For the first time, a representative from the ranks of the Albanian politically persecuted, Dr. Elida Dakoli, has been elected a member of the Board of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation in Washington.
This was announced by Dr. Eric Patterson, President and CEO of VOC, who emphasized: “Dr. Elida Dakoli’s membership on the VOC Board marks a new era for the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation. I look forward to working with Dr. Dakoli to strengthen VOC’s mission and tell the important, but often ignored, story of communist oppression in Albania.”
The Nationwide Union for the Integration of Political Prisoners and Persecuted of Albania, as a single voice over three decades in denouncing the macabre crimes of Stalinist-Enverist communism, both inside and outside the country, welcomed the election of our fellow sufferer, Dr. Elida Dakoli, to that world board and expresses her respect, gratitude and assures her that we will have institutional and active cooperation to make the crimes of communism present in Washington!
The only Albanian state has not become part of that World Foundation, with the aim that the world does not recognize the crimes committed by the dictator Enver Hoxha. With the election of Dr. Elida Dakoli, the world will recognize the crimes of communism in Albania and the tragic balance of these crimes, that over 6000 Albanians have been shot and their remains have disappeared and today, after three decades, they do not have a grave on their land. And the so-called "democratic" state is silent and does not honor these luminaries of freedom.
36.000 Albanians were convicted for political reasons and are today despised by the political class. 60.000 families were interned in the infamous camps of Tepelena, Berat, Porto Palermo, Zvërnec and Lushnje. On the death from starvation of 300 children in the Tepelena camp and their corpses were taken by the Vjosa River. Execution and imprisonment of 120 Catholic clergy. Execution and imprisonment of 83 Bektashi clergy. Execution and imprisonment of 60 Muslim clergy. Execution and imprisonment of 39 Orthodox clergy. Destruction and closure of 2169 religious institutions.
In the late 80s, when Europe was collapsing the Berlin Wall, the Stalinist dictatorship hanged the poet Havzi Nela. The Stalinist concentration and torture camps such as Spaçi, Qafë-Bari, Këneta e Maliqi, Burreli, the grave of Albanian intellectuals, etc. will be recognized, and how Albania does not have a museum of the crimes of communism. The Foundation, through Dr. Dakoli, will be recognized as the political class after the 90s not only did not condemn these inhumane crimes, but fought with undeserved power to erase them from memory, with the ideological aim of "That's how it was".
Dr. Elida Dakoli, through this world institution, will acquaint them with the survival and peace that Albanian anti-communists and their families brought and why they were politically convicted for three generations, they did not seek revenge, but only justice! The foundation will acquaint them with the bitter Albanian reality of how, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the democratic system was formally implemented in Albania without the communist dictatorship being legally violated. The communist revival during 35 years made laws in defense of the executioners of the dictatorship and criminalized Albanian policy-making. In a country where the law does not operate and democracy does not function, dictatorships are born.
America, the land of freedom, values and honors activists who serve peace and honors those who defend human rights and freedoms! The opposite happens in Albania, where patronageists, the privileged of the dictatorship, those who had connections and were supporters of communism are honored. Marxist-Leninists, corrupt rulers are honored, deforming democratic power.
The selection of Dr. Elida Dakoli, a civil rights leader, cultural diplomat, academic and concert pianist. Her work focuses on preserving historical memory and promoting democratic values. Born in Durrës, during the last years of the communist regime, she comes from a family deeply rooted in Albania’s early democratic movement, an Albanian family that was deeply affected by the communist political persecution of Enver Hoxha’s regime. Her grandfather, Hysen Myshketa, a lawyer and participant in the early Albanian state-building efforts, was killed by the communist regime’s guerrilla units. Her grandfather, Sadik Dakoli, died in a communist prison and his remains were never found. Members of her family were imprisoned and persecuted by the communist regime for their pro-democratic activities.
The Nationwide Union for the Integration of Political Prisoners and Persecuted of Albania wishes success and good work to the daughter of Durrës, our honored fellow sufferer, and welcomes her voice in the service of national memory! Congratulations are a little for you as an intellectual in the defense of national memory!
An Albanian proverb says: "Justice delays, but it does not forget." Convicted anti-communists and politically persecuted Albanians will have their voice in Washington after three decades!
Good luck, Dr. Elida Dakoli, and may you emerge victorious in this great global mission!
Besim Mendregioni
President of the Nationwide Integration Union
of the Political Prisoners and Persecuted of Albania!
