By Dr. Nail Draga
ALBANIAN PILOT OF ULQIN, VICTIM OF THE COMMUNIST POWER
(Raif-Rafo Gorana 1916-1944)
Memorie.al / The organization of commemorative meetings dedicated to different persons or events represent a moment of honor and appreciation as anywhere in the civilized world. We appreciate the commemoration of Raif-Rafo Gorana, after 76 years, as a successful organization, albeit delayed, proving that he was in the consciousness not only of his family members and relatives, returning to Ulcinj, his beloved hometown! Therefore, in this case, the initiative to present even modest data about his life and activity, as well as the tragic end, namely his elimination without trial by the communist government of the time, is in favor of revealing the truth that was missing decades ago. in turn, thanks to the social and political circumstances in Ulcinj.
Thanks to the data we have, it is clear that Rafo Gorana was a personality with special national dignity for his time in Ulcinj, both for his profession and his social and national attitude. It was precisely his personal and family values that made him stand out from the others, so as such he was not acceptable and suitable for the power of the communists, who took power in Ulcinj from November 1944.
It was precisely the new ideological power that did not choose means to eliminate persons and families with authority in Ulcinj. We are dealing with the time of ideological manipulation, because according to their demagoguery, everything started with them, eliminating the social tradition in Ulcinj and beyond.
The first Albanian pilot
Raif Gorana was born in Ulcinj in 1916. He comes from a civil family with commercial traditions. His father, Latif Gorana, had commercial work reports, such as in Montenegro, Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia and Bosnia. Raifi finished high school in Rajllovac, near Sarajevo. It was this well-known professional school for pilot training.
There he was equipped with professional technical and piloting knowledge, being the first as such in the city of Ulcinj. When the Second World War began, he joined the movement against the occupier. There was extraordinary authority in the partisan units. He was even at the level of commander in these formations.
Authority person in Ulcinj
Raif stood out from his peers in Ulcinj, both in terms of his anthropological appearance, but also by wearing a pilot’s uniform, being his passion and professional image. But, as such, he was not suitable for the new communist government which was established in Ulcinj on November 26, 1944. There are different versions of his murder. Regarding this issue, even though there was a witness in Ulcinj, he remained silent for years, not providing information.
It was a time of silence and fear, as well as consequences from the power of time. At home early in the morning, he was taken by some people allegedly for a meeting in Cetina, to celebrate the victory over the occupiers. According to his wife’s source, at the moment he was about to leave the house, he hugged his two-week-old son, Agim, three times, not seeing him again. This was the last moment of separation from the family, because the criminals, instead of heading towards Cetina, went towards Liman in Ulcinj.
He was shot on the morning of November 27, 1944, over Lima at Çinari, going to Valdanos. The fourth was killed there: Hodo beg Bushati and his son Ahmeti, who was a notary of the Ulcinj Court, and Radovan Aleksiqi. They were shot, and they didn’t notify their families at all, to take them and bury them, and today and that day, nothing is known about their grave or graves, remaining a mystery until our days (!.?) .
In relation to this matter, from the next day, Rafo’s wife, Mrs. Halimja, went to the police of Ulcinj, to look for her husband, to get any information during the three weeks, but not that she did not receive information, but they are threatened that; “if you show up here again, we will kill you and your son.” Due to such a tragic situation, she did not have to stay in Ulcinj any longer, but took her little son Agim and went to Shkodër, where she was born.
This was a tragic family separation, imposed by the new government established in Ulcinj, which for 24 hours had free hands, to arrest and shoot anyone they considered to be enemies or an obstacle against their power. It should be said on this occasion, that with the establishment of the new government in Ulcinj, the actual power was in the hands of the OZN / UDB, while the LKJ party (Communist League of Yugoslavia) was a formal facade, so the consequences are known.
Why was Rafo Gorana eliminated by the communists?
But, the question is rightly asked; what was the reason to eliminate Rafo Gorana, from the communists, who were a member of the partisan units, that is, a friend, and their collaborator in the war against the occupiers. In relation to this issue there are various dilemmas, which as such still remain without a definitive answer, because there is no judicial report.
But, thanks to information that I have, Rafo’s displeasure was demonstrated on the occasion of the entry of partisan units into Ulcin, on the morning of November 26, 1944, and the organization of the reception ceremony for them in Ulcin.
I want the Albanian flag to be placed as well
In Mehalla e Re, where the mill of Voj is located or rather the Mill of Met Muharrem, a reception was organized by the citizens for the partisan brigade. Since Rafoja had authority among the people, he was received with cheers. Rafoja also spoke at that meeting and the Yugoslav, party and Montenegrin flags were unfurled. But, unhappy with such a view, Rafoja has said that; it should also be the Albanian flag.
Since the members of the partisans were also present from Albania, because they had the same ideological views, exactly one soldier who was from Bregu i Mati, had the Albanian flag and took it out of his bag and gave it to Rafo where after the spear is placed, it is also placed next to the other flags.
And there is no doubt that this was the reason for his physical elimination, but one should not exclude his authority in the people, his position in the partisan unit, being also a commander, as well as his social principles for the practical national equality of Albanians, in circumstances of political cloud. In a word, it was his personality and character, which was an obstacle for the new rulers to realize their diabolical goals against the Albanians, in Ulcinj and beyond.
It was unique in its time
According to Rafoja’s testimony, he was big, handsome and always dressed meticulously. He always jealously wore the pilot’s uniform (leather boots, a large leather coat and a leather helmet on his head. He also had a “Bullova” wristwatch, which only pilots had. When killed, they took his leather jacket and mantilla and also his wristwatch.
Rafoja was married to Halima from Shkodra. When they killed Rafo, they left only one son Agim, almost two weeks old. Then she settled in Shkodër with her family, together with her son Agim and married another person. Agim Gorana (1944-2010) was prof. in physics, lived and worked in Shkodër, while after 1996, he settled in Tirana.
On this occasion, I would like to point out that a brother of Rafo, Hyseni known as Ceni, also lived in Shkodër. He died in Shkodër in 1947, while he was buried in Ulcinj. His death then was suspicious (so not natural). This one was married to a Shkodran. He left two sons and a daughter.
Rafo Gorana with his wife Halima
The arrests in Ulcinj
With the establishment of communist power in Ulcinj, I began to follow national figures, such as Cafo Begu-Alibegaj and his associates. Thus, a few days later, other persons were arrested, such as: Hafiz Hasan Llunji, Memin Resulbegu, Zydi Fici and Mustafë Canka, treating them as enemies of the people’s power, even though they were persons with family and national dignity. But, the authorities prepared another scenario for them, because after arresting them, they plan to take them allegedly to Tivar for trial, but the four of them, with their hands tied, shoot them without trial at the turn of Bratica that goes to Valdano, on 15.12.1944. They all buried them in one grave, where they are today, but without any sign or grave built.
Such actions of the communists proved that they had drawn up lists in time to eliminate the well-known figures with authority in Ulcinj, who treated them as enemies of the power, namely as an obstacle in the realization of the establishment of power, according to their political strategy. It was this pathological action against the Albanians, which was proved by the criminal actions, where 8 citizens of Ulcinj were shot for 18 days, without judicial procedure.
It should be said on this occasion that the attempt by the family members to reveal the crimes of the government against the family members during the time of monism (1944-1990) was forbidden and with consequences, such an attitude after the fall of the socialist system, from 1990 onwards after, nothing can be reasoned anymore (!?).
Albania’s security cooperates with the Yugoslavs
That the imprisonments in Ulqin have continued is evidenced by the data, although Hodo Alibegu was in Albania, there he was arrested by the Security of Albania and handed over to the Yugoslav authorities in Ulqin. He was later put on trial, where he was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Selë Lamoja was sentenced to the same extent.
But then the court reconsidered such a decision, where Hodo Alibegun was sentenced to be shot, which was carried out on March 17, 1948. Such a fact proves that the communist government in Albania was blinded by the communist ideology and collaborated with the power of Yugoslavia, against national interests, which had consequences for Albanians for about five decades.
Dealing with the past civic obligation
In new social circumstances, after the failure of the communist ideology, since 1990, it has been rightly expected to work on illuminating the events and personalities of various individuals who were eliminated by the new government, after the Second World War. But, although thirty years have passed, the events from 1944-’45, when the communist government was installed in Ulcinj, have not yet been researched with professional competence by researchers from different fields. If at the time of the monist system the handling of such topics had consequences, after the fall of the monist system, the indifferent attitude towards this time can no longer be justified.
In relation to this period of time, in various environments in the countries of the former socialist camp, such topics were opened, presenting the crimes of the communists with proven documents. But, in this aspect, Montenegro is an exception, because here they are still reluctant to face the past, which is in opposition to the citizens’ civil and national rights, which are obligations according to European democratic standards.
Two resolutions from the Council of Europe
Although two resolutions against the crimes of communism have been approved in the Council of Europe, the first one no. 1096 from 1996, “Measures to eradicate the legacy of totalitarian communist systems”, and the second one no. 1481, from 2006 “The necessity on the international punishment of the crimes of totalitarian communist regimes”, none of them have been approved in the Assembly of Montenegro. Such a rejecting action proves the unwillingness of the current government to face the communist past, as other countries in South-Eastern Europe have done.
There is no doubt that such a political attitude transparently proves that the monist system has remained embedded in their psychology, which for ideological purposes and for power, has eliminated various individuals, including the Albanians in Ulcinj and beyond in Montenegro, they were no exception.
Rewriting history is a civic duty
Therefore, it is a moral and professional obligation for our political representatives, as representatives in government institutions in Montenegro, to re-actualize the issue of clarifying the truth of the elimination of our citizens without trials, by the communist government of the time. Such a move would eliminate dilemmas and speculations about taboo topics that have been present for about five decades.
While the attitude of rejection after the failure of communism, proves personal and family weakness but also as citizens that nothing can be justified anymore. In this regard, we should take examples from other countries in the region, which individuals with criminal records have declared heroes, while we continue to be silent about the innocent victims of communism, who still have no graves or any memorial plaques. .
Although delayed as this memorial meeting for Raif-Rafo Gorana is, it is time to tell the truth to the victims, their families and present and future generations, therefore political, intellectual commitment and civic courage are needed, because our affairs are not others do it for us.
Considering this memorial meeting as a tribute to all the victims, I wish and hope with the mission of illuminating the personalities and events from the Second World War, and then without ideological prejudices, revealing the truth, namely rewriting history as professional, civic and national obligation as everywhere in the democratic world. Memorie.al
