Dashnor Kaloçi
Memorie.al publishes an archival document issued by the Central State Archive (fund of the former Central Committee of the ALP), which belongs to the month of February 1990, where there is a congratulatory telegram of Nexhmije Hoxha, who at that time was in office of the President of the Democratic Front of the People’s Republic of Albania, sent to Nelson Mandela, the leader of the movement and the fight for freedom and equal rights in South Africa, who had just been released from prison by special decree of the President of South African Fredrik De Klerk, after serving 34 years, from life imprisonment. The full telegram of Nexhmije Hoxha sent to the South African leader in color, which became a symbol of resistance and the fight against apartheid policy, which through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tirana, was sent to the Albanian Embassy in Dar Es Salaam, with note to find Nelson Mandela’s address, as official Tirana did not know where to send the telegram…?!
In February 1990, after a 34-year stay in the prisons of the South African regime, Nelson Mandela, the leader of the movement and the struggle for freedom and equal rights against racial oppression of his countrymen, was released from prison, which happened even after great international pressure, when the “white government” of President Frederick de Klerk, legalized all political parties and released most of the political prisoners.
Prior to that, in 1985, Mandela was offered parole on condition that he no longer engages in armed resistance, an “offer” which he declined and remained in solitary confinement.
Mandela’s release from prison, which was hailed as a hero by his supporters, had a great international resonance, as he, thanks to his charisma, was considered a symbol of the brave man who fought for freedom and equal rights.
But even though he was denied freedom for almost three decades, it must be said that Mandela was not only given the right to education (Johannesburg Faculty of Law), but even after that, he received his license and practiced the profession of lawyer at a law firm in the capital, Johannesburg, along with his colleague and friend, Oliver Tambo. The studio he used most for the meetings of the organization he led and also for organizing armed attacks on government buildings?!
However, Mandela’s release from prison, as we mentioned a little above, had a great echo, which could not but pass in silence in communist Albania, as for years official Tirana had declared the South African regime as one of its worst enemies its big, after the US, the Soviet Union and Israel ?!
In this context, at that time Nexhmije Hoxha, the widow of the communist dictator who ruled “de facto” Albania, did not fail to send a congratulatory telegram to Nelson Mandela, which seen in today’s optics, sounds and is a hypocrisy never heard before ?!
We say so, because at that time (1990), in the prisons of the regime of communist Albania there were some “Mandela”, who suffered as prisoners of conscience for several decades, such as: Sami Dangëllia (43 years, died in prison), Osman Kazazi (42 years in prison), Petrit Velaj (38 years in prison), Ilia Tereska, (34 years in prison), Mersin Vlashi (33 years in prison), Preng Gjonmarkaj (30 years in prison), Pjetër Arbnori (28 years prison), Adem Allçi (27 years in prison), etc., etc. And the prison they were still suffering at the time that “Comrade Nexhmije” wished Mandela’s release, was in extremely inhumane conditions, naked and barefoot and with enough food to keep the soul alive and on the verge of survival.
Not to mention human rights and freedoms, which should be said that Nelson Mandela did not miss, without discussing the treatment in isolation with very good conditions, such as television and food up to pheasant meat….! And all this was happening under President de Klerk’s South African regime, which a few years later together with Mandela received the Nobel Peace Prize ?!
But without going into the comparisons between the treatment of Mandela of South Africa and the “Albanian Mandela”, as it is said that: “everyone suffers his suffering”, except for the hypocrisy of “comrade Nexhmije”, what stands out is her telegram sent to Mandela, is the setting she makes to him and the address where the telegram was sent (Albanian embassy in Dar Es Salaam)?!
As can be seen from the telegram in question (see relevant facsimiles), she calls Mandela, “the leader of the Azanian people” (the old name from the time of ancient Greece of South Africa), and not South Africa, the leader whose was actually Mandela, a state whose name she could not even mention ?!
Nexhmije Hoxha’s telegram sent to Nelson Mandela
TELEGRAM
LORD: NELSON MANDELA
It is with great pleasure that we learn of your release from the many and long sufferings and afflictions in the prisons of the Pretoria regime.
This gives us the long-awaited opportunity to express the best wishes and the warmest fraternal greetings of the Democratic Front of Albania and my personal ones.
The Azeri people have long fought heroically for the realization of other lofty aspirations, of freedom, equality and democracy, against the dark and savage racist forces and their apartheid policy.
He can be proud to have brought out of his midst a leader such as you, who, with his firm stance on the cause of national rights, became a great example of inspiration.
Our people have expressed and will express all solidarity with the all-out efforts of the Azanian people to overthrow the apartheid system with full conviction that their struggle will continue and will be crowned with victory, and establish true peace and democracy , as his undeniable rights, on the path of social progress.
On behalf of the entire Albanian people, we express our deepest feelings of sympathy to you and the Azeri people. We wish you further success in the fight to create a society of national equality, freedom and independence.
Nexhmije Hoxha
Tirana, on 15.2.1990
Chairwoman of the General Council of
DEMOCRATIC FRONT OF ALBANIA
Telegram of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tirana, for the Albanian Embassy in Dar Es Salaam
TELEGRAM
Embassy: DAR ES SALAM
Meet with representatives of the Azanian National Congress (ANC) and specify with him the address of Nelson Mandela, as we do not know where to direct the congratulatory telegrams.
We are waiting urgently.
Tirana, on 15 2.1990, Min. Outside. /Memorie.al
