Hon. Mark Gjonaj /
NYS Assembly – Albany/
Dear Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj,/
The Albanians in the Republic of Montenegro continue to face persecution by the government authorities simply because they are Albanians. The political, social, and economic conditions are designed to make life difficult for the Albanians in Montenegro –with the continued intention to force Albanians to leave their homeland. The net result of this calculated plan is called slow ethnic cleansing; today there are more Albanians from Montenegro in Detroit than in Montenegro.
As you know, when Montenegro’s Prime Minister, Milo Gjukanoviq, visited Washington, the Pan-Albanian Federation of America-VATRA fully supported the protest that was held in Washington by the Albanian-American Organizations on April 8, 2014.
To take our joint effort a step further, The Pan-Albanian Federation of America-VATRA proposes that you lead an Albanian-American delegation to the U.S. Embassy in Podgorica to express our concerns about the plight of the Albanian people in Montenegro and recommend actionable steps to improve their fundamental rights. VATRA will be happy to join the delegation.
For the Board of Directors,
Dr. Gjon Buçaj,
President
New York, April 11, 2014
Great idea. Are we however sure that Albania itself is doing all it can in support of the rights of the ethnic Albanians of Montenegro? It si time to seriously think about a Panalbanian Federation including the Republic of Albania and the Republic of Kosova. Only a greater Albania can have sufficient political and economic clout to stand up and be counted in a world were international law is at it lowest point since the end of the Cold War.
I’m sorry, but a lot of this sounds like empty rhetoric. I think more people would gladly show their support if they were at least furnished with actual evidence of so-called “slow ethnic cleansing”. Perhaps some examples of the alleged persecution? Emigration figures alone aren’t enough.
What background or experience does Mr. Gjonaj have with dealing with the political situation of Albanians in Montenegro? Is it because he holds a political office in NY that makes he automatically qualified? Show me work that he has done in the past to promote Albanianism in Montenegro via published work, organized activities or interactions with Albanians in Malêsi or elsewhere. What Vatra proposes here (meeting at embassy in Podgorica) has been done before (2006, 2008, and 2009) with no results; even with the company of US congressmen.