Dashnor Kaloçi
The first part
Memorie.al publishes some archival documents labeled “Sekret”, extracted from the Central State Archive in Tirana, (the fund of the former PPSh Central Committee) which belong to the year 1970, where there is a correspondence between the ambassador Albanian in Paris, Javer Malo and the Central Committee of PPSh, and personally the head of the Foreign sector at that apparatus, Behar Shtylla, regarding the Kosovar immigrant, Rexhep Dashi, originally from the village of Stagovë near Kaçanik, who in August in 1969, together with another Kosovar immigrant, Adem Butrika, he had gone several times to the Albanian diplomatic mission in Paris, where after many meetings and conversations with its officials, such as Stiliano Sallabanda, (who covered consular problems) Skënder Backa, (secretary) the head of that embassy, which covered the Secret Foreign Intelligence Service), Harrilla Kola, etc., Rexhepi had conflicted with them and then, he had delivered to them a long letter addressed to Enver Hoxha.
The document of the Kosovar immigrant Rexhep Dashi, addressed to the first secretary of the PPS Central Committee, Enver Hoxha, where he makes a brief biography of his life, starting from 1953, he and his wife, in an attempt to escape from Yugoslavia to Albania, he was arrested by the Yugoslav border guards, in the Shkodra lake area, Rexhepi had shot at them, wounding the UDB spy, Martin Debrikevič, and as a result, he was sentenced to two years in prison.
Then, following his letter to Enver Hoxha, the Kosovar immigrant, Rexhep Dashi, tells how he was arrested the second time, in August 1958, by the UDB bodies, after he was distributing some posters with patriotic in Kosovo, as well as trying to discover a Yugoslav-Russian military base, in the Macedonian territory, where he was handcuffed by the relevant bodies of the Macedonian Internal Affairs, in the area called “Arapska Kala”, in Skopje, being sentenced to three years in prison, after he was kept in the investigator’s cell, where he was tortured.
After making a brief resume of his activity as a patriot, the Kosovar immigrant, Rexhep Dashi, following the letter addressed to Enver Hoxha, describes in detail all the meetings he had near the Albanian embassy in Paris since 1969. , when he had first arrived in France after being able to escape from Yugoslavia, where its authorities, not only did not help him with the requests he submitted, but treated him very badly, denigrating him and not they did not fulfill any of what he is asking for, starting from giving passports to him and other family members, to come permanently to Albania, etc.
The letter with the report-information of the Albanian ambassador in France, Javer Malo, sent to the Central Committee of PPSh and personally to the head of the foreign sector, Behar Shtylla, regarding the Kosovar Rexhep Dashi, who had gone several times to the Albanian diplomatic representation in Paris and had accused its holders as traitors!
Embassy of the Republic of Albania in France
131 Rue de la Pompe Paris 16
Phone 553-51-32
No. 7
Paris on 4.3.1970
CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF ALP
(Comrade Behar Shtylla)
Tirana
In August of last year, the Kosovar Rexhep Dashi came to the embassy together with the Kosovar Adem Butrika, with whom the friends here have had several contacts, recognizing him as a person with a good attitude.
They were received by Comrade Stiliano Sallabanda who deals with consular affairs. In this case, Rexhepi asked for a passport to come permanently to Albania, together with his family.
He had his family in Yugoslavia and he wanted to bring them illegally from there. He also asked to be given money immediately for him, to live, as well as to waive the travel expenses for him and his family.
Comrade Stiliano took the position that we usually take when Kosovars make such requests. In the first days of November, Rexhepi came back to the embassy, where he delivered to his friend Stiliano, in an open and unwritten envelope, a letter to the official. When Rexhepi left, friend Stiliano, instead of handing over the letter, opened it and read it.
Actually, it was not addressed to the title holder but to friend Enver. Seeing that in the letter, there were defamations against him (Stilianos), revolted by this and because he did not know the rules for such cases, he made underlines and notes on the letter. Then, without informing the owner, he handed it over to his friend Skënder Backa.
Serveti pointed out to his friend Stiliano that he had acted wrongly by making notes on the paper and explained to him not to worry about slander, but the latter did not inform the titleholder either. He informed her only in the last days of December, when he returned from Albania, where he had gone on service.
And the letter itself was handed over to the owner at the moment when friend Kleanth Andoni took over the work. Towards the end of December 1969, Rexhep Dashi came back to the embassy where he was welcomed by Comrade Harilla Kola, he not only repeated the slander he had written in the letter, but went even further, accusing Comrade Stiliano and our ambassador of treason in Rome.
Comrade Harrilla, stood up to him and immediately informed the holder. The incumbent ordered him and the other friends of the embassy not to wait for Rexhep Dashi at the embassy. He came once more, but was chased away by friend Stiliano.
After that, this person did not come to us again, but, from the data we have from two sources, it turns out that he spread the above-mentioned slanders to other Kosovars who are here. Recently, he left for Yugoslavia.
As we speak, this person is crazy, but, on the other hand, it is not excluded that he is a provocateur who slanders in this way, spreading distrust towards our cadres among naive Kosovars.
These notes, which were made according to the explanations given by the comrades themselves, are intended to explain why this letter was delayed.
It would have been a simple matter for the letter to be immediately delivered to the addressee and from him, sent to the destination, with a short note to show that we were dealing with a provocation.
Our opinion is that the letter was kept by Comrade Servet Backa and read by Comrade Stiliano Sallabanda out of reluctance and their mistaken opinion that not defaming a provocateur could harm Stiliano.
A position was taken on this matter and the comrades were clarified so that they would not be disturbed by the slanders of the enemies. To them, I pointed out that their action was wrong and that the path they followed with the letter was crooked.
Ambassador
(Javer Malo)
The letter of the Kosovar emigrant in France, Rexhep Dashi, sent to the first secretary of the Central Committee of PPSh, Enver Hoxha, where he informs him about his past as a patriot, and his conflicts with the Albanian embassy in Paris, which did not, helped him to come to Albania!
First Secretary of the Central Committee
Enver Hoxha
Tirana
Deep shock
Brother Enver, I am definitely forced to address you directly.
I have been in prison twice. I was caught for the first time on December 13, 1953, crossing the Yugoslav-Albanian border together with my wife, right near Shkodra Lake.
At this moment, I fired a gun at the Yugoslav spy, Martin Debrikevich, after the latter arrested me and took me to the Yugoslav prison.
Likewise, I tried to shoot another soldier, but my pistol jammed. For this, they kept me in the interrogator for 6 months in Ferizaj and then in Titograd, using all kinds of methods against me, but I didn’t admit anything. After that, I was sentenced to 1 year in prison, while my wife was sentenced to two months.
While the second time, I was arrested in August 1958, by the UDB bodies, as I was distributing patriotic posters in Kosovo, as well as trying to discover a Yugoslav-Russian military base in the Macedonian territory. My arrest was made in the area called “Arapska Kala”, in Skopje. For this I was sentenced to 3 years in prison.
I am an ardent patriot and I endured for days the torture of the UDB. How many times have they provoked me by mentioning your name to me? They have oppressed me economically, after leaving me without a job; they have reached the point where they have brought me and my family to the brink of death.
I decided to escape and go to France, then go to your embassy. When I arrived in Paris on 24.7.1969, I appeared at the embassy three times in a row on July 26 and 29 and on August 5 of the same year. A representative of yours, named Stilian, told me that I am the Secretary of the Legation.
Then I agreed to talk to him, explaining that I am a fugitive but, legally with a Yugoslav passport and according to international law, I request to receive the right of political asylum in Albania. Stiliani asked me: “What is your name”?! I told him that my name is Rexhep Dashi, born in Stagovë near Kaçanik and I have been living in Ferizaj for 8 years.
Then he, after thinking once, said to me: “Why are you Rexhep Dashi, you who were in the hospital”?! I didn’t want to tell him right away and say: “Don’t be wrong”?! He told me: “No, man, I’m not wrong, because you’re the one who was in the hospital.”
Then I revived and told him the truth, thinking that the motherland has not forgotten me. I immediately stood up, hugging him longingly, and my eyes filled with tears of longing. I believed that luck helped me when I met a brave man from the new Albania.
But Stiliani surprised me as he led me to a dead end of such proportions. He told me that I should go back to Yugoslavia and that we cannot accept you in Albania, because of the standard laws.
I responded with a big revolt, saying: “How can I go back to Yugoslavia, to die of hunger there”?! Stiliani told me: “Don’t die; the homeland is not given up in this way.”
I answered you: “Hey brother, I think I’m speaking in Albanian, do you understand me or not?! I’m telling you that the Yugoslav authorities have sentenced me and my family to death by starvation!
When I was in prison, they offered me to become their collaborator, if I wanted to work and eat, otherwise my family and I would starve.
And now after all those years in prison, do you think that I, as a great patriot of the Albanian cause, should put myself at their service, to harm my brothers?! No, this will never happen.
I never thought that my country would allow me to die of hunger there, as I believed that the motherland would take me and shelter me, until the moment I would die with a weapon in my hand, against the enemy.
But Stiliani’s heart did not soften and he kept the same attitude. But his attitude does not surprise me only, but all the patriots of Kosovo after me, a wide circle of patriots know me and with their agreement, I took this step. Stiliani set the second time for me to meet in a cafe, on July 29.
I went to the meeting, but again nothing new. Stiliani, held the same attitude, and said the same words to me. He again made an appointment for me on August 5. After this meeting, I was reluctant to meet that person again.
Stiliani maintained a persistent attitude and tried to calm me down. I once again agreed to meet him in coffee, one last time. But still the same conversation was repeated.
I broke up with him deeply depressed and with tears in my eyes, but they too are no longer interested in me. Stiliani, left me to die of hunger in the parks of Paris and my family to die in Ferizaj.
At the moment of parting with each other, Stiliani said to me: “What have you done nothing. Have you kept in touch with us, any of you”?!
At this moment, my whole body trembled and I thought to go to a secluded place and scream loudly. At the end of the conversation with him, I told him these words: “But why do you tell me these serious things, why are only those who have maintained ties with you, patriots?!
Why are those sent to the prisons of Yugoslavia not patriotic?! Everyone wanted to keep in touch with you, but they couldn’t.”
I had told the woman that, as soon as I go to the Albanian embassy, they will certainly help me to remove the expenses of the road to Albania, and to withdraw the family from Yugoslavia.
But everything went wrong. What should I do now?! Where do I go and where do I keep it?! I left the children without bread and I was left on the streets. Of course, I decided to beg in the cafes of Paris, so much so that all of Kosovo found out that Rexhep Dashi was begging in Paris.
It is not easy to leave your family, that is, your wife and children, to starve there. I thought that Stiliani would get to know my autobiography and my past, in a two-minute conversation, what I had to formulate for almost 2 months. Memorie.al
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