalamait River - Childrens Rivier). What's most important is that everything about Çameria is Albanian in every sense of the word. The word Çameria has more of a topological meaning, but Çams have a very strong Albanian ethnicity, tradition and customs. Çameria has a very well-defined ethno-geographical meaning, which is strongly Albanian.
A large number of Çam population is situated on the seaside and goes up to the Gulf of Preveza. Another considerable number of towns and villages are situated on both sides of the river of "kalamait". The rest of of the Çam villages and towns are situated in more remote places and often on hills and mountains.
The Greek government has been very hostile toward Çams and the main reason is the fact that Çams have a very strong Albanian identity. Another reason of the Greek hostilities is the fact that Greeks inherited a very hostile policy towards us. During the period of time, from 1854 till 1877 the Albanians of Çameria resisted successfully the attacks from Greek "Andartes". During the WWI and WWII the greek troops attacked Çameria again. The (provisional) government of Vlora (Albania) responded by sending Albanian military troops to assist the Albanian population of Çameria , but the decision of the Ambassadors Conference assigned Çameria to Greece. As a result of this decision by the great powers, Greeks forces led by the hateful figure of N. Zervas launched attackers that ended up with many innocent Albanian locals killed.
To this day, we Çams in greece are described as bad people from an increasing "suffocating" Greek propaganda based on the fact that we refuse to be assimilated as it is the case with some of "Arvanites" in south and central Greece.
The today exact number of Albanians of Çameria in Greece is approx. one million people, taking into the account some relativly newly formed Çam villages and towns elsewhere in Greece..if all the number of Albanians in Çameria is added to the number of Arvanites in other areas of Greece, then the total number of Albanians in Greece is around 3.000.000 people. However only Albanians in Çameria call themselves real Shqiptars (Albanians). Arvanites elsewhere in Greece are under greater assimilating pressure from the Greek government and Anti-Albanian Greek circles.
This section is dedicated to hundreds of thousands of Albanians from the region of Chameria expelled by force, from the Greek forces in 1944 and residing now in the Republic of Albania and in the memory of 850,000 Cham Albanians sent to Turkey during the period between 1913-44.
During the summer of 1944, the neo-nazi forces led by Zervas attacked many villages and towns of Chameria and as a result 9,000 Albanians (including children, women and old folks) were killed indiscriminately. A considerable number of Albanians were expelled and live now in the Republic of Albania. The official number of those Albanian refugees from Chameria is between 150,000 and 300,000.
Today they have formed their own Albanian patriotic and cultural association based in Tirana and which is active right across Albania. Among other they are asking from the Greek government in Athens-Greece, to be repatriated and their lands and other assets be returned to them as well as compensations for the usage of the lands for the past 50 years. Also they are rallying for the opening of Albanian schools to the Albanians living in Chameria.
The policy of expulsion of Cham Albanians from Chameria had started earlier than 1944. Greeks as well as Serbs followed the same pattern in politics with respect to Albanians. Often they had signed documents with the Turkish government for the exchange of Muslims with Christians. During all this not a single Cham Albanian was asked! As a result of such policy around 850,000 Cham Albanians from Chameria were sent to Turkey, where they are settled in the region of Asia minor in Turkey.
Prior to WWI and WWII, the population in Çameria was around 93% Albanian, the rest were other ethnic groups such as Greeks, Vlachs, gypsies, etc.. On the 19th century, 80% of the Albanian population in Çameria was of Muslim Religion (the process of conversion to Islam started in the 18th century) and a 20% Christian Orthodox, however the first world war, found the the Albanian community as made up of 50% muslim and 50% orthodox believers (this shift happened in a matter of 70 years). After the world wars a fraction of the Muslim Populations was expelled by the Greek special forces, leaving intact the mainly orthodox Albanian population (50%) and a small fraction of molsims(13%) who by now mostly converted to orthodoxy to survive. The conversion back and forth from one religion to the other, before the World War I, was common among families!
However both Albanian religious communities were extremely close to each-other before the war and to this day, the Greek government has not managed to assimilate the Albanians of Çameria. The Albanian language is spoken indoors and outdoors as much as on everyday working places, but the Greek government with very little pressure from outside refuses to recognize Albanian minority in Greece and refuses to open schools on Albanian language.
The region is officially known as Epirus by the Greek government, but on the further north western corner of Greece, every single people knows the place as Çameria. Anyone from this region stating that he or she is a Çam, makes a political statement saying that he or she is an Albanian. That's why the Greek government doesn't know officially the region as Çameria. The heartland of Çameria is also called Thesprotia.
My own opinion is that this region has still an Albanian majority (since many people of other ethnic groups have emigrated away, which has compensated somehow for the displacement of some Albanians during WWI and WWII!) and all the Çams expelled unjustifiably from Greece are very welcomed by all the Albanian people here, there is a UN resolution which asks the Greek government to repatriate our brothers and sisters back to their homes, where they belong among the rest of us.
Çameria geographically is situated on the to-day north-west Greece. This beautiful region, has a rich Albanian her5tage and it was only in the 1912 that it was annexed unfairly and unjustifiably from Greece. This was the aftermath of the decision of the great powers to give Çameria to Greece, just as the great powers had made similar decisions to give Kosova and other Albanian territories to Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro.
The word Çam is an evolution of the word "t'chiam" which is the name of an ancient river passing right through Çameria (The word T'chamis appears on many ancient Roman and even Hellenic maps, indicating that the word Chameria is older than the word Epirus, and it's used only by Albanians). Another branch of this river remains to be known to this day as the "lumi i kalamait" (Kalamait River - Childrens Rivier). What's most important is that everything about Çameria is Albanian in every sense of the word. The word Çameria has more of a topological meaning, but Çams have a very strong Albanian ethnicity, tradition and customs. Çameria has a very well-defined ethno-geographical meaning, which is strongly Albanian.
A large number of Çam population is situated on the seaside and goes up to the Gulf of Preveza. Another considerable number of towns and villages are situated on both sides of the river of "kalamait". The rest of of the Çam villages and towns are situated in more remote places and often on hills and mountains.
The Greek government has been very hostile toward Çams and the main reason is the fact that Çams have a very strong Albanian identity. Another reason of the Greek hostilities is the fact that Greeks inherited a very hostile policy towards us. During the period of time, from 1854 till 1877 the Albanians of Çameria resisted successfully the attacks from Greek "Andartes". During the WWI and WWII the greek troops attacked Çameria again. The (provisional) government of Vlora (Albania) responded by sending Albanian military troops to assist the Albanian population of Çameria , but the decision of the Ambassadors Conference assigned Çameria to Greece. As a result of this decision by the great powers, Greeks forces led by the hateful figure of N. Zervas launched attackers that ended up with many innocent Albanian locals killed.
To this day, we Çams in greece are described as bad people from an increasing "suffocating" Greek propaganda based on the fact that we refuse to be assimilated as it is the case with some of "Arvanites" in south and central Greece.
The today exact number of Albanians of Çameria in Greece is approx. one million people, taking into the account some relativly newly formed Çam villages and towns elsewhere in Greece..if all the number of Albanians in Çameria is added to the number of Arvanites in other areas of Greece, then the total number of Albanians in Greece is around 3.000.000 people. However only Albanians in Çameria call themselves real Shqiptars (Albanians). Arvanites elsewhere in Greece are under greater assimilating pressure from the Greek government and Anti-Albanian Greek circles.
This section is dedicated to hundreds of thousands of Albanians from the region of Chameria expelled by force, from the Greek forces in 1944 and residing now in the Republic of Albania and in the memory of 850,000 Cham Albanians sent to Turkey during the period between 1913-44.
During the summer of 1944, the neo-nazi forces led by Zervas attacked many villages and towns of Chameria and as a result 9,000 Albanians (including children, women and old folks) were killed indiscriminately. A considerable number of Albanians were expelled and live now in the Republic of Albania. The official number of those Albanian refugees from Chameria is between 150,000 and 300,000.
Today they have formed their own Albanian patriotic and cultural association based in Tirana and which is active right across Albania. Among other they are asking from the Greek government in Athens-Greece, to be repatriated and their lands and other assets be returned to them as well as compensations for the usage of the lands for the past 50 years. Also they are rallying for the opening of Albanian schools to the Albanians living in Chameria.
The policy of expulsion of Cham Albanians from Chameria had started earlier than 1944. Greeks as well as Serbs followed the same pattern in politics with respect to Albanians. Often they had signed documents with the Turkish government for the exchange of Muslims with Christians. During all this not a single Cham Albanian was asked! As a result of such policy around 850,000 Cham Albanians from Chameria were sent to Turkey, where they are settled in the region of Asia minor in Turkey.
Prior to WWI and WWII, the population in Çameria was around 93% Albanian, the rest were other ethnic groups such as Greeks, Vlachs, gypsies, etc.. On the 19th century, 80% of the Albanian population in Çameria was of Muslim Religion (the process of conversion to Islam started in the 18th century) and a 20% Christian Orthodox, however the first world war, found the the Albanian community as made up of 50% muslim and 50% orthodox believers (this shift happened in a matter of 70 years). After the world wars a fraction of the Muslim Populations was expelled by the Greek special forces, leaving intact the mainly orthodox Albanian population (50%) and a small fraction of molsims(13%) who by now mostly converted to orthodoxy to survive. The conversion back and forth from one religion to the other, before the World War I, was common among families!
However both Albanian religious communities were extremely close to each-other before the war and to this day, the Greek government has not managed to assimilate the Albanians of Çameria. The Albanian language is spoken indoors and outdoors as much as on everyday working places, but the Greek government with very little pressure from outside refuses to recognize Albanian minority in Greece and refuses to open schools on Albanian language.
The region is officially known as Epirus by the Greek government, but on the further north western corner of Greece, every single people knows the place as Çameria. Anyone from this region stating that he or she is a Çam, makes a political statement saying that he or she is an Albanian. That's why the Greek government doesn't know officially the region as Çameria. The heartland of Çameria is also called Thesprotia.
My own opinion is that this region has still an Albanian majority (since many people of other ethnic groups have emigrated away, which has compensated somehow for the displacement of some Albanians during WWI and WWII!) and all the Çams expelled unjustifiably from Greece are very welcomed by all the Albanian people here, there is a UN resolution which asks the Greek government to repatriate our brothers and sisters back to their homes, where they belong among the rest of us.
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