THE PEOPLE DEMAND JUSTICE, THE RULE OF LAW, PEACE, BREAD AND WORK Those in power answer with lies, demagoguery and violence YESTERDAY THE SIGNING OF THE PETITION FOR THE RELEASE FROM PRISON OF FATOS NANO, CHAIRMAN OF THE SOCIALIST PARTY, BEGAN; DURING YESTERDAY ALONE, THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE SIGNED IT AS THE PEOPLE TAKE TO THE RALLIES AGAIN... The Socialist Party of the Saranda district requested permission for a rally organized for July 31, but the district branch published [text unclear] and denied permission on the grounds that «the situation in relations with neighboring states is tense», as if the rally were to be held in international waters or in Corfu. Heeding the police «advice», the district Socialist Party requested permission again. And so, despite hesitation and [text unclear] from this city because of the great influx of refugees, the natural bustle of seaside towns in summer, and warnings at some centers and institutions that anyone who went to the rally would be fired, more than 4,000 Saranda residents, as well as people who had come from distant areas such as Xara and Konispol, gathered at the handball court and demonstrated resolutely, but with culture, civility, and decorum. They protested against the vengeful purge, arrests and neodictatorial violence, the government, economic reform and privatization, pressure on individual and opposition rights, and other matters. They expressed solidarity with the recent political positions and actions of the Socialist Party of Albania and its parliamentary group, joined the protest published on August 3 in «Zëri i popullit», and called for the release of comrade Fatos Nano. Speakers, parliamentarians and slogan-chanting demonstrators addressed the problems and concerns of the various social groups... (Continued on page 2)

This is the second protest rally organized in Gramsh within two months. Unlike anything seen before, residents of the town and surrounding villages gathered on Tuesday, August 3, at 6:00 p.m. on the sports field for another protest rally to denounce the political-police actions of those in power against PSSH chairman Fatos Nano. The first to speak at the rally was Enver Kore, chairman of the district PS, who supported the PSSH’s call to defend democracy, which is threatened by right-wing revanchism. Among other things, he said that Albania’s prosperity cannot be built with prisons, but through everyone’s work; democracy cannot be built with violence—two concepts that are the antithesis of one another—and pluralism cannot be established by sentencing opposition party leaders, but by listening to and respecting them. Opposition party leaders may all be arrested, but the mass of people who follow them can NEVER be arrested. The dictatorship tried it: it overthrew and imprisoned people and shed blood. His speech was interrupted by applause and chants: «Release Fatos Nano», «We want work», «We want new elections», «Down with fascism», «Down with dictatorship», etc. On behalf of the participants in the National Liberation War and the families of the fallen, the veteran Abaz Zani greeted the rally. «We are disgusted,» he said, «by the calls of the Balli-Zogists and the PD leaders, who consider it an honor to be fascists. We tell you wholeheartedly that we are proud to have been partisans, to have fought for Albania, and to have been comrades of the 28,000 martyrs who fell for freedom.» «I am compelled to quote Sami Frashëri,» stressed Abedin Bici, secretary of the Movement for Reconciliation and Peace in the district, who added: «It is not force that makes a state, but love and honesty. Whoever relies on force will fall to the ground, says force. The basest tyranny is the one that suppresses thought. This is what the present government should be reminded of.» Deputy Bashkim Koci greeted the rally on behalf of the PS parliamentary group, praising the principled positions and the just struggle that the PS is waging in defense of democracy. «We would have liked,» he said, «to gather today to celebrate together, to inaugurate a new project where people could be employed, but it was not to be. Today we have gathered to protest against the dictatorship being imposed in Albania.» At this rally too, the people of Gramsh strongly demonstrated their support for the PS, whose authority in this district is unquestionable. At the end, PS secretary F. Kryeziu read a petition addressed to the president on behalf of those present, calling for early elections and the immediate release of Fatos Nano and all those arrested in Tirana on July 30. It was greeted with vigorous applause. The law-enforcement forces maintained a very proper attitude. DASHAMIR EMINAJ

It was not President Vladi, nor a handful of people in the leadership of the Socialist Party, who brought the people of Tirana to Skënderbej Square; it was you yourselves, the officials of the PD. - You call the demonstration of the people of Tirana in Skënderbej Square illegal. But what do you call the people, gentlemen in power? - Not so long ago, your own man, gentlemen of RD and ATSH, who is now the president of Albania, declared with satisfaction that the socialists could not hold daytime rallies. The Democratic Party was referring to the large number of participants at PD rallies. The people have had enough and, disappointed by the PD’s unfulfilled promises, are demanding that the political deceivers now governing the country leave the political scene—those who are leaving people without work or bread and plunging them into deep misery. All these wrongs are not enough; you are also distorting history by glorifying war criminals and maligning the victorious partisans who liberated Albania. It is precisely because you have burdened the country with this harsh situation, gentlemen of the PD, that the people of Tirana came to the rally organized by the Leadership of the Socialist Party of Albania. And no matter how much you listen and deceive people with propaganda, you cannot alter the large number of participants; the people of Tirana saw it with their own eyes. Perhaps the president is not pleased that «(Continued on page 2)

Parallels: SALI BERISHA FACE TO FACE WITH SLOBODAN MILOŠEVIĆ... A short time ago, Vuk Drashkovic, the chauvinist leader of the Serbian [text unclear], was arrested in Belgrade and imprisoned together with his wife. Immediately, international public opinion (chiefly politicians and people involved in the «Albanian question», and France’s François Mitterrand) rose to his defense, because they considered the arrest of a party chairman a flagrant violation of freedoms. Serbia’s President Slobodan Miloshevic was accused over this, [text unclear] through RTV. Not much time had passed since the event when, in Tirana, the arrest of Ismet Thaçi, chairman of Kosovo’s United National Party (so called?), [text unclear]. The prosecutor, [text unclear], put pressure [text unclear] to defend the distant leader against being arrested, in an article published in the newspaper «Koha». Later, [text unclear] openly denounced the president, while leader Beqiri made this statement: «It doesn’t matter here [text unclear]. I am not Vuk Drashkovic» ([?] words). «I wanted to, because I am from Yugoslavia,» leader Beqiri [text unclear] over ten [text unclear], warning that ... In fact, that is what happened. [Text unclear] for revenge were made, establishing only that Idat Beriç, Madi ... for the first time in this other country carried out! ... (conduct, deputy Fatos Nano.) Thus Sali Berisha has gone even further than Slobodan Miloshevic, doing precisely what Ramiz Alia did not do two years ago. In December 1990 and throughout 1991, thousands of people shouted and pressured the former communist president to put Sali Berisha, Azem Hajdari and others in prison. Nevertheless, after the monuments to Enver Hoxha were toppled, this demand grew stronger. But Ramiz Alia did not act on their wishes, just as he did not take Sali Berisha to court when the latter publicly accused him of being a Serbian agent. Ramiz Alia also refused when, before the March 31, 1991 elections, he was urged to arrest Azem Hajdari on charges of preparing terror; nor did he ever act when people at rallies were identified as chanting insulting and threatening slogans against him, who at the time was President of the Republic. Despite the consequences [text unclear], those who benefited from them by spreading [text unclear] at rallies and in prison did not succeed. [Text unclear] had said some time ago that the arrest was only the beginning, and so it indeed proved. But while for now [text unclear], no one is able to determine how it will end... IVAN M. RAMA

On the fourth edition of the news on my friend Qemal Sakajevë’s television station, I heard the request by the Association of Former Political Prisoners to arrest all the major suspects of the «minërar»: «said Horace.» And I was not surprised. It seems the Ku-Ko and U-Bu association is short of [text unclear] and wants to swell its ranks... Let them be sure. Ku-Ko and U-Bu, I will pay my dues regularly. And the television tax for my friend’s station as well... August 3, 1993 NAMIK DOKLE

On Friday, 6 August 1993, at 10:00 a.m., a meeting of the General Steering Committee of the Socialist Party of Albania will be held. All members of the General Steering Committee are notified to attend! The Leadership of the Socialist Party of Albania

Since RD accuses «Zëri i popullit» of manipulating figures for attendance at rallies held in the districts, we are making known to the public some figures that cannot be manipulated: the newspapers’ print runs. During the past week «Zëri i popullit» was published with a print run of 55,000–60,000 copies a day. «RD», during the same period, was published with 10,000 copies a day. «Zëri i popullit» was printed in the districts in about 35,000 copies a day, whereas RD prints 5,000 copies a day. And as for Tirana, let everyone know that up to 22,000 copies a day were printed, compared with RD’s 3,000 copies. So, gentlemen of RD—Sakajeva, Buçpapa and company! «Zëri i popullit» has so many readers that even TVSH does not have as many viewers. «ZËRI I POPULLIT» WILL NEVER BE SILENT - For the information of President Berisha, Petrit Kalakules, Kurt Kola, Qemal Sakajevës and all the others hiding behind them - In the news programs of RTSH on August 3, a statement by the Association of Former Political Persecutees was read in full at the very start of the news. Among other things, it called for the banning of the newspaper «Zëri i Popullit». We repeat: «Zëri i Popullit» fought alongside the partisans in the flames of the Albanian people’s National Liberation War against fascism and all the scoundrels who followed in its wake. It was not banned in 1942, 1943 or 1944; that is, in the most «glorious» days of fascism. And if it was not banned then, it will never be shut down, never be silenced, and never stop fighting for true freedom and democracy. Good news CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW LEADERSHIP BLOCK HAS BEGUN As Albanian television reported on Tuesday, July 3, construction of the new democratic leadership block began in Tirana. According to the television report, the two buildings included in the designs will be built and made available as government residences for politicians and diplomats. In this way, the government, with American assistance, has solved its own housing problem. Now the people’s housing problem remains to be solved. This news was received joyfully by thousands of citizens who are currently homeless. Of course, a government that cannot provide homes for its members cannot provide shelter for the people. It is true that today’s officials have moved into some villas in the old block and the former leadership clinic. But these are not enough for the entire clan of government officials. Nevertheless, some problems are bound to arise once the new leadership block is completed. One of these is who will move in: today’s officials, who have each taken a villa in the old block, or the new officials who will replace them? This is a pressing issue and must be considered.