REPORT
OF THE 2 YEAR EXPEDITION OF THE MISSIONARIES OF RECONCILIATION MARCH 2020 – APRIL 2022
The expedition of reconciliation missionaries, March 2020 – April 2022, organized its work in limited mobility conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, declared by the World Health Organization. In the conditions of the pandemic, cooperation with the government and the police became necessary to equip the reconciliation missionaries with special permission to move on the field and in meetings with the religious communities, the courts and the prosecution. All reconciliation missionaries were provided with official police permission to move around the clock following the rules set by the State Committee of Experts on PANDEMIC. Reconciliation missionary groups were also assisted by their children to facilitate online communication with hostile families. The Nationwide Reconciliation Committee led the reconciliation missionary expedition as it did throughout the transition years, voluntarily according to tradition, without any financial support from government, donors or businesses. Reconciliation missionaries work only on a voluntary basis. The expedition found with concern that political rhetoric caused divisions and hatred among citizens and within families who, forced by isolation, followed the political debates in the media with stress and hopelessness. The model of political movements based on the culture of violence, hatred and revenge have been one of the driving factors for the spread of violence in society. The expedition found that politically motivated conflicts had doubled. The behavior and rhetoric of Albanian politicians, based on the culture of violence, hatred and revenge has been one of the driving factors for the spread of self-judgment and violence in Albanian society
The expedition of reconciliation missionaries, 2020-2022, coincided with the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Nationwide Reconciliation Committee. In these circumstances, the expedition, in addition to the reconciliation process, organized a nationwide study of the work done by the Nationwide Reconciliation Committee for the 30-year period 1991-2021. The expedition found that in addition to the importance of the reconciliation process, the contribution of Western countries in these 30 years has been has been the main and an irreplaceable factor in protecting families in enmity and preventing blood feud killings. In 30 years of post-communist transition, from 1991 to 2021, 273140 Albanians have been granted asylum in western countries. Countries that have contributed the most are USA, Germany, UK, Australia, Canada, France, Austria, Hollande, Switzerland, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Italy, Scotland, Greece, Luxembourg, Australia, Ireland, Iceland, New Zealand etc. The right to asylum is granted on the basis of annual reports of the Committee for Nationwide Reconciliation to the UN and Western countries on the situation of life insecurity among the citizens of Albania due to blood feuds and enmities arising from various conflicts in the absence of justice and functional institutions of the rule of law.
Although the crime reported during 30 years is below 30%, 900 000 caases of conflicts are registered in the Albanian prosecutions and courts: 60% of them are for land, water, forests, pastures, roads, crossings, fences, livestock damage, place of burials, crossroads, arranged engagements and their breakups, divorces, secret love affairs, instant quarrels, public insults, debts, property damage, usurpation of land in cities, conflicts over shops and the streets before them. 7500 files contain conflicts with deep enmity for honor killings, robbery murders, accidental murders, domestic murders, murders for women trafficking, murders for trafficking in weapons and narcotics, murders for unpaid debts and loss of property in the casino , murders due to belonging to a special group, etc.
The expedition found that the only way out of the danger of revenge and blood feuds remains reconciliation or departure from Albania. The two-year expedition 2020-2021 published statistics of the 30-year work of the Committee for Nationwide Reconciliation, verifying the number of killed and reconciliations, not only in Albania but also in the Albanian territories of Kosovo, Macedonia and Montenegro.
The study of 30 years of work showed that the number of people killed for honor, blood feuds and revenge, from 1990 to March 2022 is 15601, 9805 within Albania and 5501 in the territories of Kosovo, Macedonia and Montenegro. 295 persons declared missing and suicidal have been victims of blood feuds.
FROM THE EXPEDITION STUDY, RESULTED THAT IN ALBANIA:
THE ANNUAL NUMBER OF PERPETRATORS FOR REVENGE, BLOOD FEUDS AND HONOR FROM 1991 TO 2021 IS AS FOLLOWS:
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
361 582 461 394 417 398 476 2910 860 640 530 306 252 191
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
169 162 121 136 109 113 111 105 101 98 99 87 82 78 7771 70
2021
69
T O T A L = 9805
NUMBER OF RECONCILIATED FAMILIES 1991 – 2021
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
41 26 23 41 36 52 54 47 39 38 47 49 54 37 58 46
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
49 48 36 44 32 29 45 49 43 51 35 39 43 51 48 54
TOTAL: = 1384
The expedition of reconciliation missionaries found that for the two-year period March 2020 – April 2022 it became possible to contact the parties in enmity in 2560 villages and 61 municipalities. In addition to the homicide agreements presented in the above table, it has been made possible in cooperation with the police to resolve 1330 cases of arguing and beatings without denunciation, which often turn into enmity and blood feuds if not resolved amicably. In this cooperation, 105 cases of minor injuries, 123 of family conflicts, 453 of breaking up engagements, 345 of property disputes in the city, 763 on land in the village, 675 on insulting a person, 456 of unpaid debts, have been resolved with understanding. 186 of women trafficking, 7 of displaying sexual orientation, 345 of adultery, 186 of love affairs between persons of opposite religions, 760 due to divorce. The state police has cooperated with the Committee for Nationwide Reconciliation to resolve disputes by agreement without being prosecuted because the unjust decisions of the courts in the 30 years of transition have deepened the conflict between the parties leading to the killing of 4200 people.
THE EXPEDITION FOUNDED THAT THE NUMBER OF KILLED ACCORDING TO THE DISTRICTS ON VENGEANCE, BLOOD FEUD AND HONOR IN THE LAST 4 YEARS 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 IS 287 INDIVIDUALS, (237 MEN AND 50 WOMEN).
JANUARY – DECEMBER 2018
77 persons killed (59 males and 18 females), 24 within the family (13 males and 11 females).
Suicides due to depression from conflicts within the family and outside it 86 people (59 males and 27 females).
Immobilized 345 families and 41 children
Killed persons according to the districts up to 28.12.2018 = 77 victims
Shkodra 11 vetë [ 8 m +3f].
Vlora 15[10m+5f].
Tirana 13[7m+6f].
Fieri 5[4m+1f].
Durresi 5[3m+2f].
Dibra 4[3m+1f].
Kruja 2m.
Kuksi 1f.
Tropoja 2m.
Korça 1 m.
Saranda 1m.
Kurbini 2m.
Librazhdi 1 m.
Poliçani 1m.
Lushnje 2 m.
Mahmurras 2m
Memaliaj 1 m.
Mati 3 m
Gjirokastra 1 m
Elbasani 4m.
Bulqiza 1m.
JANUARY – DECEMBER 2019
71 persons killed up to 19.12 .2019. [59m and 12f]. Within the family 18 people [11f. + 7m].
Suicides due to depression from enmity within and outside the family 58 [38m and 20f]
Isolated 321 families and 30 children
Killed persons according to the districts.
Ballsh 2 f.
Tirane 11[ 8m+3f.]
Vlore 12[10 m dhe2 f]
Shkoder6m
Pogradec 1m
Mahmurras 1 m
Puke 1m
Tepelene 2m
Durres6[5m+1f] Elbasan 5[4 m +1f ]
Kavaje 4 m
Laç 3 m.
Gjirokaster 1f
Lezhe 1 m
Korçe 2m.
Fier 1 m.
Rreshen 1 m.
Memaliaj 1 m
Bulqize 1m .
Librazhd 1f.
Fush kruje 1 f.
Burrel 2m
Mirdite 1m
Lushnje 1 m
Patos 2m
JANUARY – DECEMBER 2020
70 persons killed up to 31.12.2020. (62m + 8f) .Inside the family 11 [6f. + 5m].
Suicides due to depression from conflicts within and outside the family 64 [51m + 13f]
Immobilized 378 families 49 children
Persons killed according to areas.
Tropoja 1m.
Rresheni 4[3m.+1f
Tirana 11[2f +6m]
Firi 3 [ 1f +2m]
Korça 2 m
Durres 11[ 1f +10m]
Fush kruja 1[1m]
Kruje 2m
Lezhe 3 m
Vlora 6 m
Skrapar 1m
Kurbini 2m
Gjirokastra 3 m
Elbasan 6m
Pogradec 3 [2m+1f]
Shkodera 6m.
Rrogozhina 1m
Himara 1m
Bulqiza 1m.
Berati 1m.
Diber 1m
JANUARY – DECEMBER 2021
69 persons killed up to 27.12.2021. Of these [57m + 12f]. Within the family 14 [6m + 8f.]
Suicides due to depression from conflicts within and outside the family 63 [49m + 14f].
Isolated 356 families 45 children isolated
Persons killed according to areas.
Tirane. 10 (9 M.+1f]
Durresi 3m.
Fier 6[4m+2f]
Vlore 7m
Gjirokastra 3m
Shkoder12[3f+9m] Kavaje. 1f
Diber 4[1f +3m]
Elbasan 7[6m. +1f]
Tepelene1m
Lushnje 4[3m +1f]
Sarander 1m
Librazhd 1f
Peqin 3m
Korçe 1 m.
Kruje1 f.
Tropoje 1m.
Lezhe 1 m.
The expedition survey on the murder trend in 2005-2009 showed that:
- In 2005 out of 162 victims, 51 murders on revenge-blood feud and 40 murders on honor motives,
- In 2006 out of 121 victims, 49 murders on revenge-blood feud and 36 murders on honor motives,
- In 2007 out of 136 victims, 40 murders on blood feuds and 31 murders on honor motives,
- In 2008 out of 109 victims, 38 murders on revenge-blood feud and 42 murders on honor motives,
- In 2009 out of 113 victims, 36 murders on revenge-blood feud and 39 murders on honor motives,
THIS TREND IN RELATION TO THE NUMBER OF ANNUAL MURDERS HAS CONTINUED ALSO DURING THE LAST DECADE 2010 – 2021.
THE EXPEDITION FOUND THAT:
In March 2022, the number of individuals hidden or immobilized due to blood feuds was 750. The number of children who do not attend school due to blood feud is 147. Of these, 42 have been immobilized and 105 others are hidden with their families in the metropolis. Some of these children hiding in metropolises work to help families provide food and survival. According to the data in Tirana, there are 81 children who do not attend school and 3 are isolated, 52 are in the Bathore area. In Durrës we have 25 children who do not go to school and 8 isolated. The others are in Lezha, Shkodra, Malësia e Madhe, Puka and Kukës.
The number of murders remained constant even during the two years of the pandemic culminating in the first months of 2022 with the murder on blood feud motives of Lek Gjonaj by the 17 year old Florian Përvathi, who was encouraged and educated since childhood with the feeling of revenge for the unjust murder of his father and the death of his mother at the time of this tragic act. Also on February 13, 2022, Prek Tonaj, the last son of the Tonaj family, was killed in Malësia e Madhe. The adoption of the law on severe punishment of murders for blood feuds motives caused that in 2021 these acts become secret and sophisticated on revenge and blood feuds motives, where the victims are Bardhok Pllana, Edmond Koçi, Taulant Beqiraj, Behar Sofia , Shkëlzen Kastrati, Jetmir Bregu etc.
On revenge motives due to conflicts and denunciations, dated 25 November 2021, the bus driver and two students were killed in Deçan, Kosovo. On November 16, 8-year-old Mateo Vasiu was killed and buried by his neighbor Klodian Çalamani. The cause of this murder were the denunciations that the parents of the victim had previously made to the police. On November 14, 2021, Erigers Mihasi and Armando Dumani were killed on revenge motives by the traffickers, as well as dozens of others in the last three months. On May 6, 2021, former police officer Koço Buzo kills his wife Liljana Buzo in front of the court where she was seeking protection and the right to divorce. The same year, Judge Gentiana Muçaj and her husband, prosecutor Arjan Muçaj, were also assassinated in retaliation. In mid-December 2020, Albanians were shocked by the murder of 51-year-old Anton Keli, the son of the sister of the murdered Armando Gjini, after 6 other murders between the tribes for the same blood feud.
Also, on June 10, 2020, Hekuran Billa, who was extradited from England, was killed in a blood feud. On March 2, 2020 Dorjan Shkoza, 25, and Anxhelo Avdija were killed for revenge motives. On February 25, 2020, Fatmir Kolecaj kills in revenge his 36-year-old wife, Esmeralda Filopati, mother of three children, and her brother, Vledison Filopati, 34, in their backyard. Although the victim Esmeralda Filopati had a protection order from the court and the police as in many other cases, there was no way to prevent the murder. Also, under the mentality of revenge, on February 2, 2020, 45 year old Lulzim Cuku kills his wife Manjola Cuku in Durres in the presence of three children. On January 17, 2020, Joan Prenga was taken hostage and killed for revenge motives due to the debts that his brother Jak Prenga owed to third parties. These data have been sufficient for the immigration offices and the western courts to grant the right of asylum to Albanian families who emigrate due to conflicts and enmities.
Western countries have played a very important role in preventing killings by protecting the right to life of Albanian families seeking asylum due to enmity, but some of these countries have unjustly declared Albania a safe country contrary to social reality. The offices and the immigration court have implemented the Recommendation of the Albanian Government no. 1716, dated 29/9/2009, left in force by the Albanian courts and prosecution in 2012 which requires local and international institutions to refer to the Committee for Nationwide Reconciliation for the verification and protection of the right to life of families in enmity in order to to eliminate any ambiguity and fictitious data source by emphasizing that – “The Nationwide Reconciliation Committee provides the necessary expertise to interested local and international institutions at the highest level of representation.”
In periodic reports to the UN, the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs has sought cooperation with the Committee for Nationwide Reconciliation as a key factor in community reconciliation. In the letter of the Minister of Justice, Mr. Ulsi Manja, of February 18, 2022, addressed to Mr. Gjin Marku, Chairman of the Nationwide Reconciliation Committee, states that: “.. Considering the importance of the role of the Nationwide Reconciliation Committee in stopping blood feuds, we welcome any commitment or proposal of yours to review the law on blood feuds and justice reform.” This cooperation has remained unwavering with the representatives of the international community for the protection of families migrating due to blood feuds such as UNFPA, UNHCR, the Council of Europe, the Holy See and representatives of Western governments, USA, Germany, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, England, Austria, Holland, Switzerland, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Italy, Greece, Luxembourg, Australia, Ireland, Iceland, New Zealand, etc.
The cooperation of the expedition with all factors, inside and outside Albania, has made it possible for the number of murders on property conflicts, revenge, blood feuds, honor and trafficking in human beings to fall even during the two years of the pandemic below 50% of the annual average of years 2005-2013. In the period 2005-2013 the number of murders was 135-150 per year, because the Albanian government did not cooperate with the Committee for Nationwide Reconciliation and asked for the dissolution of this committee by tarnishing its image due to the denunciations that this committee made to this government in court of Strasbourg, the Hague tribunal and other international organizations for incrimination in the secret trafficking of weapons and ammunition resulting in mass murder, such as the tragic event of Gerdec. With the overthrow of this government in 2013, the reconciliation expedition cooperated with the Albanian justice authorities to prosecute and bring to justice individuals involved in organized crime and the government to tarnish the image of the Nationwide Reconciliation Committee and hinder the reconciliation process. These facts were also filed in presented in the Memorandum of the Assembly of Missionaries of Reconciliation dated December 28, 2011 sent to the highest institutions of the Albanian state and the International Community: – ON SCENARIOS AND POLITICAL STRUCTURES AGAINST THE COMMITTEE OF NATIONWIDE RECONCILIATION TO HIDE THE REALITY OF BLOOD FEUD AND MURDER ON HONOR MOTIVES, AS WELL AS THE MAFIA RELATIONS WITH THE ALBANIAN STATE: http://www.pajtimi.com/Pajtimi/Memo, This Memo was examined by the Immigration offices in western countries such as USA, Germany, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, England, Austria, Holland, Switzerland, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Italy, Greece, Luxembourg, Australia, Ireland, Iceland , New Zealand etc.
The expedition found out that after these 10 years of denunciations and investigations, the Albanian Court and the prosecution declared wanted all the persons incriminated in the activity against the Committee for Nationwide Reconciliation. With the decision of May 2, 2012 The Tirana Judicial District Prosecutor’s Office discovered false denunciations, scenarios and false fabrications staged by the Albanian state police and reported in the media against the chairman of the Nationwide Reconciliation Committee. The testimonies were fabricated with violence and fraud by state police officers, who were fired. In the decision no. 3621 dt. On October 23, 2015, the Tirana Judicial District Court found that the state police had processed the false witnesses Niko-Kuri and Abdulla Skeja. The Prosecution revealed that the “Skeja Case” was a fake montage of the State Police against Mr. Gjin Marku, chairman of the Nationwide Reconciliation Committee, because the Skeja family turned out to be in multiple blood feuds.
The court found the false witness Ervjon Cara- NIKO KURI guilty of the criminal offense of defamation and insult against the Chairman of the Nationwide Reconciliation Committee and fined him with 200,000 lek.
During the court hearings it was revealed that the false police witness was incriminated in the theft of film materials and sensitive data from the office of the Nationwide Reconciliation Committee in collaboration with journalist Adelajda Xhamani and state police officers in order to expose them in the media and web with fake captions and ordered the initiation of theft investigations. Investigations were closed several times during the years 2016-2020 because the incriminated persons were hiding. With decision no. 1718, dated 27 September 2021, the Tirana Judicial District Court ordered the Tirana Judicial District Prosecutor’s Office to initiate criminal proceedings against the accused Ervjon Cara-Niko Kuri for the criminal offense of theft. The Prosecution of the Tirana Judicial District has started the criminal proceedings and the investigation for the incriminated Ervjon Cara – Niko Kuri as well as other persons who have collaborated with him in these thefts as well to make articles in the media and portals. The father of the incriminated Ervjon Cara – Niko Kuri, Mr. Preng Cara, had denounced to the police and the prosecutor the cooperation in this criminal activity of the representatives of the Ministry of Interior and the police. Nationwide Reconciliation requested a meeting with the owner of Media Grup to inform him about the criminal activity of Ervjon Cara-Niko Kuri in collaboration with this journalist. The disappearance of the perpetrators of this activity against the reconciliation process and the mysterious death of the collaborating journalist Adelajda Xhamani has forced the Committee to request investigations for covert terrorist financing against this criminal organization which aimed to abandon the reconciliation process and incite blood feuds.
The expedition found that other representatives of pseudo-societies and “reconciliation missions” were involved in the reconciliation process. Reconciliation missionaries are committed to resolving these conflicts as the only institution trusted by the citizens and the government of the National Renaissance. This faith comes from the honest volunteer work of these missionaries. The involvement of state offices, individuals and fake organizations in the affair to raise funds on behalf of blood feud families has been a constant concern for the expedition and the assembly of reconciliation missionaries because none of these projects and funds have served the reconciliation process or families in need. Although the donations exceed the figure of 100 million dollars, no family in blood feud has benefited from them. The expedition found that the Albanian Prosecution has received denunciations from isolated families that in support of this criminal activity against the reconciliation process are included and other individuals who have endangered them with fraud presented in media as “representatives of associations” and “reconciliation missions”.
The expedition found out that reconfirmed that out of 350 thousand files with sharp conflicts that are in the Albanian courts, 40% of the parties to the conflict have withdrawn to resolve the issue with self-judgment. For the resolution of these conflicts, the missionaries of traditional reconciliation are engaged as the only institution trusted by the citizens and the government of the National Renaissance. This belief comes as a result of the honest volunteer activity of these missionaries. The involvement of state offices, individuals and fake organizations in the affair to raise funds on behalf of blood feud families has been a constant concern for the expedition and the assembly of reconciliation missionaries because none of these projects and funds have served the reconciliation process or families in need. Although the sums given by the donors exceed the figure of 100 million dollars, no family in blood feud has benefited even a single cent from these funds.
The expedition found that despite the efforts of the Albanian government, the Albanian population of rural areas and urban suburbs is in a state of backwardness due to the difficulties accumulated in the 30 years of transition. This poverty has led to conflicts within the family resulting in the rape of women, girls and children. Women and children in these areas live in unacceptable conditions for a normal life. In stark contrast to tradition and the Kanun, barbaric crimes against women and girls are committed in the name of honor. The Albanian people are cultivating in a distorted way the patriarchal mentality in the family and the tradition of male domination in society, which has hindered the development and aggravated the lives of women, girls and children. The Government of the National Renaissance has set an example of responsibility by approaching in government, police and public administration over 50% women and girls. This example of responsibility has not become a permanent action to turn it into a national culture. The expedition reconfirmed that the degeneration of state institutions and the justice system under the control of political parties turned into private property of the leader and a group of businessmen around him has destroyed the citizens’ trust in the rule of law, has created a big difference between the people who are found on the brink of extreme poverty and a group of rich people who have a monopoly on the politics, the state, the market and the natural resources of the country. 60% of the population does not go to the polls because they are convinced that the state and political parties do not belong to them but are private property of their leaders and families. To help improve the difficult situation that Albanian society is going through, the expedition asked the data should be sent to the Speaker of the Parliament, the President, the Prime Minister and the deputies of the Albanian Parliament, expressing the readiness of the reconciliation missionaries who at any moment will find cooperation for the establishment of peace in the communities where they carry out their activities.
Adopted and proclaimed by the National Assembly of Missionaries of Reconciliation on April 21, 2022.
Secretary General of the Assembly
Sali Gera
Chairman of the Committee of Nationwide Reconciliation
Gjin Marku