Albanian Diaspora warns Washington on Djukanovic visit

1/19/10

Dear Mr. Vice President J. Biden
Dear Madame Secretary of State H. Clinton

It is our understanding that you have a scheduled meeting with the Prime Minister of Montenegro, Mr. Djukanovic. We would like to bring to your attention some of the concerns that the Albanians in Montenegro and the Albanian Diaspora has been faced with for decades. First of all, the Government of Montenegro has consistently refused to address and acknowledge the dire political and economical situation of ethnic Albanians residing in Montenegro.

Mr. Vice President and Madame Secretary of State, it is believed by a majority of Albanians in Montenegro, and the Albanians here in the USA, that the Montenegrin Government has individually and collectively expelled Albanian minority from the right to genuine equal participation in the Montenegrin Government; therefore, denying basic human and political rights, which is a direct violation of the Articles of the International Covenant on Civic and Political Rights, European Charter for Minority Rights and other supplementary international and European laws that protect minority rights. Montenegro knowingly has chosen an erroneous path, using Albanians as pretext for division, manipulation, meaningless promises, and unequal economic opportunities; favoring individuals that collaborate at the expense of Albanian rights, creating a distrustful environment among Albanians, and as a result of this, forcing Albanians to immigrate or assimilate into a majority group.

The Albanian American Association, for decades has been calling on the Montenegrin Government to fully comply with the abovementioned legitimate Albanians’ rights, and to seriously engage in removalof well-documented discriminatory practices which lead toward an intergenerational transmitted bigotry, prejudice, and stereotyping. They need to epigrammatically take steps to eliminate the negative effects of their institutions and historical narrow-mindedness. The principle to maintain peace, stability, and security goes hand-in-hand with protection and full realization of Albanian political and economical rights.

The Albanians Diaspora from Montenegro in the U.S. composes well over 60% of the Albanian population from Montenegro, who have emigrated as a result of continuous repression and institutionalized discrimination. In the last twenty years of democracy, with the exception of the approval of democratic multiparty electoral system, Montenegro has failed to improve the civic and political rights of Albanians; the government’s position toward ethnic Albanians is no different from the communist era.

We as citizens of the USA, courteously request that you convey the following concerns to the Prime Minister, Gjukanoviq:

1. Granting a full Municipality for the region of Malesia, for which we have compiled the elaborate of economic and political justification

2. The release of political prisoners “The Eagles Flight", and punishment of torture on prisoners exercised by untrained police officers.

3. Stop blocking the rights achieved during the approval of new electoral law; instead implement these laws/issues:

A. In the municipality of Ulqin,beach-border boundaries (“Sea Goods") need to be returned to 6m width according to the law.

B. To return the confiscated lands by the governmental authorities to the legal owners in citizens of Valdanos, Municipality of Ulqin, according to the deed law of the legitimate ownership.

C. Equal and proportional stateemployment for the Albanian minority, which constitutes 5.3% of the total population of Montenegro; while an employment is less than 0.3% (number of employees in this sector in Montenegro is over 50 thousands).

D. Review of contracts to privatization, and public transparency.

E. Introduction/Adoption of textbooks from Albania and Kosova for Albanian Language classes.

F. Adequately and appropriately allocate of funds for the Albanian Language.

Since Montenegro has contributed in preserving peace and freedom in the Balkans, we hope that our concerns will encounter an understanding by the Montenegrin government; and that with your understanding and support of our civic injustice, we anticipate these issues will be addresses to the Montenegrin officials during this event.

Respectfully,

__________________________________________________________________________________
Gjergj Ivezaj - Chairman of the Albanian American Association “Malesia e Madhe”


Albanian American Association “Malesia e Madhe,” Gjergj Ivezaj
Homeland Unites Us, Inc, Dr. Palok Camaj
Humanitarian Fund “Malesia,” Leonard Berishaj
Ded Gjon Luli Association, Sander Sinishtaj