By Dashnor Kaloçi
Second part
Memorie.al / In the first part of this article published in the previous issue, through some archival documents issued by the Central State Archive and that of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (already declassified and part of the fund of the Information Authority) of Documents of the former State Security), we got to know some relations and information reports of the State Security, related to the event of May 24, 1975, where Halim was found hanging in his cell in Burrel prison Xhelo Koçiu, the former general of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, who served his sentence in that prison, since 1966, (when he held the position of Director of Army Security in the Ministry of People’s Defense and at the same time Deputy Minister of the Interior and Deputy /Director of State Security), after an anonymous letter he wrote to Enver Hoxha, where, in addition to the problem of removing ranks in the Army and the Ministry of the Interior, in the said letter, he criticized the wrong line being followed by the leadership of the head of the PPSh and, personally, Enver Hoxha, copying the Chinese model in every aspect of life and in all fields, which had caused the Albanian people, and in particular the cooperative peasantry, to sink into deep misery.
The rebel general’s file was brought “on stage” and reopened in 1982, (immediately after the arrest of Minister Kadri Hazbiu and his deputy, Feçor Shehu), by the Director of State Security, Zylyftar Ramizi, who simultaneously he was also the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, in order to re-investigate the death of Halim Xhelos, in the Burrel prison. This, because they suspected that it was not a suicide, but that they had physically eliminated her, by order of Kadri Hazbiu and Feçor Shehu, so that he (Halimi) would not speak and reveal the secrets of the State Security and at the same time, not to speak against Beqir Balluk, (former Minister of People’s Defense, member of the Political Bureau and first deputy prime minister in Mehmet Shehu’s cabinet), who had just been arrested at that time, accused as: “the head of the Group putschist in the Army”), since Balluku had been the man who had encouraged General Halim Xhelo to write the anonymous letter addressed to Enver Hoxha.
In this framework, i.e. that of the collection of evidence and archival documents of the “hostile activity” of Kadri Hazbi and his deputy, Feçor Shehu, in 1982, the Director of State Security, Zylyftar Ramizi, (who headed the group “for the identification of uncovering the hostile activity of Kadri Hazbiu’s group”), presents to his superior, the minister, Hekuran Isaj, a series of documents from the “Halim Xhelo” file, accusing the former minister Hazbiu of having supported and held those high positions , Halim Xhelon.
In addition to those documents, where the circumstances of his death in Burrel prison are analyzed (which we published in the previous issue), for the “hostile activity” of Kadri Hazbi, documents were requested that belonged to an earlier time, such as were those of 1950 and following, when he was notified several times, with different letters, about his subordinate, Halim Xhelo, (at the time Halimi held the position of head of the Department of Internal Affairs of Tirana), accusing him that, that; had softened the class war, eating lunch and dinner with the kulak families of his village Dukat in Vlora, as well as having close relations with his family, and his father, Xhelo Koçiu, former exponent of the “National Party” during during the War, who in 1950, escaped from Albania, with the help of the Americans, who pulled him with a sea vessel, somewhere on the shores of Karaburun. Regarding these and others, we will get to know the archival documents that we are publishing in this second part of this article (along with the corresponding facsimiles), which are published for the first time and exclusively by Memorie.al
THE DOCUMENT WITH THE RELATIONSHIP DIRECTED TO THE APPARATUS OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF ALP, REGARDING THE LETTER OF AXHEM XHELILAJ FROM THE VILLAGE DUKAT, IN WHICH HE RAISED THE PROBLEM OF MITIGATING THE CLASS WAR BY GENERAL HALIM XHELO, WHO WENT TO LUNCH AND DINNER OF KULAK FAMILIES IN DUKAT AND HE HAD A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS FATHER, XHELO KOCIU, FORMER BALLIST
R E L A T I O N
On some issues of Comrade Halim Xhelo
On some attitudes not in the way of the Party, which have been noticed in Comrade Halim Xhelo.
The Political Bureau had received a letter from the party member, Axhem Xhelili, and on this matter, the Central Committee had addressed a communication from the Party Committee of the Vlora district, and at the conference of the Party of the Vlora district, in May of 1953, the secretary of the basic organization of the village of Dukat, raised Halim’s departure to the kulaks. In order to better clarify this issue, a friend of the Directorate of Organization was sent to the country, where in talks with the communists of the village and in the meetings of the basic organization, the following things came up:
During the National Liberation War, my friend Halim threw himself into the war against the fascists and traitors of the country from the very beginning, while his father fought against us as a ballistician, so much so that in one battle (in the war of Dukat), they fought against each other the other.
As soon as the country was freed, father and son got closer and started going as before. At this time, Halim got married and went to his parents in Dukat, with his entire wife. On the other hand, Halim’s house in Tirana, which has turned into a base, where Halim’s parents and his reactionary clan found shelter. Halim was always sent tins of butter, cheese, etc. by his parents.
Halimi also used to send various items and furniture to his parents in Dukat. Thus the relations of comrade Halim Xhelo, with his father, an enemy and agent of imperialism, have been getting thicker and towards this father, Halim had a strange consideration, he used to ride with him in his car and they traveled together Dukat-Tirana, etc. It is clear that, with the end of the War, for Halim Xhelo, the war against the enemy elements of his family and tribe also ends. He, on the other hand, begins a close family life and falls completely into their lap. There are plenty of reasons to believe that such support, from Halim Xheloja, his own son, was prepared with hostile intentions and this was proven with his (Halim’s father’s) escape.
In 1949, at the moment of that night, when Halim’s father escaped, Halim found himself at home, in Dukat. After he received an answer that his father was toast, he worriedly went down to the mansions of the Dukat field, where he did not find him, and from there, he goes to Vlora, to call his wife in Tirana, if his father had gone there and after realizing that, he had escaped, they fainted. Being impressed by this act of Halim, some friends of the village expressed doubts about Halim’s going to Dukat, exactly at that time, when his father escaped, even as the party member, Ismail Feruni said, when Xhelo Koçiu, ( Halim’s father), came out of the house and took the road downstairs, Halim went up to the house, from another road.
THE DOCUMENT WITH THE LETTER OF AXHEM XHELILAJ FROM THE VILLAGE DUKAT I VLORA, SENT TO THE DEPUTY MINISTER, COLONEL KADRI HAZBIUT IN THE YEAR 1952, CONCERNING THE HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS OF TIRANA, HALIM XHELON, WHO HAD REDUCED THE CLASS WAR AND WAS GOING VERY WELL. WITH HIS FATHER, XHELO KOCIU, FORMER BALLIST AND ALL HIS FAMILY
COMRADE COLONEL KADRI HAZBIU
On the occasion of this letter, I bring you my greetings and I wish you to be well as a family, as well as I is.
Comrade Kadri, I’m sorry for bothering you with this letter, because you have other state problems, but I think I will help you with this letter. At the beginning of July, Comrade Halim Xhelo, head of the Internal Affairs Branch of Tirana, sent his wife, Vitora, his sister and brother to stay in Dukat, who stayed until August 2. Halim came and took them. Halimi came to pick them up on August 9, Saturday, on Sunday, August 10; Halimi had lunch with the kulaks, Hariz Nelay and Muharrem Koçi, as well as Ismail Halili, his uncle considered an enemy, he also sent his car to the latter and brought him home.
Similarly, Vitoria, Halim’s friend, during the time she stayed in Dukat, she stayed in the house of the kulaks and enemies, day and night, in succession, on Sunday the 10th, at Halim’s, there was also N/Colonel Petrit Hakani , where I also went, because I had information to give to Petrit, where I also fell into this trap and ate bread with the kulaks, which I cannot justify, whatever my reasons may be, well, the feast continues, dinner was eaten at Harizi’s, and lunch the next day at Ismaili’s, among the enemies and the kulaks, a few days ago, Halim’s wife had asked Petriti for the “Jeep” and Petriti sent the “Jeep”, where in “Chips” of Dega, the kulak Muharrem Koçiu is also accompanied, from Dukat to Vlora, and from Vlora to Dukat.
Together with Petrit, from Himara’s party, one day with Vitorja, we were talking under the shade of the maple tree in Dukat and we were talking about the work of the kulaks, but Vitorja told me that; they have been called kulaks and enemies without right, and that Dukat’s basic organization does not look at this matter correctly, on Sunday, the 10th, the fugitive’s brother, Ahmet Belushi, came to Halimi and met with Halimi at home, who is described as kulak, (enemy) and here Halim’s attitude was that of a host. Comrade Kadri, the chairman of the Council of Power, Mislli Kali, AP., the member of the Council, Thoma Kosta, the prosecutor of the village, Daut Vangjeli, the latter, without a party, also participated in this dinner and dave, due to the influence of Halimi.
This issue has put the organization of the Dukat Party in difficulty, on the position they should have on the enemies and the kulaks, thinking that a member of the Bureau of the district of Tirana, comes and stays with the kulaks and on the other hand, the head of the Branch of Tirana, a state functionary, as well as the people of Dukat, on this occasion, think differently and whisper, that; Allegedly, the communists of the village did not look at the issues correctly, because the Halimi path was left. Comrade Kadri, I’m sorry that maybe I’m hindering you in the most serious work, but, for the sake of the party, I’m informing you with this letter and I’m asking you to look seriously, that other, even bigger things may come out. You know that Halimi had a very close association with Sali Ormëni, when they were together in the 5th Assault Brigade during the National Liberation War. I take personal responsibility for everything I have written.
I hug you longingly from afar, A.P.P.Sh.
Axem Xhelilaj
Dukat, 16.8.1952
THE DOCUMENT WITH THE LETTER OF SALI PETROSHATI FROM THE DUTY OF VLORA, ADDRESSED TO THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF INTERIOR AFFAIRS, GENERAL KADRI HAZBIUT, REGARDING THE CHIEF OF THE INTERIOR AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT OF TIRANA, HALIM JHELON, WHO HAD RELEASED THE CLASS WAR AND WAS GOING TO LUNCH DINNER, AT THE KULAK FAMILIES OF DUKAT VILLAGE
Dear friend Kadri
First of all, please accept my apologies, I pray that you enjoy good health, and I am fine. I’m sorry, friend Kadri, if I don’t bother you with this letter, because I know and understand that the function you have is so important and delicate that time never allows you to answer them all friends who can write to you, especially about private work, but I, recognizing your modesty and love for your friends, took the initiative to write to you, not about my personal work, which I don’t even think fair nor honest on my part, but I myself took the initiative, through these few lines, to point out to you, as a leader and with competences, as far as I am writing, this information, in my opinion, apparently, it is for the benefit of the Party, for which, who more and who less, we have fought and will fight until the last point, for its protection.
Here I mean that a few days ago, friend Halim Xhelo, currently the head of the Tirana Internal Affairs Branch, had come to Dukat with permission, this friend, although he had not come for three years, did not come to lament the problem with the people, fakir fukara, with that people who yesterday, was in power and forced under the yoke of Molla Azemi and Xhelo Koçi, put up barricades against the partisans, of the National Liberation Movement, and today under the banner of the Party and Comrade Enver, took a breath freely, but I go to parties with Muharrem Koçiu, Ariz Saliu and Ismail Halili, his uncles and henchmen, who do not enjoy the trisca of the front, because they are sworn enemies of the Party and our power, and even worse, with friend Halim’s car, these elements were transported.
Such an action by Comrade Halim has not made a good impression and the kulak and anti-power elements have grown a nose. In this case, Comrade Kadri, some friends of the Party in Dukat, especially those I talked to, told me that; what is the work that we will do with these people, I answered you according to the capacity, that you; you must follow the Party line and this matter, I pointed it out to the Party Committee and indeed, it has been pointed out.
To me, Comrade Kadri, it does not seem right at all, such a way of acting, like that of Comrade Halim, who is a man with responsibility, is neither right nor permissible, to ask about the mission, or any authorization that Comrade Halim may have had, but I do not believe it, and I am not convinced that he had any such mission, the Party, with reactionary elements, has blunt calculations, and there is no reason to be opportunistic. Their dinners and lunches, for us who belong to the Party and the Government and for the general public, are poison. Do you know, like friend Halim, he acted in that way?!
This is what Comrade Halim wrote to me in a letter, a letter that I have, written from Pristina, on December 26, 1944 (write to us about the situation in Dukat and especially the reactionaries, Mustafaj, Maliq, Mulla Azemit, Ismail Halil, Hamdi Gjonit, etc. .), like Ismail Halili, then he was an enemy, and even today, he doesn’t even have the front lines, he has become a friend! I, my friend Kadri, will not linger any longer, you can see this issue yourself, I just took the courage to point it out to you.
15.7.1952 Greetings and hugs
Sali Petroshati
THE DOCUMENT WITH THE SECOND LETTER OF SALI PETROSHAT FROM THE DUTY OF VLORA, ADDRESSED TO THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF INTERIOR AFFAIRS, GENERAL KADRI HAZBIUT, REGARDING THE CHIEF OF THE INTERIOR AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT OF TIRANA, HALIM JHELON, WHO HAD REDUCED THE CLASS WAR AND HAD GAVE APPROVAL TO HIS SISTER’S ENGAGEMENT. WITH AN ENEMY OF PEOPLE POWER
Dear Comrade General
We are glad that you are well and healthy as a family, it is the second letter that I am sending you, but each of these has its own meaning, although they are aimed at a person who continues to make mistakes and that these should be signaled to the leadership, to examine whether they are right or not. Here I mean that during these two days, there in Tirana, the sister of friend Halim Xhelo got engaged and with whom? With the son of Foto Stefanit (Vitos from Dukati). What is Foto Vitua?
This is one of the exponents and number one enemy of the Power and the Party. He, at the time when the sons of the people, gave their lives in the war against the enemies and traitors of the country, together with the traitors, Malik Hoshena and Molla Azemi, led the wrong people of Dukat, forming brigades and fighting with the greatest severity, the brave fighters of the National Liberation War, he is one of the main elements who had set up checkpoints, to rob the people of the coastal province, when they were circulating, for these actions, he has been in prison for a year.
With the liberation of Albania, but not making sound accusations on the part of the interested party, he was released from prison, he was a teacher and still moving his tail, he was excluded from this mission as an undesirable element, he is finally known as ballistic element number one and for this reason, from Dukat’s territory, he was not given the front trisca, despite the fact that with someone’s intervention, he took it to the other wing.
All these facts, comrade general, make Vito Stefani’s ballistic type bare. Now the question arises; like Comrade Halim Xhelo, a man with a position in the Party and in Power, to do such an action, I cannot answer this question, except that you are in the leadership and judge these issues better. It can be claimed by him, that she has personal autonomy, in the form of legal provisions, and can marry whomever she can, we agree, but he had two complete reasons, which could destroy her from this responsibility that falls to her.
1). He could easily tell her that, if she loves me as a brother, she should listen and marry a person who, not only deserves, but should be in our power and 2) If she didn’t obey, he could drive him out of the house and send him to his uncles, who do not have the throne, because they are called kulaks and are of the same mold as Foton, but not in his house, to become the center of the Da’vet, of the elements of undesirable.
The ground in Dukat, the comrades of the Party and Power, of mass organizations and all of us, we do not expect this activity well, due to the fact that we are trying to fill the minds of all elements from the people, who in time, the girls or their sisters, they have betrothed to the kulaks or other undesirable elements so that they don’t give it to them and to some extent, our word has been concretized, as the Party and Power teaches us.
But now, what is the agitation that we do with such elements, while they try to stop us from such actions, while there is a friend in the leadership, like Halimi, who has acted contrary to these Principles?! Comrade General, I judge the matter in a shorter prism, and that is precisely why I am referring to you, but it seems to me that it is not at all right, that the Party’s line is one for everyone, whatever his positions in power and in the Party. That’s why I signal you to watch it. Memorie.al
Vlora, on 28.3.1953
I’m left with social hugs.
Salo Petroshati
