German Chancellor Helmut Kohl stated, after the start of military operations against Iraq, that he had been forced to order the German military units stationed in Turkey to be placed on maximum alert. British Prime Minister John Major said that air strikes against Iraqi military targets had already begun. He also said that the conflict would be confined only to the Persian Gulf. “We have no reason to think that the conflict will spread beyond this area,” he said. French Foreign Minister Roland Dumas told the radio station “Europe 1” that Iraq bears full responsibility for the outbreak of the war. He also said that the time has come to use force and that French forces will take part in military operations with all weapons. Air strikes will continue as planned, Dumas said. French President François Mitterrand affirmed that France would help Israel if that country were attacked. He called on his fellow citizens to respect the government’s advice and to remain calm. Speaking to the French people, Mitterrand said that the war began because Saddam Hussein tried every possible way to avoid it. The war will not spread further, he said, except in cases where Iraq forces the US-led coalition to strike other strategic targets. Mitterrand said that the allied powers are making efforts to cause as little damage as possible to the civilian population of Iraq. On Thursday morning in Washington, the highest-ranking official of the US administration announced that the French ambassador in Kuwait had been killed by Iraqi forces. A little later, US reports said that this was not true and that, in fact, one person killed in Kuwait was the brother of the French ambassador there. In its statement on the war in the Persian Gulf, the British government says that its army is carrying out air strikes against Iraqi military targets in Kuwait and Iraq and that “appropriate measures have been taken to avoid losses among the civilian population.” The statement says that Iraq forced the allies to use force because of its aggression against Kuwait and its refusal to comply with United Nations resolutions. Meanwhile, the British Ministry of Defence says that the allies have sent two hospital ships to the Persian Gulf to assist the 5,300 marines and 13,000 British soldiers stationed there. Syrian President Hafez Assad sent President George Bush a telegram wishing him victory “against the forces of evil,” the official Syrian news agency SANA reported. Telegrams of support for Bush were also sent by Egyptian Vice President Hosni Mubarak, President of Somalia Siad Barre, President of Niger Ali Saibou, the ruler of Dubai Sheikh Rashid al Maktoum, President of Chad Idriss Déby, and the exiled President of Afghanistan Sibghatullah Mojaddedi. Angry people of all ages fired guns into the air and danced in the streets of Amman, the Jordanian capital, to express their support for Iraq. Meanwhile, Alia declared yesterday that if America strikes Iraq, “we will take a stand.” The spokesman for the US Army, Lieutenant General Thomas Kelly, said that the US military could neither hide nor deny the use of the medium-range missile “Tomahawk,” but he did not reveal how many had been used. He also said that he did not know whether the “Patriot” missile defense system was being used to shoot down the “Scud” missiles fired by the Iraqis against Israel and Saudi Arabia. According to Kelly, “our targets are military and we are striking them with as little damage as possible.” He said that American aircraft had hit military aircraft, command and control facilities, and Iraqi anti-aircraft artillery. He also said that the use of Apache helicopters had been confirmed. “We are hitting all their infrastructure needed to maintain such an army,” Kelly said, adding that several days would be needed for a full assessment of the effectiveness of the strike. The US military spokesman said that General Noriega had been interned in a high-security prison in Louisiana, but he refused to reveal which prison it was. (Continues on page 6)

What was achieved was achieved by the miners of Valias TUESDAY 15. 1. 1991. In the afternoon radio chronicle and in the evening radio report I heard that a commission headed by Professor Dr. Ylli Popa would be convened. Two foreign doctors would also take part in this commission. I remembered that these medical specialists, according to the radio report of 8. 1. 1991, had “discovered” for miner Avni Buda that his blood pressure “started between the nose and the ear,” despite the fact that Professor Dr. Ylli Popa had stated before the foreign specialists that “there are no victims” and not that there were dead people! During that radio report, a foreign doctor really did say, but not only he, that “I could not understand” what had been done up to that point! After January 6, the day the strike was interrupted, I understood that we citizens of this country also could not “understand,” following with “attention” the course of the talks between the heads of state and the brave miners. With the end of the visits by the foreign doctors and Professor N. Mita and the arrival of the new adventurers with the surname Korbi on the commission, the situation could be presented in an approximate chronological order like this: On 18 January Uncle Ramiz carries out the “medical visit” at the Ministry of Agriculture. How much he likes such things! Perhaps Turkey and tanks for it had crossed his mind. On 19 January the people in this state learn that they will be forced against the government. They gather, talk and decide. On 20 January the students and the majority of the Albanian people put matters right by demonstrating in front of the Central Committee. On 21 January the government withdraws the law “On the structures” and with it the achievement of the general strike. So, was it “achieved”? In Valias the walls of the studios had been torn down, and, happy, our firefighters “found” in the yard of the future regime “leaflets and a whip.” And is this how some “comrades” understand freedom of speech? On 22 January the noise of machine guns makes the courtyard of Radio and Television “transparent.” Television announces that the people of Kamza are “cheering”! The people of Kamza? There were thousands of citizens of Tirana there. Who brought that young man who was dancing under the barrels of the machine guns in the yard? Who recorded those cheers? Who brought them and who paid for them? In response, the professors of the tele-strike quickly took measures and “expelled” the young professors. On 25 January, in an evening of drills and entertainment, under Kalashnikov barrels, the courtyard of Albanian television is “decorated” with the “consumption” of three corpses. Moreover, the “hunt” for a “fugitive sergeant” was organized. Oh God! What were the foreign doctors’ thoughts about those scenes of horror and those corpses? How were those corpses “consumed”? Lying there for hours on end. What had to happen for a foreign doctor to state: “It seems to me that the civil war in Albania was started by the Albanian government itself.” On 26 January, after the situation calmed down, the actions that should be taken are not understood. Not only us citizens saw that with a “democratic revolution” workers and students made it clear that the government should not act as a mere spectator. In all likelihood, the government did not “take measures” in time and is now “justifying itself” with ministerial appointments, which it may have had long before. On 27 January, Friday, the announcer of the evening radio chronicle informs us “of the killing on Stalin Boulevard of one of the organizers of the students’ demonstration.” This referred to an earlier incident in the first hours of that morning. In the radio report, which I followed carefully, it was said that “the victim was being kept in the morgue.” Later, in the statement of the spokesman of the Ministry of the Interior and Lieutenant General Hekuran Isai, it was said that “the victim,” that is, the lifeless body of “one of the organizers of the demonstration,” was located “in an area where neither an ambulance nor a forensic doctor existed”! However, the “ambulance” quickly transported the “victim” to the morgue. Well then? There was no ambulance there! Where had the accompanying car been brought from by the police? Who kept the car “ready” for a person who “might be killed”? For what motives “might he be killed”? Did that car also “save” the victim’s friend? Who informed the investigative commission? Why did they not say his name in the radio report? Why did he “kill himself”? And finally, if the killing did not happen, was it not necessary to tell the truth? Dear radio reporter! I have nothing against you as a person. But suppose it happened that an “automatic rifle” fired over your head and the radio chronicle reported it by saying that “one of the Radio employees was killed”? Or, to put it plainly, the scenario of a political “killing” witnessed in front of 2,000 Albanians and shown by Albanian television is far too heavy for the victim, for the people themselves, and for the drama of this unparalleled Albanian event. Let us be attentive to the “killings” from which each of us could be the victim. (Continues on page 9)

During the Soviet Defense Minister’s visit to our country, important agreements were signed. In them there is certainly no commitment to take part in the event of a war. On the contrary, priority has been given to those that are of a defensive nature. This is very important for our country. Otherwise, participation in war would be a catastrophe for our country. On this occasion I want to point out that the Soviet defense minister declared yesterday in Ankara that his country is ready to improve relations with Albania. That was a positive statement. It was also said that Albania had sent a positive signal to Moscow. I think our country should continue to maintain ties with all countries, but always with caution. (Continues on page 9)

Date 12.1.1991. Workers, especially those at the “Enver Hoxha” port, bear with difficulty and bitterness the heavy burden of economic and social problems. But their determination not to submit any longer to the tricks of propaganda has grown. Workers feel neglected. They demand better working and living conditions, as well as the right to speak freely. Even in these circumstances they do not want chaos, but real solutions. (Continues on page 2)

Relations, but also caution No statement was made by the leadership of the Soviet Union at the time of its departure from Istanbul regarding the failure of the Arab efforts in Istanbul. Official Soviet sources also report that the leaders of the Soviet Union believe that the war in the Persian Gulf and the tragedy threatening the region are the result of Iraq’s aggression against Kuwait and Saddam Hussein’s disobedience to the Security Council resolutions. In this sense, the Soviet Union considers the Security Council resolution of 29 November as the legal basis for military activity. This means that the Soviet Union will continue to play an active role in resolving the conflict, using all political, diplomatic and economic means. At the end of the page there is a comment titled “Relations, but also caution,” and then the main text on this topic continues: Relations, but also caution Why are we so saddened by what is happening to our Albanians living in Yugoslavia? After the independence of Slovenia and Croatia, the Albanians of Kosovo find themselves facing a difficult future. If the Yugoslav federation were to completely disintegrate, their position would become even more uncertain. On the other hand, in international relations Albania must show great caution. It must defend its national interests without becoming anyone’s tool. (Continues on page 6)

Workers, peasants, intellectuals and young people have gathered to found the Democratic Party section in this area. In the words of the participants, the need for organization, openness to free thought and support for democratic change was emphasized. The provisional leadership was elected by open vote. It was decided to work on expanding membership and strengthening ties with the Korça branch. (Continues on page 6)

The newspaper “Rilindja Demokratike” has made a limited subscription for foreign countries. Anyone wishing to subscribe should come to “Lurasi” opposite the Party school. RD correspondent. 191-29-537 Tirana, 2153, 2118, 2133, bank for conta[n?] Tirana