It would be hard to find a more flagrant case of trampling on the will of the people. For the organ of the Enverist party, now called Socialist, the participation of more than 100,000 citizens of Tirana in support of democratic processes means nothing. At the end of the day, it is the same logic: You, the people, may think whatever you like, but remember that we make the laws, the party of Enver and Ramiz Alia. We will open or close parliament whenever we want; we will open the university and other higher-education institutions whenever we want, or make people complete them by correspondence; we have the government; we have all our people in key positions, in the foreign and interior ministries, in radio and television, in diplomatic missions; we will postpone the reopening of the Shkodra trial indefinitely; we will delay the arrest of Nexhmije Hoxha and Sulo Gredici until people get tired of waiting; we will not allow the president to resign; we... we... we... Yes, gentlemen, all your lives it has been only you. When an Albanian did not obey, you assigned him prison, internment with his entire family, or even a bullet. It is true that power is still in your hands. It is just as true that your people and offspring have infiltrated everywhere, sometimes visibly and sometimes invisibly; they have infiltrated the associations you yourselves created, the parties and even the forums, and even the exodus—not to mention that your people are the ones who make the rules in government. But there is one thing—do not forget that times have changed. In these nine months, in the practice and outlook of the Albanian... (Continued on page 2)

— Democracy will win; let us uproot communism in Albania — We eagerly awaited Saturday afternoon, because for days the news about the 14 September rally had been the subject of conversations and debates, fueled above all by rumors spun about the democratic movement’s achievements, both open and hidden. For some time they have been beating the drum, saying that the PD has lost the people’s eyes and hearts, that it seeks to destabilize the country and divide the people in order to uproot communism and impose democracy by force and blood, killing and hanging all communists, including ordinary, honest people who were deceived and disillusioned by E. Hoxha, R. Alia, F. Nano and other leaders, past and present, of the PP (PS). Naturally, only a few individuals swallowed these slanders; they still have not realized that today’s PS was brought forth by yesterday’s PP, and that it wants to deceive the people with its characteristic 46-year-old demagoguery, to prolong Ramiz Alia’s hold on power and that of the communist viziers or socialist pashas. The streets poured toward «Skënderbej» Square, rivers of people. Among them you could see old men and women, parents carrying small children, and hundreds of democrats who had come from Kavaja, Durrës, Kruja, Lezha and Shkodra. No one summoned them with lists and signatures, knocked on their doors, or threatened to dismiss them from work if they did not attend the rally, as the PP had done for 47 years, driving people toward rally squares and assigning this task as a burden to workers and the PPSH committee apparatus, its basic-organization secretaries, the chairmen of trade-union committees and its officials. ...6 p.m. The square now resembles a sea of people. More than 100,000 people have gathered. Everyone’s gaze is fixed on the rally platform. The PD leaders, gentlemen Eduart Selami, Azem Hajdari and Neritan Ceka, take their places there, along with representatives of the leaderships of the PR and PSD, the association of political prisoners and the BPSH. Above the heads of the crowd wave the flags of the three parties, for they embody your lofty and noble aspirations to uproot communism in our country, achieve the complete victory of democracy and lift the country out of the abyss into which the PP and Enverist dictatorship plunged it. The PS and ZP want to deceive people, claiming that they have supposedly been renewed, that they too are in opposition, and that we are fighting an imaginary enemy. But we are not deceived, because we are convinced that the enemy facing us is real, extremely fierce and dangerous: an open and covert enemy coalition. After his call, «Mr. Blockmen, come out of the hiding places where you have crawled, submit to the law, repent, and ask the people to show you mercy and forgive you», thousands of voices burst out with the slogans «Blockmen before the court», «Enver = Hitler» and «Down with the dictatorship». On behalf of the PD steering committee, Mr. Neritan Ceka delivered a greeting. After stressing that Tirana and all Albania are and will be with democracy, he addressed everyone present: «To discredit the PD and democracy, our enemies lie and shout...» Mr. Neritan Ceka filled his speech with the optimistic declaration: «The future belongs to democracy». Then Mr. Zef Bushati greeted the gathering on behalf of the PR, Mr. Sefedin Xhemalçe on behalf of the PSD, Hysni Bardhi on behalf of the BSPSH, and Gjergj Tini on behalf of the association of political prisoners. Their speeches, too, clearly, powerfully and with deep emotion expressed their loyalty to the ideals of democracy and their determination to fight until its complete victory, for the revival and prosperity of the Homeland, and to make it worthy of its place in the great European family. Finally, fulfilling the wish and insistent request of all those present, Mr. Azem Hajdari took the floor. As soon as he stepped up to the microphone, enthusiastic applause and cheers broke out. In his speech, Mr. Azem Hajdari stressed that the genuinely democratic new Albania we want to build requires the complete uprooting of one-party rule, the resignation of President R. Alia, and the holding of elections sooner. He also expressed the PD’s support for the government’s efforts to advance political and economic reforms, as well as for the security forces’ efforts to restore order and calm. Finally, he reaffirmed the PD’s determination to bring before the courts all senior communist leaders who committed monstrous abuses involving the people’s money, foreign currency and lives, and to ensure they receive the punishment they deserve. Expressing the will of more than 100,000 residents of Tirana, gathered in «Skënderbej» Square, as well as of millions of Albanians who were there in mind and heart, Mr. Azem Hajdari firmly demanded that by 5 October Nexhmije Hoxha, Sulo Gradeci and the other blockmen—deceivers and criminals—be arrested and held accountable before justice. Mr. Azem Hajdari’s speech was received with particular enthusiasm by the people of the capital. The rally participants dispersed joyfully... «Für Elise» by Beethoven, ...people, who people with its characteristic, perverse that of the communist viziers or socialist pashas, and save them from the entirely lawful and deserved punishment for the calamities they inflicted on the people. On the other hand, Musa Ulqini and his associates, ever since the rally at «Dinamo» Stadium, have continued to understate by half or two-thirds the numbers attending rallies of the PD, PR and PSD, and to amplify the lie that the people of Tirana have grown cold toward the PD and democracy in general. In this sense, for the three parties of the democratic coalition and their members and supporters, this rally would be a demonstration of the opposition’s strength and its unquestionable, unshakable authority among the people, but also a crushing, open challenge to the «prophecies» and calculations of Përparim, Musai and ZP. And that is exactly what happened. Almost an hour before the rally, people from every street in Tirana gathered in «Skënderbej» Square, carrying red and black flags and banners; the vast majority had come from the districts. Here are some of them: «Democracy will win», «We salute the civic political action of the PD, PR and PSD», «Let us uproot communism from Albania», «Blockmen before the court», «Destroy the black spider of the State Security», «Mr. President, do not play with democracy», «Republic of Kosovo», «Dictatorships are doomed to fail», and others. The inspiring notes of the national anthem, sung by a choir of thousands of voices, marked the beginning of this unforgettable rally. The opening address was delivered by the chairman of the PD district steering committee for Tirana, Prof. Dr. Ylli Vejziu. «We,» he stressed, «are determined and optimistic that all the demands we have declared will be fulfilled...» the BSPSH. Hundreds of small red flags without stars and numerous banners wave above the people’s heads. delivers and will be democratic, he addresses lie and shout shamelessly and relentlessly that the PD has not kept its promises, that it holds power but does nothing. What did we promise the people and fail to deliver? We promised you true freedom, and we are enjoying it; we promised pluralism, and we have it; we promised that the farmers would have [unclear], and we gave it to them; we promised to destroy the dictatorship, and we are achieving that; we promised to uproot communism and achieve the complete victory of democracy, and we will do it. And we promise you this on our honor and with our lives. We promised to bring our Albania into the CSCE, and we achieved it. We have several ministers in the Government of Stability. They make up only a quarter of it. For the sake of the people’s and country’s highest interests, they are making great sacrifices and carrying a heavy burden. As in these 46 years, even now our country, our state...» the bringing forward of elections, and the restructuring and renewal of the National Intelligence Service, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, RTSH and ATSH. In the long, difficult struggle to fully realize our democratic aspirations and demands, we as a party will always honor the name and deeds of all the martyrs; we will respect ordinary, honest communists, twice betrayed by E. Hoxha and the PP; we will rely firmly on the associations of political prisoners and on our wonderful youth, on the students, the first swallows of democracy, to whom we will always be grateful and indebted for the great work they did in democracy’s service. In complete contrast to the PP, which closed the university and did not want students in Tirana because it feared their democratic spirit, we will fight to ensure that the new school year begins as soon as possible. The report was delivered by the district PD secretary, Mr. Petrika Minga. Among other things, the report analyzed the PD’s overall activity throughout its short but eventful existence and its battles for democracy. Con- (Continued on page 2)

— KORÇË — On 7 and 8 September 1991, the First District Conference of the PD was held at the «A. Z. Çajupi» theatre. Before the proceedings opened, all those present observed a minute of silence in memory of all those who fell for democracy. The conference then proceeded according to the agenda.

Photo: DRITAN KABA THE SHKODRA OF THE DEMONSTRATORS. BELOW: RAMIZ ALIA