School that gave voice to the KLA war is now used to promote special

Jvdet Doda” was a senior day of a speech to the Special Court, the institution that is judging four of Kosovo's former Supreme Army leaders.

Exactly for the support of this army, this high school, was the most popular during the 1998-99 war throughout Kosovo.

Organised tables, textbooks and titles on KLA war had also culminated in visits to war zones and even New Year's celebrations with fighters.

Former high school director “James Doda”, Binak Ulaj, has described the war as one of the finest for school, stressing students' commitment and willingness to support the Kosovo Liberation Army.

According to him, students contributed to participation in war zones as well as to participating in demonstrations.

I will never forget the student's devotion, their discipline and their readiness. Especially their readiness to support the Kosovo Liberation Army war. Part of the students... have even gone to war zones. There were students who asked me for advice, whether to go or not, and there were times when I didn't want any of them to go, but they didn't listen to me, which means, because they were determined. And you should appreciate that. Even those students who have not gone to war zones in downtown Pristina have, then, made their contribution with their stand, with participation in all demonstrations in support of the KLA. Especially should the magazine of high school be isolated, entitled "Gymnasist," where scriptures were published from war zones, which were brought to those students themselves, then the NLA's oath, and so on”.

One of the most active students in those shares, Arian Bytyci, remembers this contribution very well. It shows how in September 1998, at the time the war had swept through Kosovo, students of “James Doda” took initiatives to become the voice of the Kosovo Liberation Army.

And we had a group of young people put in full service of the liberation war through the organisation of that table and through the scriptures in support of the KLA and those writings we were going to do in the war zones. Some of the students, me, Bujar Sadiku, Confronting Berisha, and several other students. And part of us had been deployed to the service of liberation war not only in one area but also in other areas. So our support was not only moral, but we went and visited them several times, we waited for the New Year, brought the magazine Gymnasist, and the magazine of the New World Students, with which we were co-operating at the time, because we were also placed in support of the 1997 student movement and demonstrations that continued even in 1998, that turned into a demonstration in the service of the liberation war....<x1, Bytyci.

The two are now indignant at how schools once renowned for the support of the Saviors are now being exploited against them.

Ulaj, estimates that holding a speech to the Special Court without co-ordination with educational institutions, municipal directorate and parents has been a smooth step.

I was not pleased to have such a speech, without first co-ordinating with education institutions, with the municipal education directorate, with my parents. For what reason? Because the Special Court has imposed us. It is not the court of Kosovo, nothing Kosovo. It's just a label. The judges are not of Kosovo, the country it is not of Kosovo, and so on. So, what about them? What will you say? You're gonna tell your students the truth, right? It would be said that this court was imposed on us, by international factors... Not shot, because if students aren't told the truth about the Special Court, then it means they'll cheat”, Ulaj says.

The former Egyptian, Bytyqi says 28 years later he's trying to undo the school story.

This is unintelligible at a time when not only the Jevdet Doda High, but all other schools must preserve collective memory by recalling and praising the liberation war and achieving it as Kosovo's freedom and independence. Those with or without consciousness set themselves up in a war against history. Until yesterday we were in service of liberation war, in the service of history, and we believed that only the continuation of the war and a more active policy could free us from Serbia, and history gave us the right. Now 28 years later, at the same school, he is in the ministry, either knowingly or unconsciously, in the service of the devil. But history cannot be rewritten. It is the story of the liberation war, which resulted in international support, with NATO bombings, and with the victory of freedom and independence”, he said.

The former director considers that punitive measures should be taken against those who approved the speech hearing for the Special.

The school principal first had to know what the purpose of this lecture is. What's the weight? What does this talk reflect, it means, for what purpose? If anyone wants to convince us, I say again, to convince us that this court means it is done by our own will, of Kosovo institutions, it does not stand... . He had to coordinate, consult with the Director of Education. He also had to consult the Council of Students”, he said.

The media has been attempting to receive a statement from the school principal “Germany's Doda”, Isak Bregaj, but it has been impossible.

Last week high school students “James Doda” heard speech for The Hague Special Court. Keeping this discourse sparked great reaction against maintaining it, which was organised even without the knowledge of the Education Directorate in Pristina.

And by the school's management, they had claimed that the green light for this discourse had been given by the school's board of directors”.

While, “Young People's Initiative for Human Rights in Kosovo (YIHR)”, which has organised the lecture on the Special Court at the “Jevvdet Doda” in Pristina, has acknowledged that the statement has been held in co-operation with special officials.

The organisation's response has been said to have been realised with the permission of the educational institution.

While the mayor of the Pristina municipality, Progress Rama, expressing indignation, warned punitive measures for all who allowed to hold such a lecture, the KP reported.Periscope