A Book of Distraction Discussed About Albanian People's Suffering in Yugoslavia

It says: Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Gashi

Gani SylajPrison After Prison

The books of individual authors on the contribution they have made to national political movements, written the form of memoaries, are the most valuable sources in addition to documents to write history or movement. Memoores or memories have the pulse of life, especially when the writer has detailed knowledge of the subject he deals with. It is sufficient for us to remember the Memoores of Churchill, De Goli, and many prominent political activists in the world who serve as primary sources to understand the history of the political movements they led.

In the autobiographic book, in the form of memories that we are promoting today, by the author of prominent national affairs, educators and writer Gani Sylaj, with the title meaning Prison after prison, Common reader, but even professionals from the fields of letters and history have generally been enriched with a rare and very authentic volume of information about the wealth of suffering and physical and psychic persecution of Albanian political prisoners in the former Yugoslav, but also their national resistance and pride, with special emphasis on the plearies of homemen imprisoned at the end of the 1970s and early 80s of the last century included in this book, as well as the very important contribution their organisation had before they were arrested. More than that, we learn through this book that the organizational activity of these patriotic dignitaries, even though prisoners were not removed during their prison years.

The author of the book, patriot and Erudite Gani Sylaj, confessing to the first person, but speaking more about friends and the desperate circumstances of prison, investigative, physical and psychic violence of UDB inspectors and investigators, loneliness, isolation, hunger strike, has described better than many, of course in key shades, the opdisade of all Albanian political prisoners in Yugoslav prisons. In this book, reading the correct description, very creative and with a special selection of the most important moments to be recorded in a book, I consider that each political prisoner will find his own story here, more summarized by one mind and a very sharp feather.

Book Prison after prison, could be listed among the best books with memories of prison and prisoner. Based on his strong memory and his notes and records that he had always kept for as long as possible, the author has constructed the time of his stay and his friends whom he met in Yugoslav prisons, more precisely the impressive description, that each of the readers of this book will unwittingly begin to be incarnate and suffer with the author, impressing the highest morality and philosophy of his resistance, but also his friends.

The book included a time course that the starting point has the author's arrest, from UDB inspectors, on December 22, 1979, in Pristina, and his first sentence for countervasis work, in two months' length, in the absence of evidence, but more intense continuation of investigations during these two months to accuse him of organised action <x0 mic> and transfer him to Skopje's investigative prison, the very day he was to be released, at the end of the two-month sentence. You let your readers, reading the book, get acquainted with the violence and brutality the author experienced in the investigator in Pristina and Skopje and separately the dignified stand he had at the trial that was organised for him and his two collaborators from the Court of Skopje. His defense (which he did himself, opposing the state-appointed lawyer) was at least self-defense. He had prepared in written form his long defence more than six pages that was a protection in fact of the cause and the unresolved issue of Albanians in Yugoslavia. A saying of philosopher Mark Aureli that “The power of mind is yours, not the events outside. Understand this, and you'll find force” It could be the best comparison to describe force, courage but also the cleverness and clarity of thought, which Gani Syla expressed in his defense speech before the court at the District Court in Skopje on July 1st 1980. You're just cutting off the emphasis on this bold and accurate picture speech of Ganiu, which he had prepared by recalling the words of Sylejman Vokshi and Avni Rrustem spoken in their judicial processes: I refuse to accept the Yugoslav trial, only my people's trial. I'm not here to answer the account but to account... Resumption of Albanian territories from the titan Yugoslavia and resulting in the oppression that is coming to our people in Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia are not new to us... Since the first day of your conquest, you have done what you can to keep our people captive. But wrong, wrong. The Albanian people in every step of their history have cried out with sword, and I will cry more sword in the future. ”

After being sentenced in 6 years, Ganiu will be sent to serve this sentence in Idrizov prison. Calm in his nature, thoughtful and discreet in his actions, Ganiu never weakened even in the face of the severest trials. He was the typical example of Churchill's famous saying:“A pessimistic man sees adversity at every opportunity; An optimist sees the chance in any difficulty” Ghaniu, even in the greatest moments of prison life, did not give signs of pessimism, but in remembering the great sacrifice of the nation's predecessor, he found the necessary strength and optimism that he shared with his friends.

The 1981 demonstration blast, no matter how much trouble the first, entered prisons but then spread as soon as their organizers and participants were brought into prison, it was the greatest joy for Ganyu and his companions. As soon as they received the news of the March 11, Ganiu demonstration in front of friends, they would say: “Today it is legitimate for our joy and happiness, for on the outside come redeeming rays that inspire and give us more strength and courage so that wherever we are, we will stop to work and think about our righteous struggle for the release of our nation's union shared by Yugoslav invaders”.

The wave of mass arrests and sentences during 1981 and 1982 was ominous to Ganiu that he would no longer pass the sentence he received at the court in Skopje. Now his organization had been discovered, and almost all his friends had been arrested and Ganiu was prepared, how he would build his defense next door with the investigator, hosted the news of his transfer to Pristina's investigative prison.

In one of his stories in the book, entitled “tane” The author described it through confessions entitled: The First Night, the Second Night and the Third Night of Investigation, the savagery and wickedness of investigators in Pristina, Albanian and others. The second night was, as the author relates, the moment he during a harsh dialogue with the Albanian inspector, who was boasting that he and his family had protected Yugoslavia and his brother was a witness to World War II. Ganiu, after hearing it, did not approve, but did not keep silent, returning it to him very badly. You've stepped on your dance blood which fell for the freedom of his people and other captive peoples, and you're fighting your people”. The detective with no one without two pulled a gun and wanted to kill him. From death, the Montenegrin inspector was rescued, who intervened, holding his hand and firing his gun. The third night was physical revenge against Ganiu for staying the night before. The Albanian inspector and his Montenegrin colleague, as Ganiu claims, had just entered the investigation room, physically attacked him with rubber sticks and fists. Even Ganiu returned, until they were allvano by the beatings of two criminals, the Guardians brought him into the room just before breakfast in a very serious condition where roommates tried to treat wounds from brutal beatings.

In the first days of July 1982, Ganiu and his organisation's associates, Jakup Krasniqi, Mehmet Hajrizi, Nezir Myrtaj, Berat Luza, and others will be brought to trial. Ganiu had also prepared a patriotic speech here to say in defense, but I was told that, with his friends, they had agreed not to give long speeches, he did so without saying before the judge, when he gave his word, patriotic slogans: Below Yugoslavia was revisionist, Long live Kosovo Republic, Long live the Albanian people and we will win. After the state's porpoise of certain attorneys ex officio, which did not even distinguish many from those of the prosecutors, the judge pronounced the conical Dra sentences, where the lowest was four and highest 15 years. Ganyu was convicted. At the conclusion of the trial, there was a hug between prisoners, despite severe convictions and the reaction of police officers.

The final part of the book is a detailed account of experiences from Mitrovica Prison and then the long and detailed description of Sombor Prison, where Ganiu spent the rest of his suffering sentence. These include the confessions entitled: We don't go walking with our hands behind; We don't bow to the guards; Double the doors, Solidarisation among political prisoners, sharing the truth among prisoners of other nations; The more of us political prisoners of other nations.

A very special feature that adds to the values of this book is part of the description of personal, professional, and national profiles of illegal friends and political prisoners who spent the most difficult days in prison. With full respect and precision, he offered each a short profile, with focus on their activities and contributions to the homeland. In addition to Ghani's activity, through this book, the reader will learn about activists like: Mehmet Hajrizi, Kadri Zeka, Rexhep Mala, Jakup Krasniqi, Berat, Nezir Myrtaj, Muharrem Shaljan, Haxhi Maliqi, Kadri Pollozani, Emerlah Ukshi, Esat Abdurrahman, Ibrahim Dauti, Shaban Limani, Daim Shaban, Avni Elezchi, Hasani Bekteshi, Ramiz Hoti, Zaim Beqi, Jedal Zibari, Kadri, Arban Hoxha, Jadazi Jahar Shamal Chad Shab Gashi, Shafi, Sali Gashi, Gashi, Gajiu, Gajni, Gejajni, Uajri, Uajıri Hirazıri, Uari, and others. These activists as well as others of this plebe, as they presented in this book, were the generation of freedom dignitaries, understood and believed the old philosophical said that “Man is free from the moment he wants to be. Slave is the one waiting for someone to release. ”

In conclusion of this recession, I would very much like to congratulate author Sylaj, who unfortunately we have among us, for the very creative, accurate, and clear writing style, where neither the most secular reader nor the most professional reader could add or remove a single paragraph. As historian and professor, I am impressed not only with the content of confessions but also with the high level of argumentative and academic way they are said. If they are said to suffer from subjectivism and bias, this book is an absolute exception.

All in the end, I am strongly convinced that the books we are promoting today by author Gani Sylaj, along with some books of this format, are the best and most serious memory of Kosovo's newest liberation movement and creative state.

Eternal respect for life, activity and creativity of native and Erudite Gani Syla.