By Prof. Dr. Sabile Keçmezi-Basha
Part Three
Memorie.al / Based on the political spirit of the authentic writings of the participants in the founding Assembly, on September 16-19, 1943, the Second League of Prizren is a national democratic Albanian political-military organization. According to Tahir Zajmi, the founding Assembly also worked on September 20[1]. Since then, this date has been mistakenly entered into historiography. The opinion of many publicists that “the initiative for the League of Prizren was taken by Xhafer Deva after the capitulation of fascist Italy” is not true! This has some support in Ali Hadri’s findings that; “the main person in the initiative group for calling the founding Assembly of the Second League of Prizren was Xhafer Deva, a great support of the German intelligence service”!
To be continued in the next issue
Here it should be noted that, for the symbolic importance and to show the continuity of Albanian efforts for Ethnic Albania, the Decisions of the Founding Assembly of the Second League of Prizren, would be signed on September 19, 1943, after nine o’clock, in the building of the Headquarters of the Albanian League of Prizren. In reality, during the night of September 18-19, 1943, thousands of patriots from all parts of Kosovo in the sense of the national concept of the years 1941-1944, but also from the former area of London Albania had arrived in Prizren. Therefore, the morning of September 19, 1943, was the most magnificent event that the history of Prizren knew.
And the faithful chronicler of this historical event will note that, while the mass with national consciousness, ennobled by this event, shouted: “Long live Free Albania”, “Long live Albanian Kosovo”, “Long live the Besa of Men”, “Long live the National Union” (…), the various delegations, led by their Chairmen, entered, one after the other, into the hall of the building, where they signed the minutes of the Assembly meetings”.
Furthermore, the chronicler of the Kosovo Committee organ would also note this fact that speaks of the importance of the event for the time and for history: “While the signing of the minutes continued, Mr. Bedri Pejani appeared on the balcony of the building, giving a speech explaining to the people the importance and meaning of the decisions taken. After Mr. Pejani, Mr. Tahir Zajmi and Mr. Ibrahim Fehmiu take the floor, one after the other, and briefly declare that, after the decisions we have made, the salve for our wounds is only one: unity. Unity in the minds and hearts of all”.
In this magnificent way, the founding Assembly of the Second League of Prizren crowned its historical goals. The delegates, with songs and dances, visited all the most attractive parts of Prizren, and finally arrived together at the “Memorial Square of Abdyl Frashëri” – one like Dodona to confirm the oath of Besa-besa, that they will completely secure the ideals for which the leaders and fighters of the Albanian League of Prizren of the years 1878-1881 tried and sacrificed.
The activists of the League went out into the field and by the end of October 1943 formed the committees of the regions, districts and communes in the area of Kosovo according to the national concept of the time – areas outside the area of London Albania. The spirit of the League would be conveyed in the National Assembly convened in mid-October 1943, in Tirana.
It was said above that during the preparation for the convocation of the National Assembly of the Albanian Kingdom, changes were made in the Central Committee of the Second League of Prizren. In reality, a number of members of the Assembly of the Second League of Prizren and members of its Central Council were elected representatives of the districts in the National Assembly.
On October 16, 1943, the Assembly, namely the National Assembly, began its work. The Chairman of the Central Committee of the League, Rexhep Mitrovica, would initially be elected Vice-President of the Assembly and on November 8, 1943 – Prime Minister of Albania. The post of Chairman of the Central Committee of the Second League of Prizren would be taken by the veteran of the Independence of Albania, Bedri bej Pejani – “Babushi”.
The General Assembly was now composed of 33 prominent personalities: Musa Shehu, Bedri Pejani, Tahir Zajmi, Kolë Margjini, Sheh Hasani, Esat Berisha, Sylejman Aliu and Ahmet Lusha (members of the Central Committee), Qemal Karahoda and Luk Simoni – representatives of the Prizren Prefecture, Nuredin H. Halili – representative of the Theranda (Suhareka) sub-prefecture, Bejtullah Haxhiu – representative of the Rahovec sub-prefecture, Hasan Dashi – representative of the Gjakova sub-prefecture, Eshref Arifi – representative of the Sharri (Dragash) sub-prefecture, Jusuf Agushi – representative of Pristina, Halim Shuku – representative of the Ferizaj sub-prefecture, Mehmet Devaja – representative of the Gjilan sub-prefecture, Nexhip Basha – representative of the Peja prefecture, Bedri Pejani – representative of the Skenderaj sub-prefecture, Bajram Gashi – representative of the Burimi sub-prefecture (Istok), Shemsi Ferri – representative of Plavë-Gucia, Vehbi Hamzaga – representative of the Tutin sub-prefecture, Adem Kurtaga – representative of the Rozhaja sub-prefecture, Musa Boletini and Bedri Gjinaj – representatives of the Mitrovica prefecture, Ekrem Jegeni – representative of the Dibra prefecture, Mentor Çoku – representative of the Struga sub-prefecture, Av. Adem Sadriu – representative of the Kërçovo sub-prefecture, Remzi Ragipi – representative of the Gostivar sub-prefecture, Ahmet Lusha – representative of the Tetovo sub-prefecture, Esat Berisha – representative of the Skopje prefecture, Haxhi Xheladini – representative of the Kaçanik sub-prefecture, Sylejman Ashkiu – representative of the Kumanovo-Preshevo sub-prefecture, Hasan Agë Zvezdiu – representative of the Senica Neutral Zone, Tahir Zajmi – representative of Kukës, Zenun Gashi – representative of the Tropoja sub-prefecture, Lutfi Spahiu – representative of the Bicaj sub-prefecture.
As seen above, the Standing Committee of the League, in the continuation of its activity, increased the number of members of the Standing Committee from seven elected at the founding Assembly, on September 18, 1943, to fourteen, elected at the Second General Meeting, on January 17-20, 1944. At this meeting, as can be seen from the lack of signatures in the minutes: “Congress Delegates from Different Regions”, signed on January 20, 1944 by Bedri Gjinaj (secretary) and Bedri Pejani (chairman), the following delegates were not present: Bajram Gashi, Av. Adem Sabriu, Haxhi Xheladini and Lutfi Spahiu.
This document is concluded with the statement:
“We, the former Central Committee and the Delegates of the various provinces, of the liberated and non-liberated lands, of Kosovo and Dibra, who, being elected by the people, participated in all the sessions of the meetings, from 17-I-1944 to 20-I-1944, where the draft Statute and the internal regulations of the Organization “The Second League of Prizren” were reviewed and voted on. In order to implement and put into effect the Statute and all the decisions of the Assembly, regarding the protection of the territories of Kosovo and the reclamation of the ethnic Albanian lands, which are still outside the current borders of the Homeland, we grant the Mandate to the Central Committee of the Organization, which is elected by one of the following. Mr. the following:
For the Prefecture of Prizren, Musa Shehu and Kolë Margjini,
for the Prefecture of Prishtina, Sulejman Ashkiu and Mahmut Beg Pasha, for the Prefecture of Mitrovica, Arsllan Boletini,
for the Prefecture of Peja, Bedri Pejani and Xhevat Begolli,
for the Prefecture of Skopje, Esat Berisha,
for the Prefecture of Senica, (Neutral Zone) Nexhip Basha,
for the provinces: Ulqin, Triepsh, Hot and Grudë, one who will be sent from there, for the Kosovo Mountains replaces Rexh Meta, until they send one or accept Rexh Meta,
for the Dibra Mountains one who will be sent by them;
We, with common consent, elected for the Presidency of the Central Committee
Chairman: Bedri Pejani. Deputy Chairman – Musa Shehu and Kolë Margjini.
It is proven:
Secretary Chairman:
Bedri Gjinaj Bedri Pejani
Prizren, on 20-I-1944.
The Chairman of the Central Committee, Bedri Pejani, submitted the text of the Statute of the Second League of Prizren for urgent approval to the Government and the Supreme Council of Albania on January 21, 1944. The Council of Ministers approved this document on February 12 and submitted it for approval to the Supreme Council on February 14, 1944. The Supreme Council – Regency of Albania approved the Statute of the Organization “Second League of Prizren” a month later, on March 14, 1944, and ordered its “implementation”. The decree was signed by: Rexhep Mitrovica (Prime Minister) and Mehdi Frashëri (Chairman), Father Anton Harapi and Lef Nosi, members of the Supreme Council.
In order to clarify many conjectures, tendencies and publicistic and pseudo-scientific glorifications harmful to the political, legal and military thought of the Second League of Prizren, I am obliged to bring the full text of the Statute, which clearly and unequivocally states the duties, role and importance of the League as a national all-Kosovo organization participating in the propaganda, political, diplomatic, military and liberation activity of the General Executive Council, the Government and the Regency of the Kingdom of Albania. It did not belong to any anti-fascist political faction of the time: LANÇ, the ‘Ball Kombëtar’ or Legality and clearly, precisely, the Second League of Prizren was a comprehensive logistical mechanism of the governmental and power instances of the existing Albanian Kingdom:
STATUTE
Of the Organization ‘Second League of Prizren’
I
FOUNDATION
Based on the decisions taken by the Prizren Congress on September 16-19, 1943, where the liberated lands and other Albanian lands of the former Yugoslav Kingdom were represented, the “Organization of the Second League of Prizren” was established.
II
PURPOSE
This organization aims to protect the liberated lands as well as other Albanian lands of the former Yugoslavia. As a means to this end, it will try to collect documents on the Albanianness of the areas in question and to organize the population physically and morally, for the defense of this thesis.
III
TERRITORIAL COMPETENCE
The territorial competence of this Organization extends over all the aforementioned lands, i.e. over liberated Kosovo, over the Dibra Region as well as over other Albanian lands of the former Yugoslavia.
The Malsinat within the 1913 borders that previously depended on the cities of Gjakova, Prizren and Dibra e Madhe, since they are economically and geographically very closely related to the cities in question, can be represented in the Assembly voluntarily and can participate in the Organization of the Second League of Prizren.
IV
ORGANIZATION COMPETENCES AND FUNCTIONING
The organization of the League of Prizren includes:
1) The Assembly of the League, headquartered in Prizren, is composed of members, one delegate for each administrative district (Center of the Prefectures and Sub-Prefectures).
2) The Central Committee, headquartered in Prizren, is composed of fourteen (14) members. The Chairman, the two Deputy Chairman and all other members of the Central Committee are elected by the Assembly. The Chairman is decreed by the High Council upon the proposal of the Prime Minister.
3) The Regional Committee, with its headquarters in the capital of each Prefecture, consists of seven (7) members, who are elected according to the procedure established by the circular of the Executive Committee of Tirana, dated 24-IX-1943 on the regulation of the election of Assembly Members. This same procedure is also followed for the election of the members of the Regional Committee. The members of the Municipal Committee are elected by the Heads of the villages of the Municipality with headquarters in the center of the Municipality; while the Chairman is appointed by the Central Committee, from among the members elected as above.
4) The Regional Committee, with its headquarters in the capital of each Sub-Prefecture, consists of five (5) members, who are elected as above, while the Chairman is appointed by the Regional Committee.
5) The Communal Committee, headquartered in the capital of each Commune, consists of three (3) members, who are elected as above, while the Chairman is appointed by the District Committee.
6) The Village Committee, centered in the village, consists of the village elders.
V
The employees in the service of the organization are appointed by the Central Committee, upon the proposal of the relevant Committee. If there are not enough employees to carry out the services of the organization, with the permission of the Head of the Local Administration, the Municipal or Communal Secretaries may be charged with the relevant duties, in return for remuneration from the organization’s treasury.
VI
In agreement with the General Command of National Defense, the Organization takes into service as Instructors and Non-Commissioned Officers, who, according to their rank, are placed at the disposal of the various Committees. The instructors at the Central Committee constitute the Committee’s Staff.
VII
The functions of this organization and the competence of its organs are regulated according to the following provisions:
1) The Assembly of the League, elected by the people, represents the will of the people and meets three times a year. The Assembly meets exceptionally when called by the Central Committee, in case of need to make important decisions or at the request of the majority of the members of the Assembly.
2) The Central Committee, elected by the Assembly as above, is the highest executive authority of this organization; it represents the organization, communicates the decisions of the Assembly, gives instructions and orders to the committees that are hierarchically organized, controls the committees or orders their hierarchically organized control; completes the organization of the League; organizes training, appoints functionaries of every nature and every category of the organization. It takes disciplinary and punitive measures against them and drafts the organization’s budget.
3) The Committees are the authorities of the organization; they represent the Central Committee in their own country and act according to its instructions and orders, which are given and transmitted hierarchically.
The superior Committees have the right of inspection and control over the inferior Committees. The hierarchy of the Committees is analogous to that of any civil authority of the State. Their territorial jurisdiction coincides with that of the civil authority of the State.
VIII
The internal functions of the Assembly of the “League” and the election of its Paris are regulated by the decisions of this Assembly.
IX
The internal functions of the Standing Committee and other Committees subordinate to it, the election of substitute members of those who, for serious reasons, leave the Committee, the establishment of Committees where they have not yet been established, the completion of the organization according to this Statute, are regulated by the decisions of the Standing Committee.
X
The appointment, transfer, promotion and dismissal of the officials of this organization are carried out by the decisions of the Standing Committee as per the legal norms in force for State officials.
Disciplinary penalties against the officials of the organization are applied by the Standing Committee according to the laws of the State, on the process of the Standing Committee or the various Committees, as per the laws of the State. In the event that the officials in question commit an offense that falls within the scope of criminal penalties, with the relevant minutes the case is referred to the relevant Court for action.
XI
The organization of the “Second League of Prizren” has the following objectives:
1) To organize intensive propaganda with the aim of preparing the people spiritually, materially and physically for the defense of their own land.
2) To prepare for the diplomatic war at the peace conference, organizing the collection of documents proving the Albanian character of those areas.
3) To organize its administrative apparatus, as per this Statute, in all areas of its territorial competence with organs of every Prefecture, Commune and Municipality and village.
4) To organize the paramilitary training of boys not yet recruited, in conformity with the law on the organization of paramilitaries in force on…
5) To undertake the organization for the training of all men up to 60 years of age, except those under arms, by enrolling them as per appropriate organization. The members of these groups are not kept in constant training, but are registered, sworn in and stay in their homes and are called from time to time to exercises or other activities.
6) To take care of the provision of means of transportation, food and other equipment necessary for the operation of the organization.
7) To request from the state and parastatal authorities their help and support, which they grant to the extent possible.
8) To request and receive at their disposal officers and non-commissioned officers from the army and the Gendarmerie, and their salaries will continue to be paid from the State Treasury. Memorie.al
