Memorie.al / When the 543 Albanian refugees traveled by ship to Marseille in July, many of them seemed happy to be in France because they were singing their country’s national anthem. Now, some stand up and they sing; “The flag with the shining stars”. “America, America”, said Arben Ahmeti, a burly 24-year-old, in a stuttering English as a dozen heads followed him in chorus.
“We come from Albania and we want to go to America. Not in France. France O.K., but I go to the USA. Saimir Shima, a 23-year-old driver, was also among the 4,500 refugees allowed to leave Albania in mid-July.
“All my life I have listened to the ‘Voice of America’ as it spoke about people’s rights and democracy,” he said through an interpreter. Further, he said: “If I don’t go to America, I prefer to return to Tirana, the Albanian capital”.
Everyone wants the USA
But the road to the United States is fraught with obstacles. Refugees have been offered asylum here, and only those with cousins in America have much chance of going there. “There is no evidence that these boys were persecuted,” said an American official. “This is exactly what they want.”
However, many of them are impatient to leave France. On Wednesday, about 50 young Albanians, sheltered in a school here, demonstrated in front of the United States Embassy in Paris. The police were forced to stay outside all night. Three of them were picked up by US officials today and given forms to fill out all the details.
“We are 24 hours without sleep, without drinking water or cigarettes and without eating,” says Roland Qirjako, who is waiting for buses to return to Emance, about 60 miles away, west of Paris.
“Why are we asking for this? We in Albania thought of America. France is only a stop, although France allowed refugees to come and stay here. While another 3,200 gathered at the West German Embassy and 810 entered the Italian embassy.
More than 500 chose the French mission in Tirana as the “key” to their freedom. Paris, then together with Bonn and Rome, urgently asked Albania to grant them travel permits.
“Is this democracy”?
After a warm welcome in Marseille, the refugees were temporarily dispersed to army camps and schools. The plan was to then give them homes, jobs and training and language courses to facilitate their integration into French society. But, at this point, America’s problem appeared.
While about half of the refugees have chosen to stay in France, a group already located in Mourmelon, was returned by the police after staying for almost two weeks, in front of the US Embassy in Paris. “It is our right,” said one refugee from the group to French television. “Don’t we have a right? Is this democracy?
About 60 young men, who were sheltered in a school in Emance, left for different places in France, but another 70 decided to wait and some time for a response from the US Embassy. Plans to close this temporary camp last week were postponed. Meanwhile, new plans have been announced for their movement after Tuesday.
Disappointment from the Albanians
Surprisingly, French officials are proving impatient. In Italy, about 500 Albanians have declared that they want to go to the USA, but they have not protested. In West Germany, US officials said only 6 refugees had applied for visas so far.
But in France, the pleasure of the welcome of a month ago was soon spoiled. They reject all the rules”, says the head of the Emance Police Station. “They refuse to wash and clean their rooms, because they say that in Albania, these jobs are done by women”.
“Also, we have received complaints from the community here about petty theft and harassment of girls. They have a problem with socializing with other people.
However, policemen stood guard at the school entrances, around the Montlieu palace, although the refugees were free to come and go.
“The world owes them something”
A young officer, assigned by the navy contingent to take care of the food of the refugees, said that only four of them have finished a French course organized here.
“They think the world owes them something. They think that America will give them everything. They are in trouble. But, for the moment and finally, their dream for America remains intact”, he says.
Arton Kelmendi, a 25-year-old mechanic, was asked by a visitor if; “he thought her streets were paved with gold”? “No”, – he answered at the moment; “I think that the roads of America are paved with democracy. My father spent 10 years of his life in prison in Albania. I am free”
Many refugees also spoke hoping for the help they were promised by the Albanians in the USA, especially in Chicago, Detroit, Boston, Philadelphia and New York. “There are only a few Albanians in France”, said Ahmeti. “They are not organized to help us.”
Connected to the motherland
But one refugee, Voltan Fishta, a 22-year-old student studying French in Albania and translating for his friends said that; “planned to stay in France”. “I want to be as connected as possible with Albania”, he declares.
Eventually, there were many Albanians who had risen to fly to the USA. US officials in Paris have promised that if forms are received on August 27, applicants will receive a response by September 12. “But they will wait for the final visa approval after 7 or 8 months”, – says the official.
At the moment, even Mr. Fishta is informed about the news that in the future there may be other arrivals of Albanians. “Our departure does not mean that the Tirana regime will open”, he says.
It (the regime, – ed.) is broken by external pressure, but it is the hardest thing that can ever happen. The regime will try not to let that happen. Memorie.al
The article was published in the “New York Times” on August 18, 1990
The title is editorial
Prepared for publication, Albert Gjoka
