Once again on the truth about Milot’s pesticides — Everything written in “Zëri i popullit” is true — Twelve days ago, specifically on 15 July, we published in our newspaper a report titled: “Fifteen ‘sheltered’ in Milot are taking the lives of infants.” In this report we gave several facts about the negative and devastating effect on people’s health, especially that of infants, caused by the presence of pesticides in a warehouse in the town of Milot. These pesticides, 94 tonnes in all, brought between 15 and 30 September 1992 as aid from Germany, have caused great concern for the health of the town’s residents. In the report we published, we confirmed that during the first six months of this year alone, 10 infants had died as a result of the devastating effects of these pesticides. Of these, there were 7 cases of miscarriage following spontaneous abortions, as well as 3 premature births that ended in fetal death. Most of these cases occurred among mothers whose homes are near the warehouse where the pesticides are stored. These facts were confirmed to us at the Milot health centre by the head nurse herself, Drita Allamani. All the people in Milot, including the parents of the dead infants, confirm this fact. And indeed, this report aroused considerable interest both inside and outside the country. After the report was published, foreign agencies and representatives of the mass media, AFP [continues?], came to Milot. What makes Minister Cikuli lie and deceive the public on RTV? The state immediately set itself against the true report. The authorities above, since local officials acknowledge the truth. Anton Duka, doctor and head of the health centre in Milot, together with nurse Drita Allamani, were summoned to the Ministry of Health. They were “convinced” that the reports had not come from pest-reçet!!! And those poor doctors are deceived by this “argument.” Despite the fact that Drita Allamani told us herself that the 10 infants had died as a result of the effects of the pesticides. We invite Drita, if she wishes, to listen to her statement on the tape recorder where we have recorded it. “Doctor” Anton Duka, too, would go on to “refute” on television that the report was inaccurate. Radio would do the same in every news bulletin. And Minister Cikuli himself would declare at the press conference: “Political struggle should not be based on imaginary deaths of dozens of children, as in the case described in the newspaper ‘ZP.’ As for this, in Milot, we declare that according to very accurate information, only 2 children have died this month, and not because of pesticides; this article is false”—declares Mr. Cikuli!!! Since we declare that this fact is true (we can go to Milot if you wish and confront the facts), we ask you: What interest do you have in hiding this truth? What could be worse for you? The radio programme you put together on Sunday, titled “A figure that comes slowly,” would have been better titled “How we evade the death that has knocked at our door.” The parents of the dead infants confirm it. Ten infants have died; their lives were snatched away by pesticides. They are real children of real parents, not imaginary ones, respected STATE. These are precisely the parents Nazë and Xhepek Kuqi, Rita and Albert Luca, Nazire and Fiqiri Bajraktari, Lirie and Murat Veseli, Fitnete and Hysen Veseli, Nazie and Rexhep Keqi, Futura and Naim Veseli, Vera and Petrit Hysa, Shkëndër and Nexhmije Haxhiz. These are the parents who testify and, at the same time, accuse. “My pregnancy had been going well,” Rita Luca tells us. “My house is near the pesticide warehouse. The strong smell of pesticides caused me pain. After five months I miscarried. The baby was decomposed. The doctors themselves told me the pesticides had taken the infant’s life.” Rita speaks and cries. “Like me,” she continues, “another five or six mothers who are my neighbours have suffered the same. Two other women here are in a serious condition, on the verge of despair. Erteze Selimani is in the worst condition.” Nazire and Fiqiri Bajraktari: “Our child died solely because of the negative effects of the pesticides.” Nazire adds that the strong smell of the pesticides is terrible. After much suffering, the child [text unclear]. And almost all the parents confirm that their miscarriages and premature births were solely the result of the negative effects of the pesticides. What do the local authorities say? Gjokë Gjoka, Mayor of the Milot Commune: “The facts are true, just as ‘Zëri i Popullit’ wrote. Instead of taking measures to remove the pesticides, the government, the state, is strangely doing the opposite.” Selman Hasani, secretary of the Milot Commune: “The attempts being made to hide the truth are scandalous. Doctor Anton Duka must answer fully for the deception he practised on public opinion.” Luigj Doda, chair of the commune council: “It is the authorities’ duty to deal seriously with removing the pesticides, not to engage in fabrications that the residents of Milot have laughed at.” Luigj Kola, pesticide warehouse keeper: “Everything written in ‘Zëri i Popullit’ is true. Back then, regarding the pesticides that arrived without any documents, I was told they were being looked after and to be careful not to get poisoned.” This is what so many residents of the town of Milot say. Whom does concealing the truth serve? The truth is the truth and, as such, can in no way be denied. Likewise, the fact about the negative role played by pesticides in Milot cannot in any way be hidden—even if, in our case, the state itself takes on this task. The state itself should know that you cannot cover the sun with a sieve. The state must do what [text cut off]. remove the Milot pesticides from there. On the contrary, prolonging their stay will make people’s lives even harder. And tomorrow it will be too late. BEKTASH ZENELI Milot, 25.7.1994. the head nurse Drita Allaman [?]. This fact is confirmed in Milot by all the people, including the parents of the dead infants. and representatives of the mass media, AFP, ja etc., came to Milot. Thus Milot had the privilege of becoming the epicentre of propaganda concerning the pesticide issue. What was concluded? On the one hand, the facts in the report were clearly confirmed as true, but it is regrettable that the state reacted by “refuting” them and declaring the report false! While declaring that the wish and confront the facts), we ask you: Why are you interested in hiding this truth? What drives you; what are you keeping secret? Could it be that you want to confirm rumors claiming that the German government allocated a considerable sum of money to the Ministry of Health for the removal of pesticides? Didn’t they know where they came from? If such a fact is true Nazire, wife of effects of pesticides. Nazire adds that the stench ended in a miscarriage. Fitnete, wife of Hysen Veseli: The day I miscarried, after the doctors asked me what pains I had felt, they told me that pesticides were negatively affecting the health of children, Fitnete says.

The Chairwoman of the German Parliament, Mrs Sussmuth, arrives in our country today for a two-day official and friendly visit. She will hold a series of meetings with senior figures in our country and make various visits. On Wednesday, 28 July, at 17:30, the Chair of the Council of the People’s Assembly, Mr Pjetër Arbnori, and the President of the German Bundestag, Mrs Sussmuth, will hold a press conference at the Palace of Congresses.

Yesterday, the Deputy Chairman of the Socialist Party of Albania, Dr Servet Pëllumbi, MP, received at the Party headquarters the Ambassador of the Republic of France in Tirana, Jacques Faure, on the occasion of his departure from Albania. During the warm and friendly conversation, Dr Servet Pëllumbi praised Mr Faure’s contribution to strengthening the relations of friendship and cooperation between the two countries and peoples. He conveyed greetings and best wishes on behalf of the Chairman of the Socialist Party, Fatos Nano. Press and Information Office of the Socialist Party.

Mr Ilir Manushi at his press conference: TIRANA 25.7.1994 There has been an increase in the production of construction materials, construction volume and cement production compared with last year—specifically, 165, 157 and 150 percent—Construction, Housing and Territorial Planning Minister Mr Ilir Manushi emphasized to journalists at his press conference yesterday, without stating how accurate these figures are or how much imports meet domestic needs. Unable to collect data, [text unclear] ... homes, of which 1,200 are for the politically persecuted and the rest for new settlements and those vacating the properties of former owners. Regarding foreign investments, Mr Manushi stated that some funds had been secured from the World Bank, Italy, Germany and the European Community, with others expected from the Islamic Bank, Austria, etc. These investments will go mainly to water-supply systems in Durrës, Korçë, Krujë, Tirana, Kukës and Shkodër; to the treatment of [text cut off] sewage and urban wastewater; to public services, road repairs, the production of prefabricated housing components, and the construction of the plant at ... (Continued on page 4) no way be hidden by that of last year, specifically 165, 157 and 150 percent, emphasized at his press conference the spokesperson for the Minister of Construction, Housing and Territorial Planning, Mr. Lir Manushi, without commenting on whether these three activities, compared with imports, meet the needs in the country. Unable to collect data, the figures for the above indicators do not include around 60 private construction companies, but only 254. He went on to explain that the number of homeless families is 42 thousand, that 2.2 billion lekë have so far been spent on housing, and that construction is beginning on 10 thousand apartments.

(OPEN LETTER TO FATOS NANO FROM MOIKOM ZEQO) Dear Fatos, writing letters is not so much a routine habit as a human necessity. They have deprived you even of letters. I am compelled to write to you publicly. This means that the letter to you is not only for you. It means that the right to information (one of the most essential human rights) is often abused and rendered unpresentable. The cohesionist regulations of Albanian prisons are favoured and pragmatic, even today. Here is a feeble testimony to the irony of history, from which we cannot escape. On the other hand, being in prison and being outside prison are two realities with essential differences, though not conceptual ones. As the involuntary hermit of cell no. 47, you are experiencing something between Robinson and Columbus (the mention of these very familiar names is, of course, relative, because you are and will remain Fatos Nano, a concrete name, a dimension in the wretched history of this place, and a dimension of your clearly deranged human and political self). Soon a full year will have passed since your hallucinatory imprisonment. The sensation created by your news is a collision of contradictions: Jupiter—calendar, cosmic, extraordinarily important ... But it is alive and fatal for the medieval worldview that Nostradamus would prophesy! [Unclear text about Nostradamus and political predictions.] Undoubtedly, the scenarios of the night crimes [partly illegible] ... But before the boundless expanse of earth and sky [partly illegible] ... Thus confined within the four walls of the cell [partly illegible] ... The reason and donquixotic unreason that keep you imprisoned still, in an exhausting and severe ordeal, seeking to make you submit to a disordered humanity! But this was your fate! There is nothing you can do about it! This fate does not stem from the elegant notion of providence, from a lofty and secret spirituality, but from a banal scenario, which brought about the murder of Arben Broci on the shocking, enigmatic and terrible 2 April. It was precisely through this Balkan-Hollywood scenario that your future imprisonment was determined on that 2 April, and even that of Ramiz Alia; the dreamed-of democracy was transformed, and the cult of alibis was raised like a sword of Damocles over Albanian public opinion. This led to such appalling and unbelievable realities that imprisonment is not a subsequent act of justice; rather, justice emerges as a subsequent act of imprisonment. This anathematizing philosophy is expressed with indisputable brevity by Dritëro Agolli: those in power hold the Helsinki paper in one hand and the key to the shackles in the other. Your imprisonment became a test for you, but also for others. The attitude towards you became an attitude not towards a person, but towards justice. National and international attention focused on your name. Not by chance. “When an injustice happens in a city, there must be a revolt; if there is none, that city can no longer be free,” wrote a great American poet. When even a single person is wronged, a multiplied sense of injustice acts upon every one of us. Émile Zola had not known Dreyfus at all beforehand, certainly, nor had he any prior connection with him. Yet he became his defender, for a greater and irrefutable reason: France’s conscience would have accepted this injustice; it would no longer have been such. Here Zola grasps the dead conscience of France. [Unclear text.] Through a despised truth, he emancipates everyone’s conscience. Your name, too, is a potential symbol of the rebirth of the conscience of all Albanians. In this grotesque battle between honour and shame, you have won decisively. But in this battle those who initially insulted you without knowing the truth have also won. Slaves to the hypnotic repetition of the monstrous lie about you, they finally understood that they must wake up: become independent in their judgments and be nobody’s slaves. Because you can never be free when one person’s freedom is unjustly violated, wherever that person may be. Herein lies one of the great secrets of democracy, of the complicated, contradiction-filled process of human emancipation, which is truly the most adequate expression of political emancipation. In this sense, your historic case was a great and extraordinary confrontation. I had not known you before. During the six months I served as Minister of Culture in your cabinet, I made my first acquaintance with you and developed respect for you. You are one of the reformers of democratic processes and the first to initiate the idea of a free-market economy and a democratic society, at a time when today’s power-holders were completely unknown. You, on the hard road of Albanian politics, did not agree to make spectacular alibis, as so many others did; instead, quite unreservedly and with instinctive freedom, you did not evade historical responsibility. As prime minister during an extremely delicate period, you showed admirable intellectual culture and contributed to democracy with courage and as much as you could. You could easily have withdrawn during that dreadful emergency. You could have played the role of the helpless, the indifferent. On the Albanian horizon, anti-communism emerged as the parading phantom of “Zero Hour.” For, to use the sharp and innocent irony of Jorge Luis Borges: “The Master of the Great Bear taught us that the vacuum is the essence of the world.” The Time of the Vacuum, a macabre theory of self-annihilation and self-destruction, was one of the greatest mistakes and follies of the Albanians, without precedent in their long history. Crowds of delinquents, and others too—indoctrinated people, as well as paid mercenaries without morals—destroyed the national wealth, causing incalculable damage. But who are the ideologues and “oncenalcat [?]” of Zero Hour? Surely histor- …does not seem to be able to disclose their names! You, dear Nano, who were the first to respect the institution of democracy, something Meksi not only does not judge, but merely prejudges. If the Government of Stability was a masterpiece of mutual understanding, of putting the interests of the nation above the party, its hasty and ill-considered breakup by Berisha was a masterpiece of destroying the state itself, of putting personal interests and those of a single party above the interests of the nation. Thus, with an unprecedented charismatic populism, Berisha came to power like King David over the temple. For the sake of truth, I want to say that at first Berisha was welcomed amid bright illusions, as a name of hope, of a historic opportunity to build a genuine democracy. Inexperienced, far too hasty and intolerant, he was bound to make mistakes, but the point was not to make mistakes that touched the very essence of things. As president, he should have chosen the path of his constitutional duty to uphold national unity. He should have been the first to set an example of unequivocal respect for every Albanian, regardless of party labels and political convictions. Or- [continued] ... Without ever wanting anything, dear Fatos, you became Berisha’s polar opposite, where Albanian brotherhood could very well have prevailed. Respected for ... (Continued on page 2)