By Dalip Greca
Memorie.al / Shaqir Gashi, one of the early activists of the Albanian cause in the USA, sheds light on the first visit of Congressman Tom Lantos to Kosovo and Albania, the congressman who worked hard for the cause of Kosovo, but who was not lucky enough to enjoy the declaration of its independence, together with the Albanians, who feel indebted to him. Gashi says that he met Tom Lantos under these circumstances: It was 1987. At that time, Shaqir Gashi had just met Congressman Joseph DioGuardi. One autumn day in 1987, Congressman DioGuardi called Gashi and asked him if he was willing to go to a meeting with a well-known and influential congressman in Congress, who had expressed interest in getting to know the Albanians.
Gashi remembers that he went with three of his friends from Manhattan to Yonkers, where the meeting was taking place. The Congressman from California had listened attentively to the Albanian speakers. Gashi remembers that not all Albanians were of one mind at that meeting about resolving the issue that was troubling the nation. One group insisted on the congressman that something be done by America for Albania, which was going through very difficult times under the communist regime. The other group, which included Gashi, showed urgency about the issue of Kosovo. He remembers today that he had told the congressman that; “Albania is indeed isolated, it has poverty and great problems, but it is a state of its own and they have themselves to blame for not overthrowing communism. The most urgent problem is the population of 2 million Albanians in Kosovo, where human rights are violated. Kosovo is occupied and the population is going through tragic moments”.
The congressman had said that this was a problem that had to be followed because he had also received information from Joseph DioGuardi. Mr. Lantosh, speaking for “Voice of America”, after speaking about the problems that were troubling Albanians, added: “Look at what wonderful conditions America offers. It turns immigrants from nothing into many. Here is Mr. Gashi who came to America and worked as a dishwasher, while today he is a restaurant owner and thinks of helping the country he came from. This is the America of immigrants”. Lantos expressed his desire to visit Tirana. At the Yonkers meeting, Congressman Lantos addressed Shaqir Gashi: – “You loved Albania very much”.
– “Yes, he returns it, I love both Albania and Kosovo”.
– “Okay, I want my foot to step on the boulevard of Tirana”
– “This request came as a surprise to me, and how I felt about it,” Shaqiri tells “Illyria.”
He remembers that his friends who were there later told him that his face had turned red. The congressman had read the concern in his own way and had said: – “I will go there as a friend, not in any other way.” Shaqir Gashi had very good relations with the Albanian Mission to the United Nations, he went in and out there. “In my way, I respected the people and not the communist state. The congressman’s desire seemed natural to me and I thought it would not be difficult for his visit to be realized.” He had thought so because he had established bridges of communication with the Mission, he went there with other activists on holidays, films and other activities were shown. In these conditions of friendship with the Mission, he had thought the congressman’s visit easy and had given his word there in the meeting that he would realize his visit to Tirana.
And he gives the floor: “Your foot will be the first from America to set foot in Tirana and I will start preparations today”. From that day on, Shaqir Gashi goes to the Mission and presents Congressman Lantosh’s request to them. They greeted him with kind words: “Okay comrade Gashi, definitely comrade Gashi…”, but time passed and nothing concrete from the Mission…! The then ambassador, Bashkim Pitarka, had told him that they were dealing with that problem, not to get upset.
Organization of the Albanian lobby
Meanwhile, the Albanian factor began to organize itself. The Albanian-American Civic League was created, where Shaqir Gashi was one of its founders. He insists on his opinion that the League has its own merit in organizing the Albanian factor and no one can take away those merits. Meetings with American politicians began. There are six people who have founded what he calls the Albanian lobby. Among them: Xhim Xhema, Sami Repishti, Joe DioGuardi, Shaqir Gashi, Bruno Selimaj, Sejdi Bityçi and Din Derti. These were the founders, while others joined later.
Tom Lantos’ visit to Kosovo and Albania
Shaqir Gashi was the mediator of the visit that would take place in Albania. Three years, he recalls, it took him to realize the visit of a high-ranking personality of American politics in Tirana. David Philips worked in the office of Congressman Lantos. Mr. Gashi maintained connections with him. He informed the Congressman’s office through correspondence about every signal that came from Tirana through the Albanian Mission. Finally, a letter arrived, officially accepting the visit, but which was not conceived as an official invitation. The invitation letter did not take into account the format of the congressman, his rank. It read; “Since you have expressed your desire to visit Albania, order and visit it”!.
Gashi did not give much importance to the letter, but still took it to Mr. Philips, who was outraged by the way it was written and stated that it was not an official invitation. “This is a game. You cannot make such an invitation to one of the most famous congressmen in America, just to make fun of it. The letter must be written officially and the invitation must be clearly defined, where the desire to make changes and establish relations with America is also expressed”, – Phillips had said.
Shaqir Gashi remembers feeling in a difficult position. He had remained between the two parties without fulfilling his commitment that Lantosh’s foot would step on the boulevard of Tirana. He notified the Mission, but Ambassador Pitarka was no longer feeling well. He reported to Tirana where Rexhe Xhakli had gone to see his mother after 40 years of separation, but nothing changed. After a while, they brought him another letter, but it was exactly like the first one. Gashi made a modification to this letter and sent it by fax. The congressman’s office received it and replied by fax: We accept the invitation. We will soon determine the date of the visit. The game worked. The project was made, first Kosovo, Montenegro would be visited and then Albania would be visited.
They first set off for the former Yugoslavia to see the violation of Albanian rights. At that time, the Albanian-American Civic League had its own radio station. On the day that the congressman’s delegation accompanied by DioGuardi was staying in Belgrade, Shaqir Gashi was interviewing Adem Demaçi, the Albanian Mandela, who had just been released from prison, on the League’s Radio. DioGuardi was leading the program from a hotel in Belgrade, Shaqir Gashi was in New York, while Adem Demaçi was in Pristina, and the interview was conducted in three parts. Dioguardi drew attention with his speech when he announced that this show was special, that it was being broadcast in the center of Belgrade and that Serbia was being warned that it was violating Albanian rights, and for this purpose Tom Lantos had taken the road himself to see the problems for himself and would go to Kosovo and from Kosovo he would visit Albania. Adem Demaçi from Pristina spoke about the Albanians of America. It was a very special show, Gashi remembers, emotional.
From New York to Tirana
Shaqir Gashi remembers that before leaving for Tirana, where he would meet with the rest of the delegation that would come from Kosovo, he met Bruno Selimaj, who had visited Tirana before him, and asked him if it was necessary to obtain visas to go to Tirana. He advised him to consult with the Albanian Mission. Gashi called Ambassador Bashkim Pitarka and asked him how he should proceed to visit Tirana, because he would be there with Tom Lantos, who had left from Kosovo. Pitarka advised him: Mr. Gashi; “you don’t need to go to Tirana! We will take you back with a group of Albanians, there’s no need to rush now”. Gashi felt upset that he had prepared for that visit all the more, because he had given the floor to Congressman Lantos.
What should he do? He calls DioGuardi in Belgrade, who was still there with Tom Lantos. He explains the new circumstances and apologizes for not being able to keep his word because they didn’t give him a visa. From there, DioGuardi calls Tirana. As he later learns, DioGuardi had spoken to Ramiz Ali. Tirana calls the Mission and orders them to urgently provide Gashi with a visa. He joins Bruno Selimaj and Din Derti and they leave. When they get to Zurich, they meet Hysen Gërvalla, Jusuf Gërvalla’s brother, who, upon learning of their mission to Tirana, asks to accompany them.
When did they kiss the soil of the Mother State?
They took Hysen Gërvalla with them and continued their journey on the Zurich-Tirana route. When they arrived in Tirana, Din Derti, who had not seen Albania for many years, knelt down and tearfully kissed the ground. The others, after Din, did the same. They were received with great honor in Albania. Shaqiri remembers that they had brought ten new Mercedes cars that had just been purchased. One Mercedes was ordered for Mr. Gashi himself, who when he talks about it now laughs at the pomp with which communist Albania welcomed him. One Mercedes was for Tom Lantosh. From the airport, they were taken to the Dajti Hotel, which at that time was the most modern and was reserved especially for foreigners. “I couldn’t believe I was in Tirana, and I stayed up all night,” Shaqiri recalls. Tom Lantosh had been placed in Enver Hoxha’s villa. Shaqiri remembers that for the first time he saw the villas of the communist rulers, where Tom Lantosh was vacationing with Mrs. Anette and Mr. DioGuardi. The visits continued to historical and touristic places; they took him to Kruja, Berat and other places. Gashi remembers that one of the companions who was in the black “Benzin”, had asked him while showing him the view full of bunkers beyond the car window: “What do you think of these bunkers of ours, comrade Gashi”? He did not answer at first. He had thought about it. After a silence of a few seconds, the companion asked again: Tell the truth as you feel it! – “It is easy for me to tell the truth,” He replied: – If you had made these roads better, because there are potholes where you could break your neck, you would have been more successful, or at least if you had made them houses for the people”.
Provocation at the University of Tirana
Tom Lantosh was very well received by the government officials. During the days of his visit, Ramiz Alia had also handed him the file of documents on the rescue of Jews in Albania during the Holocaust. After the tourist visits to the castle and museum, a visit to the University of Tirana was booked. “Tom Lantosh was well received at the University as well,” recalls Gashi. He calmly conveyed everything, including Ramiz Alia’s twists and turns, the praise of the professors, and the pledges of some students who had chosen them to meet with the congressman. But one day a girl who spoke English well stood up and said to him: “There are some signs that show that we will establish relations with America. One of these signs is your visit here. I have a request, she says: Don’t show us the flower in front and the knife behind our backs”!
An icy silence had fallen. The congressman’s face had turned crimson. It was clear that he was touched. “We saw everyone who was touched. It seemed like an open provocation,” says Gashi. The congressman had turned to the student and said: “Listen, miss, we are establishing relations between Albania and America, we have nothing to do with knives, from us you only have flowers, before and after. If relations are established, we just tell you to move forward!” After that, other meetings and visits took place. They were taken to performances and concerts.
Meeting with Nexhmije Hoxha
Before leaving, they were divided into two groups. One group would go to meet Ramiz Alia, the other would be received by Nexhmije Hoxha. The group that would go to Nexhmije was led by Shaqir Gashi. This group also included Bruno Selimaj with Rexhë Xhakli, while Din Derti did not shoot there because he had gone to visit his own people, since he had never seen them before. Shaqir Gashi remembers that they went to Nexhmije Hoxha’s house and does not forget a strange photojournalist, who was constantly taking pictures with a camera. Enver’s children also went to the meetings: Sokoli, Iliri, Pranvera, the sons’ daughters-in-law. Great hospitality, says Gashi. It seemed that water had entered under them, but we still did not feel it, says Gashi. Nexhmije, in the course of the conversation, tells them that Enver loved Kosovo and the Kosovars very much.
– “The Kosovars loved Enver too,” – Gashi replied. “We in Kosovo could spend 60 days in prison if we were caught listening to a song from Albania. We came here from America to promote Albanian-American relations as quickly as possible, because the sooner Albania becomes friends with America, the easier it will be for Kosovo. The speed of establishing these relations also has to do with Kosovo, which is being weighed down by the Serbian circle around its neck,” Gashi concluded.
The dictator’s widow still had not given up on communist ideology. She had pointed out that Albania, which had a population of 1 million before the war, had grown to 3 million under the leadership of Comrade Enver. “We have established relations with many friends,” she said, “but they turned their backs on us. Now we understand that other times are coming and the youth are seeking to connect with Western countries, and of course with America. We cannot prevent it…”! So, her insinuation was that there was no other way. Rexhë Xhakli intervenes and tells her that it was rumored that her legs had been broken, is this true? She immediately replied: – “These are rumors that are spreading to reduce our authority…”! Shaqir Gashi remembers that they were also taken to Durrës, to King Zog’s Villa.
Gashi remembers: “When we entered there, we saw a miracle. The entire communist leadership was there to welcome Congressman Lantosh, even Ramiz Alia and Adil Çarçani, the Prime Minister. No one was missing”. Gashi remembers a fragment of a conversation with Adil Çarçani, who tells him with pride: “We haven’t touched anything in this King’s villa”! – “I’m glad that Zog had taste to furnish it so beautifully 60 years ago…”!
Strange gifts for Congressman Lantosh
The visit, which had been considered successful, had come to an end. Since that day, the ice between the two countries was considered to have melted, and after that visit, another large team went, which included many Albanian-Americans, who established relations between the two countries. Gashi remembers that the gifts they had given them were strange. They had loaded him down with a bag full of books by Enver Hoxha. – “Okay for me,” says Gashi, “but I can’t imagine why they chose two tambourines, a type of tambourine, and gave them to the congressman.”
Regarding this, Gashi says: “The congressman was looking at them in surprise and was not speaking, nor was he taking them…! So as not to offend the congressman, because in fact they are musical instruments mainly for the Roma, who have the skills, they had collected them with some newspapers, which looked no worse”! Gashi had not been happy about that kind of gift, but had tried to create another situation. He had told the congressman that they were ancient Illyrian instruments, which have a lot of historical value because they testify to the ancient culture of the Illyrian nation. After the congressman heard this explanation, with a slight smile he turned to Gashi: “Since they are so important and you know their value, I want to give them to you”. Shaqir Gashi had been waiting for this, to take those meaningless gifts from the congressman’s hands because he was feeling ashamed. – “I still have one tambourine at home”, says Gashi…! Memorie.al
