Page 4 - illyria

4 I l l y r i a Wednesday, May 27, 1992 ALBANIANS IN AMERICA JOIN KOSOVARS IN
By Isuf Hajrizi
IBRONX
t was a happy but tense day for Albanians around the world on Sunday. Happy because for the
first time they held free multiparty elections in Kosova to elect their president and members of the parlia- ment. Tense because of the fear of a possible Serbian police crackdown on Kosovars during the elections.
Albanians throughout the America and around the world massively went to the polls to vote for their favorite president.
More than 4,000 Albanian- Americans cast their ballots in the tristate area alone. Ballots were also cast in Chicago, Detroit, northern California and other states were Albanians live. V oting was conduct- ed in Europe, Canada and Australia.
“I have three sons here in U.S., but if tomorrow Dr. Rugova needs them in Kosova he will have them there overnight,” said Misin Nezaj, who had come to cast his ballot at the LDK headquarters in the Bronx on Sunday. The 60-year-old Nezaj has
14 other members of his family back in Kosova and fears that Serbian army and police might massacre innocent Albanian families. “But there is nothing to stop us short of gaining our freedom, no matter what it takes,” he said.
“May God bless him,” said Jeta Hajdari from New Jersey. “He has been pursuing God-like politics. God works slowly but never forgets to do his job,” Hajdari said. “We Albanians are a peace-loving people who have always been nice to our neighbors so we deserve our free- dom and independence,” Hajdari added.
Similar feelings about Rugova echoed from Nekije Metaj at the Albanian United Fund Cultural Center in Paterson who had come to cast her vote accompanied by her 11-year-old daughter Aferdita. “Rugova is a much needed man for Albanian people today because peo- ple trust him and he is smart and I am confident that he will further continue to avoid a bloodshed and at the same time demand freedom for Albanians,” Metaj said.
BUKOSHIONELECTION: ‘THEPEOPLE’SWILL’
The multiparty elections in the Republic of Kosova which were held on May 24, 1992, were greatly successful.
The elections for Parliament and President of Kosova is an historical achievement for all Albanians and for the citizens of Kosova.
The elections express the firm will of the people to attain its goals with democratic and peaceful means and bear witness to the proficient and adequate organization of the people, of political subjects, associations and individuals, which crown the efforts of many generations in the struggle to gain national liberty and to decide for their own life in peace and freedom.
Kosova was proclaimed a sovereign and independent state by a regular pro- cedure of the political and juridical foundation and by its legal and legitimate bodies chosen by the people, showing the determination to solve issues with voting and not with war, by authentic and autonomous self-organization, as an answer to the oppression of the Serbian government.
The state of Kosova is an expression of the will of the people which is the majority of the population in Kosova. It is a determining factor of stability both in the internal regulation as in the external affairs with neighboring coun- tries without any territorial pretensions.
This fact will be recognized and accepted by friends and enemies. Democratic Albania had and has a positive influence in the progress of the elections for its involvement in the just solution of the Albanian issue, and the
policy of stability.
The Albanian Community in the United States, activists there, the entire
Albanian diaspora and various friendly societies and individuals of the Albanian people all around the world have greatly contributed as well.
The LDK Press Center, a true informative agency, has reported adequately on how the elections progressed and on all events in Kosova. The foreign reporters who were in Kosova during the elections also contributed the same.
Delegations of different governments, political parties, international associa - tions and institutions honored the will of the Albanian people by coming to Kosova during the elections. At the same time they were able to witness Kosova’s reality and the regularity of the elections.
We congratulate all for a sovereign and independent state of Kosova, and for its new elected Parliament and President.
Prime Minister Dr. Bujar Bukoshi
Jeta Hajdari: "We Albanians are a peace-loving people and deserve to be free"
ALETTERTODR.IBRAHIMRUGOVA
Dear Mr. President,
It was with great pleasure that I received the news that the elections were successfully held and that you
were elected president.
I am especially happy to hear that despite the extremely difficult conditions, the elections were conduct -
ed. People young and old were determined and went to the polls massively to vote for the independence of Kosova and for the formation of the Parliament of Kosova.
Albanians who were born in Kosova also voted here in the U.S. and elsewhere throughout the diaspora to elect you as their president. We called May 24 a historic day for us since it is another step in establishing an independent Kosova.
Your persistence for free elections in Kosova, despite Serbian threats of force and terror, gave the Albanian people faith and hope that Kosova will overcome the barriers put up before them and win its free - dom.
I am sure that through international support and with our systematic resistance, the Serbian myth about Kosova will disappear and Albanians will live as a free nation.
The election results, as you said once yourself, will slowly enable Kosovars to install a democratic gov - ernment in Kosova. I am convinced that a correct presentation of the elections internationally will greatly
help to uncover the truth about Kosova. The fact that non-Albanians (Muslims, Turks, Croats) took part in
the election shows further support for your efforts to create a democratic and modern country where all will
be free.
I am deeply convinced that the newly elected government will do whatever possible to create a prosper -
ous state. I am also convinced that ahead of us stands a difficult road filled with sacrifice. But with you as our president, combined with the strong will and determination of our people, we will prevail.
Let May 24 mark the beginning of a prosperous future.
Mr. President, congratulations and may God be with you and our people!
Sincerely,
Hajdar “Harry” Bajraktari
HOWFOREIGNREPORTERSSAW THEELECTIONS
PRISHTINE
The heavy turnout of the foreign press and international delegations to observe the elections in Kosova impressed Albanians who thought because of the tense situation people would be afraid to show up.
Close to 100 foreign press agencies participated in the elections. Illyria’s reporters were at the scene and caught up with a few of the foreign guests to ask them how they saw the election process. The following is what few of them said:
Erich Ratherfelder, Die Tageszeitung, Germany: “I think the elections were correctly done despite the existing conditions. In the Drenoc village where I visited the ballots, lines of people waiting to approach the tables to fill out necessary paper work and the voting booths were very long. Personally I think that the voting under these condi- tions has a demonstrative message. I sense difficulties and contradiction will come later. I also participated in elec- tions in Romania and the only difference here is they are much better organized.”
Kiell Albin Abrahamson, Swedish National Radio: “I am very thankful that the organizing of the election was on such a high level to enable us to cover the process objectively. We traveled freely and found no fault at the election process. As for whether these elections are legal or not depends on whose side you are on.”
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