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Discovering Albania: the Mediterranean's best kept secret
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The Children Trapped By Albanian Blood Feuds
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41901300
By Andrew Hosken and Albana Kasapi
The World Tonight, BBC Radio 4
12 November 2017
It is said that revenge is a dish best served cold and in Albania it can be served very cold indeed. Disputes known as blood feuds can span generations, sucking in descendants who had nothing to do with the original insult or murder.
Though they have a long history, blood feuds remain potent today, with 68 families in the Shkodra region of northern Albania currently unable to leave their homes because of them.
We visited Niko, a 13-year-old boy, in his tiny hamlet in northern Albania. Niko is said to be "in blood", in other words, under threat of death for supposed "crimes" committed before he was even born.
Niko lives with his elderly grandparents and is in danger every time he leaves his home. Dozens of others families in the northern Shkodra region of Albania also live virtual self-imposed house arrest in fear of their lives.
Three teachers on a boat going to visit Niko
We were taken by road and boat to visit Niko in his isolated community by his teacher Liljana Luani. Mrs Luani specialises in teaching "in blood children" at their homes. The blood feud means they cannot leave their homes, even to go to school.
The rules governing blood feuds have long been codified in a book of laws, called the Kanun, that dates back to the 15th Century. The Kanun helped to bring order to the lives of tribes in northern Albania, particularly during its incorporation in the Ottoman Empire.
Presentational grey line
Albania's blood feuds
"Gjakmarrja" means blood-taking: the blood feud. "Hakmarrja" is the obligation to take life to right an earlier wrong, to salvage honour.
Oral laws governing the blood feud go as far back as the Bronze Age. Kanun dates to the late 15th Century.
The Kanun is divided into 12 sections and helped regulate life for tribes in northern Albania.
1945-1991: Communist dictatorship suppressed Kanun and its code of honour. Participants in blood feuds were executed or imprisoned in labour camps.
1997: Economic crisis caused by pyramid schemes led to widespread social disorder. The Kanun makes a come-back.
Albanian government reforms state institutions and courts and hopes this will lead to decline in blood feuds.
Police arrest feud participants and investigate feud murders, bringing culprits to court.
Presentational grey line
But Mrs Luani said the Kanun was often abused by those involved in blood feuds.
"If they follow the rules of Kanun... they would not kill children and women. But nowadays neither the Kanun nor the laws of the state are being followed," she explained.
"It has happened that there have been women killed and children killed. I think the state law enforcement authorities should do more and that they are not working properly."
Niko's grandmother with a donkey
Image caption
Niko is being brought up by his grandmother
The blood feud involving Niko's family began shortly after the deep economic crisis in Albania caused by the collapse of so-called pyramid selling schemes. The chaos led to a collapse of trust in state institutions and the judiciary.
The family became entangled in a land dispute with a family in a nearby village. A member of his family killed one of the neighbours. This led to other feuds and disputes involving nearby communities.
Subsequently, neither of Niko's parents lives at the family home, leaving him to be brought up by his grandparents near the homes of the other families involved in the feud.
Mrs Luani told us that Niko knows little about the feud. "He hears other people talk about all the issues involved in the feud. And all he does is to stay there silent. But you can tell he's very angry. He knows that he is "in blood", as the expression goes, and that his life is in danger and that he has to be very careful."
Colonel Gjovalin Loka, the police chief for the Shkodra region, said he was doing all he could to prevent and investigate blood feuds.
Liljana Luani with Niko
Image caption
Liljana Luani with Niko
"We have intensively investigated cases of possible murders as the result of blood feuds," he said. "And we have intervened upon receiving information that preparations were being made to breach the law."
Colonel Loka also complained that people were misusing the Kanun, adding: "Different people are interpreting it in ways that suit them. It's not being implemented properly.
"Besides, nowadays we do have the laws of the modern Albanian state - that are in accordance with European law - and the time is up for the Kanun. Its place now is only in the archives."
There is a consensus that the continuing reform of state and judicial institutions must succeed if the blood feud is to be eradicated from Albanian life.
Dr Olsi Lelaj, a researcher at the Institute of Social Anthropology and Art Studies in Tirana, Albania's capital city, said: "It's not a matter of having a strong state institution but rather of having a just state institution. It is a matter of justice and a justice that is collectively shared."
Meanwhile, Mrs Luani continues to worry about Niko's future.
"I think that this is a problem that can be solved by all of us. I also work hard with the parents, especially with the mothers of these children because the mothers are those who teach and pass on to their kids tolerance, forgiveness and how to forgive and let go and not to continue with the cycle of violence."Comment
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Scotland Yard is targeting up to 100 Albanian mafia gang members who are flooding London’s streets with cocaine, the Standard reveals today......
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Is Albania Europe's next big beach holiday destination?
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Last edited by Albo; 11-28-2017, 07:51 PM.Comment
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Albania's drug crime is now a EUROPEAN problem
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Know Thy Neighbor
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EU must ‘marry’ Western Balkans quickly to avoid new risks – Albania PM
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Why do you post here, you are the only Albanian here, none of us are interested in Albanian news.
Oh let me guess since you are now a legitimate minority here you want half of the threads to be about Albanian issues, it would only be fair.Comment
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Originally posted by Gocka View Post
does he even believe in the bs he posts? I think he needs a new source to get his mind back in shape https://www.globalresearch.ca/ 
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There is no purpose to be served for Albanian news updates on a Macedonian forum.Comment
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I agree, well at least not yet anyway...Originally posted by Stojacanec View Post“There’s a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious, makes you so sick at heart, that you can’t take part, you can’t even passively take part, and you’ve got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus and you’ve got to make it stop, and you’ve got to indicate to the people who run it, to the people who own it, that unless you’re free, the machine will be prevented from working at all” - Mario SavioComment
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Seriously, why would I give a shit if Albania supplies water to Italy...
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Hi all.. been a while.. ✌
Albania, Macedonia to facilitate free exchange of goods, work on infrastructure modernization
TIRANA – The first ever joint session of Albanian and Macedonian governments on Friday opens a new chapter of good neighbourly relations between the two countries.
Opening the joint meeting in the Albanian border town of Pogradec, Prime Minister Edi Rama said the two governments are holding the session to take the bilateral relations to a new qualitative level of a shared strategic orientation
“As two neighbouring countries, we have the obligation to offer more development and work for more prosperity for our citizens by improving the infrastructure interconnectivity,” Rama said.
The Albanian government head put emphasis on the bilateral cooperation to modernize infrastructure and facilitate the exchange of goods and services between the two countries.
Rama said that the two countries are committed to relax the customs and border procedures, adding that a special attention will be attached to modernization of the road, railroad and energy infrastructure linking Albania and Macedonia.
According to him, the two countries are committed to carry out major development projects, including the construction of the Corridor 8 and the Elbasan-Pogradec railway.
The Premier also noted that the two governments will cooperation on the construction of new two-lane highway, Arberi Road, designed to link the capital, Tirana, with the Dibra region on the Macedonian border. He said the Arberi Road will lead to significant economic benefits for both countries.
“We will cooperate with Macedonia on the Arberi Road project. Construction of Bulqiza-Bllate (on Macedonian border) has completed. This road will generate significant economic benefits for both countries. There is no doubt that extending the project to Skopje will shorten the distance and provide Macedonia access to Albania’s seaports. We are confident that the meaning of the strategic importance of this axis is complete also in terms of efforts to strengthen the foundations of fundamental coexistence between Albanians and Macedonians,” Rama stated.
“We will work together to allow for free movement of goods by creating mechanism of cutting procedures in order to boost trade exchanges,” Rama said, adding that “hese measures are part of our economic development approach to creation of the regional economic zone.
“The objective of this meeting is to strengthen cross-border cooperation. We share tremendous water wealth. We have the great privilege to be on the shores of Prespa and Ohrid and it’s time to appreciate the common approach and appreciate these assets,” Rama added.
The government head also said that a joint Economic Council will hold first meeting in the first quarter of the next year.
The Albanian PM praised his Macedonian counterpart Zoran Zaev, saying that under his government Macedonia has entered a new cycle.
“No one else has so enthusiastically experienced the end of a turbulent cycle in Macedonia and opening a new cycle there. Together with Albania’s and Macedonia’s great partners we felt encouraged by Zaev’s leadership, because we know such approaches are fuelled by the desire to build wholly democratic societies and countries, independent and democratic institutions,” Rama stated.
“Based on this very positive moment we have revitalized contacts and relationships. In addition to numerous bilateral visits and meetings, with Prime Minister Zaev we have shared the commitment to contribute towards a region without barriers to the flow of capital, people and ideas,” he said.
PM Rama noted that the two countries have signed the largest number of agreements in the region, but many of them have yet to be materialized into concrete actions, therefore relevant institutions should start an analysis to take measures towards implementation of this framework.
The Premier emphasized the importance of implementation of the bilingualism in Macedonia by extension of the official use of the Albanian language across the country.
“I hope that legislation to extend the official use of the Albanian language across Macedonia will be adopted and implemented soon. The house of the Alphabet Congress in Manastir needs to be transformed into a cultural and artistic centre,” he said.
The Prime Minister also spoke about Albania’s Macedonian minority.
“We have been working and will continue to work for the well-being and security of the Macedonian minority in Albania,” he stated.
Rama said that with the adoption of the new ethnic minority law, the Albanian government has made a major step towards respecting minorities across the territory.
“Tomorrow, we will be visiting the municipality of Pustec, a small town, which has a special significance to us as a territory where the example of respect and the guarantee of full equality as citizens of the Republic of Albania should prevail,” Rama said.
The government head also affirmed Albania’s support for Macedonia’s NATO membership bid.
“Albania will continue to support Macedonia’s membership of NATO as a strong investment in the region’s peace and security. NATO would be incomplete without Macedonia,” he stated.
On his part, Macedonian PM Zoran Zaev said that Macedonia and Albania share common challenges in their aspiration to open the accession negotiations with the European Union.
Macedonian PM hailed the first joint session of the governments of the two neighbouring countries as a strong message to regional cooperation.
“We must contribute to the regional development and implementation of strategic projects. By working on peaceful solutions rather than incitement, we will build the future for Macedonia and the region. This first meeting is more than a message to the region,” Zaev said.
Zaev stated that MAcedonia and Albania share same vision for a prosperous and developed region.
He expressed gratitude for Albania’s strong support to Macedonia’s aspirations to join NATO.
Zaev noted that efficient implementation of the bilateral agreements and identification of the joint projects would help the interaction between the two countries and promote important energy, cultural and infrastructural projects.
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Albanian nationalism a bulwark against Erdogan's Balkan ambitions
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has opened several military fronts in the Middle East and, at the same time, is blurting threats here and there about the Aegean Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean. This does not mean that the Balkans have dropped from his radar.
Erdogan’s plan is to root out any affiliates of exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen in the region, mainly found in private schools and other institutions linked to the movement. Until recently, he would pressure governments into shutting down the schools and surrendering the alleged “terrorists.” Just last month, six Turkish nationals were abducted by agents of Ankara’s intelligence service operating in Kosovo. Meanwhile, Erdogan has launched a propaganda campaign designed to intimidate ordinary Albanians alleging that Gulenists are ostensibly orchestrating a series of coups.
The Turkish president’s efforts to manipulate ethnic Albanian populations in the Balkans via their religious radicalization, however, appear to have gone too far in the eyes of these populations. For he has struck a sensitive chord, which is nationalism. Their national poet, Pashko Vasa, who wrote that “The Albanian’s faith is Albanianism [to be Albanian],” captures a fact that also acts as a barrier against the attempted neo-Ottoman infiltration. Albanians may welcome Turkish investments or money for the construction of mosques, but very few people want to live under a democracy along the lines of the one Erdogan has established at home. The overwhelming majority have their eye fixed on the West where they see a future for themselves and, most importantly, their children. Above all, they feel that Islam, particularly radical Islam, undermines their national identity. After all, they know from their school history books that their ancestors fought to liberate themselves from Ottoman rule and to emancipate themselves as a nation.
A few months ago authorities inaugurated a hydropower plant near the city of Shkodra whose construction was financed by Turkey. Locals destroyed a Turkish flag that was etched onto the facade in an overnight raid. “It was a provocation. We fought the Ottomans who had enslaved us for centuries. We can’t wake up in the morning to that flag,” a local told a Tirana TV channel.
Erdogan may see himself as the leader of Muslims living in the Balkan peninsula, but when he recently visited the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), the leader of the largest ethnic Albanian political party, Ali Ahmeti, refused to escort him on a tour of ethnic Albanian villages and forbade his ministers from joining him.
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