The account of the French drivers, who have been stranded for five days at the Durrës customs office ON PAGE 5

Kosovars sheltered in Shkodër accuse the government ON PAGE 7

By Sali NEZA It is the Albanian government that has prepared all the circumstances in a Serbian volume concerning the north of the country, and likewise it is the Albanian government that has created the alibis the Serbs can now use to justify NATO’s bombing intervention, from the remains left around Padesh in Tropojë all the way to Myr I Hasit in Kukës. It was precisely the Albanian government that identified the north as the center of UÇK structures, while the former Albanian prime minister went even further, declaring that he was the one who had dismantled it. In other words, it was the Albanian government that gave the Serbs a hand by providing various justifications. For two years, the northeastern districts have deliberately been left beyond the government’s control, turning the area into a place where the state does not exist, day or night. Even before NATO’s bombing began, the Albanian prime minister repeated the opposition’s statement that Albanians would resist as a nation, while only three weeks ago the President of the Republic said that we would respond to Serbian attacks only if they attacked us with a large number of soldiers. From the prime minister’s statement to that of the President, a substantial part of the border in Tropojë and Has has fallen into Serbian hands, and nobody is able to predict how far their infiltration into Albanian territory will go. Some border posts have been burned and others are in Serbian hands, while the prime minister’s readiness to act and the President’s responsibility to fulfil his constitutional duties are nowhere to be seen. The story of the north began with the government’s euphoria that it was protected, even though there were only one hundred border police officers ready to fight. Those people fight an average of two hours a day and are paid 15,000 lekë a month. The government has taken no steps to strengthen the country’s defenses. The statements about strengthening military positions in the north are simply demagoguery and a betrayal of the national interest: abandoning the residents of the north and leaving them to the fate of war. If you speak with the border police, you can hear them talk about hiding places and various kinds of weapons that are indispensable against the Serbian war machine, but which they do not have. More than that, the government’s actions have resulted in the creation of a buffer zone inside Albanian territory, with the displacement of around 15,000 residents of Tropojë and Has. This is a minimum form of buffering, carried out in their rear after the ethnic cleansing of all the villages along the border belt, as far as Deçan, Junik, Gjakovë and Prizren, and on to Morinë in Kukës. This forced emptying gave the Serbian military machine free rein—not only where Serbian troops entered, but also where the government’s indifference enabled ethnic cleansing. Driving people from their homes inside Albanian territory, and leaving them homeless, is another mechanism at work in Albania. This is happening at the same time as another common ground between Tirana and Belgrade, with these homes being made available to serve the Albanians. But government ineptitude goes further, with the needless repetition, for propaganda purposes, of the claim that Albania is protected by NATO. All the country’s top officials have said that NATO guarantees that Albania will be defended in the event of a Serbian attack. Has NATO given this guarantee? At this time, it is the only serious guarantee for Albania. But if that is so, and the Serbs are entering Tropojë and Has and have burned Albanian homes in Kamenicë, then there is something else going on in Old Tropojë or Has: the prime minister is concealing another truth. They have killed people and injured two people in Gjakovë, and in this situation citizens are made to blame NATO, while the government itself is simply trying to weaken their resolve. That is what this is. The failure of the government in Tirana is an excuse for NATO’s failure. And NATO’s failure is the testimony of another reality, but the bills are being presented without changing the direction of power, while the Albanian people and Albania’s top leaders will not act as Albanians should. The government has provoked the Serbs in a country where the open aggression of the Serbian army could reach our territory. But did the government consider the measures that would bring Serbian operations into its own country, expose the government, and make it a visible party to this war? Would they reinforce or reduce the Albanian population? Did it make preparations, request weapons for Albania, and seek international assistance for the Albanian population? Will NATO build a reserve infrastructure of support and aid, and provide greater military assistance as well as pressure in the country? In reality, official Tirana has lost the war it is waging. When there is no war, there is demagoguery—if that is what victory means.

The opposition will not accept the occupation of territories, Berisha declared. The Democratic Party will not become an accomplice of the government in handing over territories to the Serbian aggressors The Serbian army is holding several border points in the northeast under occupation. Sniper killing in Zherkë, bombardments in Vlahen and Cahan ON PAGE 3 Kukës, a child newly arrived at the camp, expelled from the villages of Gjakovë

REUTERS Kukës, a child newly arrived at the camp, expelled from the villages of Gjakovë

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe calls for the punishment of Milosheviç’s regime and the return of Kosovo Albanians to their lands, under an international protectorate President Meidani misinforms in his speech about the political representatives of Kosovo Albanians. Not a word about Rugova being held hostage Astrit PATOZI, Strasbourg, 28 April ON PAGE 2

The state’s involvement in helping the arrivals is at zero. Thousands sheltered at the Rrjoll camp, hoping for a way out People sheltered in camps say they are dissatisfied with the government over the theft of aid. Committees made up of people from Kosovo should be set up to distribute humanitarian aid ON PAGE 7

More than 100 soldiers from Kosovo, wounded at the war front, are admitted to Tirana’s Military Hospital The wounds of the freedom fighters have made time stand still. They must be healed as quickly as possible, just as Kosovo’s great wound must also be healed quickly ON PAGE 7

The leader of the Democratic Party thanks the President of “Forza Italia” for humanitarian aid The Chairman of the Democratic Party, Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha, had a telephone conversation with the President of “Forza Italia” and the Pole of Liberty, Silvio Berlusconi. During the conversation, Berlusconi informed Berisha about his project to build a model camp in Albania, with beds for 1,000 Albanians displaced from Kosovo, at his own expense, as well as about the projects he is undertaking to raise awareness in the international community regarding the conflict in Kosovo and the situation created in Albania following the arrival of refugees from Kosovo. Berisha thanked the President of “Forza Italia”, Berlusconi, for the generous assistance he has decided to provide to the displaced Albanians and for all his activities, and those of Italy, in support of Albania and the Albanians of Kosovo. He also conveyed to him the same message about peace, which Berlusconi received with pleasure.

Berisha received Australia’s Ambassador, Rory Steele, yesterday ON PAGE 3

Interview with Engjëll Shehu, a Democratic Party camera operator detained by Police Station No. 2 ON PAGE 3

Today, 229 days since the murder of the December Leader Every day that passes since the murder of Azem Hajdari, the symbol of democracy and pluralism, provides further proof of the government of Fatos Nano and his successor, who bears responsibility for the crime committed during this governmental vacuum. The government of the former prime minister, which left free and unpunished the criminals who took the life of the December Leader, shows Albanians that they have been and remain on the side of the killers, whose names are known but who are not touched. The Democratic Leader and all Albanians who changed power together cannot abandon Azem Hajdari or turn away from the facts. The government must either catch the criminals so that justice can be done, or publicly declare that it was the one that carried out the murder of Azem Hajdari.

Members of the National Council and Democratic Party MPs are hereby informed that a meeting of the National Council will be held in Tirana on Monday, 3 May 1999, at 11:00, with the following agenda: 1. The Democratic Party’s political positions on the national issue and developments in Kosovo, as well as the commitment of its structures to addressing the situation of those arriving from Kosovo and the efforts to save them from the genocide and ethnic cleansing undertaken by Milosheviç’s regime. 2. The situation in the country, particularly ensuring the preservation of state sovereignty and territorial integrity. 3. The Democratic Party’s position on the development of political revanchism, violence, and political processes undertaken by the governing coalition.

If you wish to contribute money for the expelled children of Kosovo, you may deposit your donation into account number 342200/00376 at “Dardania Bank” in the name of the association: “The Children of Kosovo, Our Children”.

To assist those expelled from Kosovo, the newspaper “Rilindja Demokratike” is making its pages available free of charge for various notices, such as requests and offers for accommodation, messages from people expelled from Kosovo to other members of their families, and so on. You are welcome to visit the editorial office or contact us by telephone at the numbers provided: 303 29 and 323 55. THE EDITORIAL OFFICE

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