.: Congress urges State Department to defend Albanian's petition for full Municipality in Malesia

Sunday, May 02, 2010

Congress urges State Department to defend Albanian's petition for full Municipality in Malesia

April 16, 2010

The Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
Washington, D.C. 20520

Dear Madam Secretary:

We are writing to request your consideration of a petition delivered by representatives of the Albanian-American Association and Citizens Initiative-Malёsia to the Department of State on April 16, 2010 regarding the treatment of ethnic Albanians in Montenegro. A copy of this petition is enclosed.

We hope the United States will make clear to Podgorica that we expect them to abide by international standards on human rights, especially the treatment of ethnic minorities within Montenegro. Since its independence in 2006, Montenegro has made progress concerning respect for human rights, however much work remains to be done to ensure the equitable treatment of ethnic Albanians in Montenegro. Specifically, ethnic Albanians are seriously underrepresented in public employment and in their share of public resources. One avenue for redressing this problem is the granting of a full municipality status of the Tuzi district of Podgorica, which would allow the Albanian community in Tuzi the greater opportunity to manage their own affairs. The United States should request that Podgorica strongly consider this as an appropriate way to improve the situation of the Albanian community in Montenegro.

We urge the Department of State and Ambassador Moore to take the views of the Albanian-American community into consideration in the conduct of our diplomatic relations with Montenegro. We also request that the Department of State press the government in Podgorica to take concrete steps toward the equitable treatment of ethnic Albanians in Montenegro.

The United States is home to nearly all of the Albanian Diaspora, and as such has a special responsibility to be an advocate for the rights of Albanians who are subject to discrimination in their native lands. We look forward to working with you to ensure that we meet that responsibility.

Sincerely,

Sander Levin
Member of Congress

Carl Levin
U.S. Senate

Gary Peters
Member of Congress

3 comments:

Anonymous said...: This is a very powerful letter. I am very surprised that members of Congress would come out and claim Montenegro is discriminating against Albanians. I believe tis is the first time high ranking officials from the US have made this claim (other than Lantos).

Good job Albanian lobby!; 7:02 PM
Anonymous said...: I think you guys should keep the pressure on. Don't let up.; 10:48 PM
Anonymous said...: It seems as though the Albanians in "Malesia" are the only ones with problems. Reviewing this blog, which is pretty clever, this small region is making quite a bit of noise, including its people here in America.

What about the other Albanian dominated regions, like Ulcinj, are there problems there? And if so, then why do they not stage their issues like this region?

Michael; 12:18 PM

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New York Times article published May 21, 1911

"ALBANIAN JOAN OF ARC: Handsome Heroine Takes Father's Place and Vanquishes Turks" – Cetinja, May 21, 1911 - A young girl, whose first name corresponds to that of the given name of the Maid of Orleans, is now being sung in the songs of the Montenegrin bards in the inns and coffee houses in Podgorica. When at the battle of Vranje last week, her father, the hereditary commander of his clan, fell, she immediately stepped to his place and led the Martinajs to victory against the Turks. Aside from the romantic phase of the affair, for Janitza Martinaj (Tringa e Grudes) is very beautiful, the battle is important as showing that the Montenegrins on the frontier had joined with the Albanians. According to a person who is well acquainted with her, this new Joan of Arc is “a tall, handsome, well-developed young woman. All the Albanian women are brave, and are trained from their girlhood to the use of firearms, and in times of war, as there are no mules, they carry the provisions and ammunition for their soldiers and go into the firing line to distribute them.” “And are sometimes killed?” “Yes, often that happens.” Janitza would probably have carried a Martini rifle; or, as many of the Marininis were collected last year by the Turks, her weapon may perhaps have been one of the old-fashioned Albanian rifles, which are handsomely decorated with silver and have very long, narrow barrels. Shooting is almost the only amusement of the young men and women in Albania. Both boys and girls learn to shoot when they are 12 years old. At weddings the parties amuse themselves by dancing and shooting: at christenings shootings is again the principal amusement – firing at large targets for some little prize – and at festivals there is shooting all day long. It’s one of the great difficulties that Turks have to contend with, for it is part of the national life; the people use their rifles by day and sleep with them by their side by night. The custom has grown up with the prevailing insecurity from vendettas at home and border troubles abroad. Physically, the Albanians are the finest race in Europe. Their women are handsome, with dark hair, though their eyes are sometimes gray. To see them walk is a delight. We like to see the ballet in Servia. The first time I saw the Albanians walk it gave me just the same pleasure. Their movements are so graceful, elegance and strength together. Yes, they are a very fine and very gifted race. They are like the Scots in the 17th century, and they will be by and by the finest race, intellectually as well as physically, in the Balkans. If you go to Constantinople you will find that many of the finest men, not only soldiers but also statesmen are Albanians. Their fault, due to their present degree of civilization, is that they cannot grasp the idea of State. The clan is their highest organization; they are unable to see the importance of combining the clan with the higher organization of making a state. But that will come.

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Sunday, May 02, 2010

Congress urges State Department to defend Albanian's petition for full Municipality in Malesia

3 comments:

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