INTERVIEW Edmir Osmani, 16, speaks, one of the three children abducted in Shkodër by a gang “This is how we escaped from the prison shack” The story of the 9 children who escaped from unknown kidnappers “Armed, masked men loaded us into a van. We traveled for nearly five hours. They locked us up with other children in a shack near Durrës; every day they took one of them away.” SHKODËR - The captivity of the three children from the Osmani family and the agonizing wait at their home lasted only 45 hours. The whole sad story had a happy ending, but only thanks to the bravery of all three, who are now recounting every stage of their terrible ordeal. The two younger children have still not recovered from the shock; only the eldest brother, 16-year-old Edmir Osmani, agrees to speak to the Albanian Gazette. According to Edmir’s account, not only the three children from Shkodër but also six others managed to escape from the prison shack. Ylli Pata on page 3

Tension remains, but talks begin TIRANA - At last, violence seems to have given way to words. Yesterday afternoon, a group of Bathore residents put down their stones and sticks to meet Tritan Shehu at the Democratic Party headquarters. After a conversation lasting about 45 minutes, it seems that the conflict of the day before yesterday will not be repeated and that the problem of the “unauthorized” settlement is moving toward a solution. Shehu is optimistic about this; after the talks, he told the Albanian Gazette: “I think we achieved a good result.” A. Mero on page 5 Bathore residents in revolt (photo: H. Pustina)

Proceedings for the former President next Saturday

Balkans

Appeal by the Minister in Berat

Next Saturday, trial for the former President Ali once again before the judges “The new Penal Code sets me free” TIRANA — Another trial for Ramiz Alia: after appearing before the Tirana Court, the Court of Appeal and the Court of Cassation, former President Alia is once again returning to the capital’s judges. This time, however, although in the position of a prisoner, he is the one bringing the case. The subject of the trial, which will begin on Saturday under the direction of Judge Ledian Zori, is precisely the new Penal Code. The current dispute has more to do with the Tirana court’s reference to the date of Alia’s release, which, according to him and his lawyer Kleanthi Koçi, should have been August 1, 1995, while according to the General Prison Administration it should be March 29, 1996. Thus, all that remains is for the judges to verify Alia’s release date. It is a rather technical proceeding, since both Alia and the General Prison Administration contradict one another. In fact, the dispute began with the last amnesty, when a broad category of prisoners—including Alia—had one-third of the remainder of their sentences deducted. While Alia asks for this reduction to be calculated from the Court of Appeal’s ruling sentencing him to eight years, the General Prison Administration calculates it from his final sentence of five years, handed down by the Court of Cassation.

Appeal by the Minister in Berat cholera epidemic” BERAT—The alarm over the danger of cholera has once again been sounded by the Health Ministry, this time in Berat, the hotbed from which the epidemic spread extensively everywhere. It was Minister Cikuli himself who, at a meeting organized with five districts of the prefectures of Berat and Fier, issued the call: “Everyone unite against cholera. So far we have had no cases, but the danger is present.” The Minister of Health described efforts to prevent a new epidemic from breaking out in Albania as the main weapon in fighting the disease’s reappearance. On page 5

$5 million TIRANA — Another food aid package has been granted to Albania by the United States of America. Five million dollars is the value of the aid, which will be disbursed within this year. The news was announced by official sources at the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Transport. Officials from the American side informed the Albanian authorities during a conversation between the US Embassy in Tirana’s Joseph Leik and the Minister of Industry, Albert Brojka. At the same meeting, Brojka requested that cooperation between the two sides be further deepened in the sectors covered by the ministry he heads.

REPORTAGE CHISINAU—A bottle of champagne and 1,500 dollars for each of the Albanian footballers who came from behind to defeat the Romanians in Moldova. The celebration and joy began in the dressing rooms, then continued aboard the “Adair” plane, which for two days accompanied Bajko’s boys and the group of Albanian state journalists to the Moldovan capital. Chisinau, a city of nearly one million, had to watch the Albanians’ bus pass along its broad streets with envy. On page 3 Kushta in Moldova

GJIROKASTER — The condition of the historic part of Gjirokastër is worsening day by day. More than 60 first-category monuments are at risk; roofs have begun shedding stones onto one another, the museum houses, now in the owners’ hands, have started undergoing “changes” according to the latter’s preferences, while Qafa e Pazarit is heading toward deterioration. More than 10 cases involving major monuments have been reported to the Construction Police, which has issued fines and work-stoppage orders. On page 5

Ministry of Public Order On page 3

Statement to Parliament and the Government On page 3

The story

The story BERAT — “We refuse to perform military service; this is against the principles of our faith.” This was the substance of an unusual trial held on Tuesday in Berat. In the dock were two young men, members of a religious sect, “Jehovah’s Witnesses,” which has been active in the city for some time. This is the second time in Albania that military service has been refused on grounds of conscience. This time, the two religious pacifists have put their money where their mouths are: 10,000 new lek. Llambi Mile and Astrit Hysi—the young men’s names—had been indicted in court “for failing to report for military service.” Both remained entirely calm during the trial and repeatedly expressed their conviction that they were ready to accept any kind of sacrifice, just so long as they did not have to serve as soldiers. “We obey God’s laws,” one of the two young men told Gazeta Shqiptare yesterday, “to remain faithful to the word of a being, and we are prepared to accept any kind of sacrifice and legal sanction.” “What does God have to do with military service?” “We preach peace and human brotherhood; we are two pacifist ‘brothers’—a group of irresponsible people, otherwise bloody.” “But is refusing to report for the army … an organization?” “The organization does not force the way; every decision is in the hands of the believer, to judge what is most reasonable for him to do, or not do, in order to serve God’s purposes,” the two believers say in defense of their position. Berat is one of the cities where “Jehovah’s Witnesses” are growing in number every day. According to the two young men, their group now numbers 120 members, while there are 1,600 people throughout Albania. At the initiative of the two young believers, a new social phenomenon has emerged in Albania: refusal to perform compulsory military service. A desirable way of being “young brothers in peace”—not only religious ones in the West—also appeared at the outset. But serving in the army constitutes a violation of their beliefs and obedience to the idea of compulsory service, and the “brothers” present this situation. There are also “brothers” who have been paid … [partly illegible] Halli Tafa

The Balkans On page 2 Trial One year in prison for Ilir Hoxha On page 5 Elbasan Two fiancés injure an 18-year-old On page 5

Page 7