By Reshat Kripa
Part thirteen
– “People who have never known dictatorship and tyranny find it easy to succumb to the rhetoric of freedom, forgetting the simple and terrible reality of deliberate oppression where it always exists.”
Giovani Sartori: “Once again for the theory of democracy”.
Memorie.al/ Robert Krasta, had made it a habit to go to the cemetery on every anniversary of his parents and place a bunch of flowers on their grave. He looked at the picture stamped on the porcelain and started a conversation with them. He had been doing this habit for a long time. The conversation seemed to calm his spirits. He told them everything that had happened in the family. Sometimes, when he found difficulty in something, he asked them for help and it seemed to him that they answered him. Maybe that could be a guess on his part, but he believed it.
Isufi entered the office scared.
– Excuse me, fellow chairman, can I?
– Come on, what do you have?
– Sorry, I submitted this document.
– What is it?
– My resignation.
The chairman looked surprised. He was one of the neatest non-commissioned officers.
– Why?
– Yes, how can I tell you? I do not feel capable of performing this task. After that, I want to go to my village where I have my parents. Now they are old and sick and need me by their side.
Isufi presented two variants that contradicted each other. He even said he didn’t feel capable and then claimed he was going to his parents. The chairman was well aware of his ability. He was one of the most skilled. He realized that the cause had to be something else.
– Listen, friend Isuf! I know you very well and I know your abilities. So don’t bring it around why are you leaving
Isufi did not know how to act. To tell the truth, he was afraid of being misunderstood and the consequences were known then. But even his parents’ version, he understood that the mayor did not believe it. After standing for some time without speaking, he finally said:
– Yes, comrade chairman, I will tell you the truth. I am talking about comrades Demir and Ilia. This happened on the day of the liberation day. I had service in the detainees’ cells. Friend Myfit comes and tells me that; on the order of Comrade Demir, who was on guard duty, to go and stand at the gate for anything that might happen. I told him who would stay in the cells if I left. He told me that was the order Went. After a while, I saw Selim driving back. From it, my friend Ilia and two women, a woman and a girl, got out. They went inside. I was impressed. It was getting close to midnight. What were they looking for at that late hour?
– Leave comments!
The case began to interest the president. He realized that an extraordinary event must have happened. The two officers had taken advantage of the holiday to do something.
– Continue!
– It didn’t take long and an old woman came and asked to meet you. I told him that you were not there and asked him why he wanted to meet you at that hour. He told me that a Branch officer had picked up his daughter-in-law and granddaughter and brought them here. Her words coincided with the arrival of friend Ilia with the two women. I realized that she was the mother of the detainee, Agron Canaj. I told him that I would go and be interested. I left a friend at the gate and went to Comrade Demir’s office to report to him. There I found the defendant and Myfiti. I asked him and he told me that Demiri was down in the dungeons. I went downstairs. There was no human foot in the line of dungeons. I was surprised how only the detainees were left, without any guards.
– I told you to leave the comments, – said the chairman, losing patience with Isuf’s extensions.
– Then I went to the special dungeons. There was no one in the training room. I heard a strange moaning in the next room. I slowly opened the door and saw my friend Ilia, who had put the woman down. He was naked. She was crying. I left and went to the other room. There I heard the girl’s voice laughing and crying at the same time as well as Demir’s moans. I waited outside. Comrade Ilia came out first. When he saw me, his face broke down and he told me to try it too. I did not accept. Then my friend Demir came out, who threatened me that, if I opened my mouth, they would beat me to death. Then he told me to take them both to the car to take them home. So I did.
– You mean they raped them?
– Yes. To tell you the truth, it was very difficult for me. I’ve been keeping it a secret for so many days, but when I found out about their tragic death, I couldn’t stay and work with them anymore. So I decided to resign.
The chairman got up nervously and started pacing around the office. He didn’t speak a word. He remembered the terrible scene that had happened and if at that moment those two had appeared in front of him, he did not know what he had done.
– Listen, friend Isuf, you have done your duty. But be careful. You don’t have to talk about it with anyone. Leave it to me to judge and make a decision. Don’t say a word to those two. Did you understand me?
– As the president orders!
– Now go and listen to what I told you.
Isufi honored and went out. The chairman kept coming around. During his career in the Internal Affairs bodies, such serious events had happened to him several times, but never of this nature and of this magnitude. He remembered the time of the War. A young couple was shot for such a similar action. But it had not been rape. They were in love. It was a time of war and love was forbidden. Such a thing was happening right now, when the paths of success were opening for him. He had gained fame for discovering several hostile groups, including the latter. But the event that Isufi told him would invalidate this success. The consequences would naturally also fall on the president.
It was necessary to act as soon as possible. The event should not have been allowed to happen. He had indeed ordered Isuf to keep quiet, but how did he know? If he talks to someone close to him? The word came out of two teeth, takes one tooth, and says a proverb. Selimi also saw this event. Did he find out what happened? Even if not, if the girl came out of there crazy, he took her home. The bell rang. The secretary entered the office.
– Tell friends Demir and Ilia to come here immediately.
It didn’t take long and they showed up.
– You took the badge, did you come?
– We came, comrade chairman.
– How about you tell us?
– Yes, comrade chairman, everything is going well. With the last group, we have attached the files, just as you ordered us, said Demiri
– It seems to me that you did not act as I ordered you.
– Why?
The chairman stood up and said in a stern voice:
– Didn’t I order you to rape those two unfortunates?
They were stunned and were looking at each other. Finally, Demiri spoke:
– What do you say, fellow president…?!
– What do I say? Won’t you try to deny this too?
– I am not to blame, – Ilia said. – Demir forced me.
– I swear, Comrade Chairman, for the ideal, that Demiri forced me.
– Rest, masquerades! You will be accountable to the Party for this dirty act. Now go!
They left deeply frightened. It was four in the afternoon. Meanwhile, there was a knock at the door.
– Come in! – The chairman spoke in a tired voice.
The Branch secretary entered the office.
– I’m sorry, fellow president! – Said the secretary, – I am disturbing you as an urgent telegram has arrived from the Ministry.
– Thank you! – said the president, receiving the telegram, – you can leave.
The secretary came out. The chairman glanced at the telegram. It came from the Directorate of State Security, under the Ministry of the Interior. The inscription “Top Secret” stood out. He quickly opened it and began to read it: “Urgently, report to our directory.”
It started instantly. He did not take Selim. He drove the car himself. Gjika, the director of the Directorate of Security, was waiting for him at the Ministry. They both locked themselves in the office and Gjika said:
– We need two loyal and alert friends to send them on a mission abroad, to Greece, and I am entrusting this task to you, as I am confident that you will perform it best. You should keep in mind that they will appear there with a different identity. In the civil status registers, they must be listed as dead. So you have to prepare some kind of accident, where supposedly they will lose their lives.
Petrit got lucky on the road.
– What if we sacrifice another person in this accident, some lightweight? – he asked with great satisfaction.
– Of course, someone not very important. Just be mindful. Everything must be prepared in the best possible way and in absolute secrecy.
– How do you order! I have two very good officers. One of them knows the Greek language, – said the chairman who immediately found the solution to the issue that had worried him so much.
– Who are they? – asked Gjika
The chairman gave the names of Demir and Ilias.
– When do you want them? – he asked.
– Tomorrow at seven in the morning, they should be here. From that moment they will no longer exist.
They left and the mayor Petriti immediately left for his city.
He called someone from home.
– Come to the office tomorrow at eight o’clock, – he said in an icy voice.
He came. They talked face to face and at the end the chairman said:
– Now you will leave with those two for Tirana and tomorrow at dinner, everything should have ended. Don’t forget Tatra
– How do you order!
As the mysterious visitor left, he called Demir with Ilia.
– The party will charge you with a very important task. For this, you will go to the urgent Ministry. There you will look for Gjika, the director of the State Security Directorate, who will show you his new task. In no way should you oppose it. The honorable performance of this duty will atone for the shame you have done. The reward comes later.
– As the president orders! – they both spoke in one voice, feeling a relief in themselves. They started immediately, on the long and secret road.
The chairman had no time to wait. It was necessary to act as soon as possible. Isufi called.
– According to the information we have, – he said – tonight at ten o’clock, at the Cave of Wolves, a meeting of a KGB envoy with someone, whose name we do not yet know, will take place. The envoy works somewhere in the capital and asks for information about the gang we discovered. The person, whose name we do not know, will provide this information. Both should be arrested immediately. For this, Demiri and Ilia started yesterday. That’s why I started immediately with Selim. Also take weapons with you. It’s seven o’clock. I trust you that are why I am entrusting you with this task.
– As you order, comrade chairman!
It didn’t take long and “Gaz” started. The Cave of the Wolves was near the top of a mountain, which was located above the sea. The road was very difficult. A narrow road, which the rain that had fallen made very slippery, but Selim’s skill at the wheel made the difficulties pass. After traveling for almost two and a half hours, they were nearing the end. Here, they had one more sharp turn and then a small plateau stretched and, after two or three smaller turns, they would reach the Wolves’ Cave. At the plateau, after the sharp turn, they would leave the car and approach secretly on foot, so as not to be dictated to by the two wanted men.
As soon as they passed the bend, a bright light blinded their eyes. A big “Tatra” with lights on was coming towards them. They tried to trick them, but it was in vain. “Tatra” continued to walk, despite all their horrified calls. “Gaz” rolled several times and at the end the sound of something heavy falling into the sea was heard.
The next day the shepherds of the cooperative farm, who had heard the sound of “Gaz” falling, but did not understand what had happened, came out to see. Behind a rock they found two bloody human corpses. They alerted the police station and within a short time, a team from the Department of Internal Affairs arrived, headed by the mayor. They looked for others but it was in vain. The corpses were examined and turned out to be policeman Isufi and driver Selim.
The funeral ceremony took place in the hall of the Department of Internal Affairs. There were four coffins, of Demir, Ilia, Isuf and Selim, located at the front of the great hall. People paid homage to them. They stood ready in front of the photographs of the victims placed next to each coffin, raising their fists. Family members lined up one after the other and waited for condolences.
– Condolences and May you be remembered!
– Long live the Party and Comrade Enver!!
These were the words exchanged between them. In the end, the coffins were loaded into the hearse that left for the Martyrs’ Cemetery. They had fallen in the line of duty and the Executive Committee had decided to bury them as Martyrs of the Motherland. A large crowd had gathered to escort them. At the cemetery, President Petriti gave a touching speech.
From the ministry, the following radiogram arrived: “The eagles flew up.”
After three days, Petriti sent a long letter to the Ministry of the Interior. After presenting the reason for the mission, he added, among other things:
“While traveling to perform this important task, due to the rain that had fallen, the driver lost control of the car and it fell into the abyss, ending up in the sea. Of the four members of the team, only the corpses of two of them, the honorable policeman Isuf Tahiri and the driver Selim Bredhi, were found. The outstanding officers, Demir Vreshtazi and Ilia Ndreçko, ended up at sea. Despite our intensive searches, it was not possible to find their bodies.”
Everything was pinned to the best. Not a single line was written about the KGB agent and his accomplice, as well as about the “Tatra” vehicle, which appeared suddenly and without remembering. No one found out the truth, not even the victims themselves. Memorie.al
