Dashnor Kaloçi
Memorie.al publishes some archival documents extracted from the Archive of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Tirana, which belong to 1984 and bear the logo “Top secret”, where there is also a plan of measures compiled by the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs , Agron Tafa and approved by Minister Hekuran Isai, who also held the post of secretary of the Central Committee of the ALP, regarding the measures to be taken by that ministry for Rehabilitation Camps, through the First Directorate of State Security , The Directorate of Personnel, the Directorate of Control of the Implementation of Criminal Decisions, the Directorate of Background, as well as several other departments, for the prevention of various events, such as what happened in the Qafë-Bari camp on May 22, 1984 The complete document with the relevant ordinances that will be implemented by the heads and highest cadres of the Ministry of Interior, from Agron Tafa, Zylyftar Ramizi, Dhimitër Krisafi, Ferit Zeneli, etc.
Nearly 37 years ago, on May 22, 1984, in the prison camp of Qafë Barit in the district of Puka, where a large number of political prisoners of the communist regime of Enver Hoxha were serving their sentences, an extraordinary event took place that is now known as the “Qafë Barit Revolt”, where the communist dictatorship in retaliation, later sentenced to death and shot two convicts, Sokol Sokoli and Tom Ndoja, accused of being the organizers of that revolt. As well as re-sentenced to severe imprisonment a large number of other convicts, who were labeled and charged as the main perpetrators of that event. Also from the brutal tortures and brutal mistreatment of a large number of convicts (who were found or accused as the instigators, perpetrators and main organizers of that revolt, such as Dalip Zhabolli, Hajredin Fratari, Agim Hoxha, etc.), by the military-police forces and other members of the Rapid Intervention Unit (Rep.326 Tirana) who came to the reinforcement from the capital, the political convict, Sander Sokoli, former senior military cadre, also died. Who had graduated from the Soviet Union, who was the nephew of lieutenant general Sadik Bekteshi, sentenced to political prison as “an associate of Beqir Balluku.
While for a long time these and other details from that event are known both from the archival documents made public after the ’90s, as well as from the testimonies of the former protagonists of that revolt, Memorie.al, is publishing some documents of unknown, with the initials “secret”, which shed light on the measures that the communist regime would take through the relevant authorities, so that “events of that nature would not happen again”, measures which are described in detail, as well as the people of in charge of their implementation and control.
What stands out in this rare document that has been extracted from the Archive of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Tirana from the very voluminous file of that event, which must be said to have seriously shocked the top communist leadership of Tirana, is a plan of measures of compiled by the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Agron Tafa, sent for approval to his superior, the Minister, Hekuran Isai (at the same time he held the post of Secretary of the Central Committee of the ALP, for the bodies of the ‘Dictatorship of the Proletariat’ , which after the death of Hysni Kapos), who, among other things, demanded the supply of gas bombs, helmets, gas masks and high food for soldiers and effectives, as well as the reduction of cells in Burrel prison and the provision of one-color uniforms ( yellow) of political prisoners serving sentences in all camps and prisons of that regime.
According to a former senior Interior Ministry official before the 1990s, tear gas bombs imported after the Qafe Bari revolt remained in stock as they were never used until the fall of the communist regime. For more on the above, we are familiar with the document in question, which we are publishing in full together with the relevant facsimiles.
Secret relationship with the plan of measures compiled by the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Agron Tafa, approved by the Minister, Hekuran Isai, after the event of Qafë-Bar, in May 1984
APPROVED S e k r e t
MINISTER OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS Copy. No. 1
HEKURAN ISAI Tirana ……1984
Instruction
FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TASKS OUT OF THE CONTROL
IN THE RE-EDUCATION DEPARTMENTS AND THE TASKS RESULTING FROM THE ANALYSIS MADE BY THE COLLEGE OF THE NECK BAR EVENT OF 22.v.1984
In order to prevent extraordinary events in re-education wards and prisons, to strengthen vigilance in the regime of convicts and preventive operative-military measures for the full security of convicts in custody, as well as the regime of labor fronts, in addition to the tasks assigned to them. The commands of the wards from the Directorate of Enforcement of Criminal Decisions, in implementation with the 1st Directorate of State Security and the Economic Directorate, are left to take these concrete measures and tasks.
- To hold a meeting with all heads of internal affairs branches, ward commands and operational staff of re-education wards and to work on the conclusions of the event of 22.V.1984 of Qafë Barit, emphasizing the shortcomings and weaknesses in the regime internal.
Completion time until 20. 5.1984. Charged: Dh. Krisafi. F. Haxhiu. Controls: A. Tafa.
- Make a description of the deficiencies that have been identified in the internal order in the re-education wards, setting concrete examples, the causes of these deficiencies and the measures to be taken.
Time of completion, until 18.6.1984. Charged Dh. Krisafi A. Tafa
- To stabilize the internal regime of convicts in some re-education wards where we have constantly had concerns, such as in Saranda, Batër, Lezha and Spaç, to make surprise checks by the Directorate of Enforcement of Criminal Decisions with the forces of the 326th Police Battalion, up to 1 platoon.
Time of completion, June – July 1984. Charged Dh. Krisafi A. Tafa
- For significant shortcomings and weaknesses found in the convicts’ security wards and the method of work of the ward commands, call the report to the Deputy Minister, ward command 305 Saranda and 301 Batër and be warned and put tasks to improve the situation.
Time of completion, June 1984. Charged Dh. Krisafi A. Tafa
- The 1st Directorate of State Security to conduct an in-depth study of hostile activity in re-education wards and prisons and to determine concrete measures for the operational and military sector in cooperation with the Directorate of Criminal Enforcement, to prevent any suddenly and especially to hit and destroy the organized forms of this activity.
Time of execution, June-July 1984. Charged F. Haxhiu Dh. Krisafi. Controlled by Mr. Ramizi A. Tafa
- The 1st Directorate of State Security in cooperation with the Personnel Directorate to study and take measures for the replacement of the operational staff in the re-education wards and prisons that are incompetent and weak, with capable staff.
Until September 1984. Charged F. Haxhiu. Controlled by Mr. Ramizi
- Directorate of Enforcement of Criminal Decisions in cooperation with the Directorate of Personnel to take urgent measures to fill with capable staff some key staff of re-education departments, such as:
-To appoint the commander of the missing 303 Lezha Ward.
-To appoint the commissioner of Unit 311 Qafë Bari.
-To transfer the chief of training of Qafë Bari Department for defects and to appoint a capable staff.
– To dismiss the commander of Unit 301 Batër as incapacitated by health and for weakness at work and to appoint a capable staff.
-To dismiss the commander of the police platoon in ward 302 in Lezha as incompetent and to appoint a labor officer in another ward.
- The Directorate of Enforcement of Criminal Decisions with the Organizing Branch and the Puka Branches of Internal Affairs, to transfer from ward 311 to Puka the police officers who have a gender and kinship relationship with them, with new police officers or from other departments.
Completion time until December 1984. Charged Dh. Krisafi. L. Lena. Controls A. Tafa F. Zeneli
- Directorate of Enforcement of Criminal Decisions in cooperation with the Economic Directorate to take measures to secure convicts and meet conditions such as:
-Provide barbed wire for fencing ward 7 in Burrell Prison Hospital and wire mesh for sanatorium ward
-To make a precaution and make some adaptations in Burrell Prison to reduce the rooms and increase its capacity.
-Complete re-education wards and prisons with gas, helmets, gas bombs, whistles and flashlights as needed to increase readiness.
-To study the possibilities that the food rate of the ward 321 Burrel, 302 Lezha, 301 Saranda, 313 and 325 Tirana, for the difficulties of the service, be given the rate, Two.
-Take measures to better supply the re-education wards with clothes for convicts of one color (yellow) with blankets, slits ♪ 5af and other necessary tools.
-In ward 303 Spaç to solve the problem of food depot and effective bread oven within 1985 by cooperating with the mining company and the problem of water supply of the 2nd platoon
Time of completion, during 1984. Charged M. Sako Dh. Krisafi. Controls A. Tafa H. Shahu
- To increase the professional skills of the staff and police in the implementation of the requirements of the regulations of the re-education wards, with all to organize the revision of the regulations and to hold seminars led by the Directorate of Enforcement of Criminal Decisions to better see the degree of recognition and how to implement it in practice.
Time of completion, within October 1984. Charged Dh. Krisafi. Controls A. Tafa
- All commands of re-education wards and prisons in cooperation with D.Z.V.P. with squads that are planned to provide wards for times of peace and war, to organize special exercises for better knowledge of the defense and blockade regions.
Time of completion, within the month of September 1984. Charged Dh. Krisafi. Controls A. Tafa
- To organize a one-day seminar with the commanders of the police platoon where to deal with them the problems of strengthening the internal order, strengthening the control when the convicts enter the regime, on the training of the police force for these problems, etc.
Time of completion, July 1984. Charged Dh. Krisafi, N. Hasani, L. Imeri. Controls A. Tafa
- Directorate of Enforcement of Criminal Decisions to intensify the assistance and control at the base, mainly the problems of strengthening the regime, the implementation of regulations in the entire activity of the effective by helping to improve the situation in the wards where there are more problems.
Time of completion, during 1984. Charged Dh. Krisafi. Controlled by A. Tafa.
- Directorate of Criminal Decisions Enforcement with the Liaison Directorate to study and take measures for the repair of the line Qafë Bari – Fushë Arrëz and the radio connection of the type “Sterrno”, ward 305 Saranda, who have a large number of convicts working in wooded area.
Time of completion, within 1984. Charged Dh. Krisafi, Controlled by Q. Jaçellari./Memorie.al
DEPUTY MINISTER OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS
AGRON TAFA
