The government is preventing arrivals from Tropoja from being distributed among other towns in Albania. The North is on the brink of mass starvation. A secret Milošević–Nano plan?

By Bardhyl LONDO The medieval-style assassination attempts against MP Hajdari are now becoming quite commonplace. Only God and Hajdari’s cause have kept the Leader of the Dhd-? [?] and of the PD safe. And while Azemi is entering Albanian history as a thwarted-assassination victim, the current government deserves to be called a government of assassinations, thereby entering the book of Gjines as well. No propaganda, however sophisticated, can now conceal the discrediting and self-exposure of the current state. Even if the assassination attempts had been entirely insignificant, anyone would ask: how can this government protect ordinary people when an MP is shot at in Parliament? How can this government protect its citizens when it cannot even protect a group of MPs in a residential area no larger than Sheshi … itself at work, the government should declare a state of emergency. But while the government, as if nothing had happened, continues to keep the lights on at the “Rogneri,” only the opposition’s lights shine all night in its offices, as it continues its extraordinary work in an extraordinary situation. The government was completely outmaneuvered even by a group of 3–4 people making up the “Kontakt” radio team. While our government ministers chew gum and appear on television for show, this group issued an appeal and collected so much aid that the government would not be able to provide as much even by the time the situation is normalized. Official propaganda, which on other days deserved to be boycotted, was loathsome these days. As on previous occasions, it is not afraid of war—a war not only against the Albanians of Kosovo, but against the entire Albanian nation—yet even in these circumstances it continues… of the current state. Even if the attacks had been entirely accidental, this government protect its own citizens when it cannot larger than “Skënderbej” Square in Tirana, especially when it knows an attack is going to be organized? In recent months, the former opposition, its press, foreign radio stations and human rights organizations made a great outcry when someone from the opposition of that time was shot in the backside, in circumstances no one knows. Today, strangely, these organizations neither see nor hear the shots fired in an attempt to take the life of a passionate and dedicated MP. It seems these organizations cannot see beyond backsides... That is their problem... The attacks under this government are broader in scope and more frightening: the whole people are under attack. Recent events are truly scandalous. Faced with this extraordinary situation, the government is unable—or unwilling—to do even the minimum expected of it: it neither aims nor even attempts to achieve at least the moral mobilization of its compatriots. The wrecking of its work continued as if nothing had happened. It goes off to Jal, to an activity of utterly minor importance, and fails to include any mention of the Albanian question in the meeting’s resolution. At the very least, within the system, it will not offer anything until the situation has returned to normal. has been disgusting these days. As before, it is not afraid of the continues to beat its various drums: for some time now, fear of the opposition and of Berisha. Albanian TV continues to broadcast misleading news about what is happening in Albania and fill the screen with stale phrases and the offended faces of activists, while Radio “Kontakt,” TV Shijak, TV Teuta, etc., have filled their broadcasts with the nation’s foremost concern. This incomprehensible propaganda is another attack the state is carrying out against Albanians, those within the political borders and those outside them. Perhaps it is too much to ask the government to do what it has no intention of ever doing, because those who are in power today, no more than a year ago, raised three fingers—the symbol under which, and for which, the Albanian nation was being bloodied. It is this same symbol in whose name Albanians are being turned into a people expelled from their lands. And so, people are becoming more aware of all this every day: most of them now know that their government is a government of attacks. Attacks against MPs, the opposition, those who overthrew communism, and an attack against its own people.

The victims are far more numerous than reported 202 people are being held hostage in Deçan Three wounded from The victims are far more numerous than reported 45 people killed in Deçan identified 202 people are being held hostage in Deçan Three wounded from

Illegal aid to win the municipality at any cost For the Socialists, winning a municipality matters more than the tragic fate of thousands expelled from Kosovo. Socialist MP Ismail Togu has sent around 40 tons of flour in recent days to the villages of the municipality of Sineballaj, in the district of Kavajë. This is one of the country’s municipalities where elections will be held on June 21, and the Socialists are making every effort to win it. The state machinery and police forces have been fully mobilized for the PS campaign in the municipality of Sineballaj. But while sacks of flour have already arrived in Sineballaj, in Tropojë the Nano government is not only failing to send aid, but is also preventing the unfortunate people arriving from Kosovo from settling in other parts of Albania. These shocking facts need little comment. For the Socialist Party, victory in one municipality is far more important than the tragic fate of thousands of Albanians who have come from Kosovo to Albania. While the government of Fatos Nano is leaving them to starve to death, government officials are rushing to send illegal aid in order to win the partial local elections of June 21 at any cost.

Bleta attacks Ceka: He is a fraud “Smuggling is carried out by sea, but the Prosecution offices and the courts have protected us” ON PAGE 9

Nano is three times more treacherous than Esat Pasha Nano has gone beyond all sense of proportion as a politician with the extent of his treachery and his primitivism in attacking political opponents. ON PAGE 3

ON PAGE 3

66 people—women, children and elderly people—arrived yesterday from Junik in Tirana. The number of arrivals from Kosovo is thought to have exceeded 20,000 Dozens of citizens of Tirana and other districts, such as Korça, Shkodra, Gjirokastra, etc., expressed their willingness to provide them with shelter. The leader of the Dhe[j]tori and MP Azem Hajdari was the first to offer his home to 12 people, while citizen Sami Qarri agreed to shelter 14 of them. Those arriving from Kosovo were also taken in by Fatos Çela, Flora Xhaxhiu, Rustem Metalia, Shpend Jeshnica, Xheladin Shyll[a]. The first group of people displaced from Kosovo as a result of Serbian ethnic cleansing is being accommodated in Tirana. Yesterday, 66 people arrived—women, girls, children and elderly people—mainly from the Junik area. From early morning, the citizens of Tirana responded to the call by Radio “Kontakt” and the Albanian Democratic Youth Union to stand by their brothers and sisters from Kosovo, who had been driven from there by the escalating Serbian terror and massacres. From the early hours of the morning, dozens of families from Tirana, as well as from other districts of the country such as Korça, Gjirokastra, Shkodra, etc., went to the headquarters of the Democratic Party to express their willingness to shelter those arriving from Junik. The committee set up by Radio “Kontakt,” the Albanian Democratic Youth Union and youth forums in the capital arranged for the arrivals to be distributed among families in the capital. 14 people. Çela, Flora Xhaxhiu, Rustem Metalia, Shpend Jeshnica, Xheladin Shyll[a], etc. The youth forums and the editorial staff of Radio “Kontakt” are working on a detailed plan to house additional arrivals with local families. Some of those arriving from Kosovo said they had left the quarantine facility designated by the government because it was very difficult to live there. They also could no longer burden the families of Tropojë, where the number of brothers arriving from Kosovo was growing every day. According to them, so far the number of people arriving from Serbian shelling stood at 20,000, mainly women, children and elderly people.

112 days since the former Minister of the Interior was imprisoned The former Minister of the Interior in the Government of National Reconciliation, Ali Kazazi, continues to be held in prison on laughable charges. He was detained on February 14, 1998, at the Uren e Milot, following the police ambush set for the leader of the Right, Azem Hajdari, in what was an obvious attempt by the current state to incriminate the opposition. On February 17, an order for his arrest without time limit was issued. Kazazi comes from a family with well-known anti-communist traditions and is a member of the PD National Council.

In the next issue of “RD” you will read: - Nano goes to Tepelenë. Whom does he meet, and where does he “park” [?]? - How were the elections of 29 June held? - Who looked after and still looks after Fino’s properties in Gjirokastër? - After the elections, the committees draw up lists of rewards - The committees knock on the doors of power - No government official in Tepelenë after the revolts SPECIAL FEATURE ON PAGE 7

The opposition brings Tirana out into the streets for Kosovo. Thousands of residents of the capital cheer the KLA. Tirana’s Democrats open the doors of their homes to those expelled from Deçan.

The leadership of the Democratic Party decided to convene the National Activity, bringing together all members of the National Council, the Mayors and the District Council Chairs, as well as the chairs of this party’s branches, on Tuesday, June 9, 1998, at 11:00.