Subject: Albanian rebels storm the South 
   Date: Thu, 06 Mar 1997 23:39:01 -0600 
   From: New Worker Online  (by way of Scott Marshall )
     To: worldlst@rednet.org (World List for Rednet)


Albanian rebels storm the South - Berisha orders "shoot-to-kill"

THE ALBANIAN people have taken control in the south of the country, raiding
arsenals, seizing tanks and driving out the troops of the hated Berisha
regime. And two Albanian air-crew flew their Mig-15 to Italy claiming
political asylum after refusing to open fire on civilians.

 Three major towns in the south including Vlore and Saranda have been freed
in a mass uprising following the regime's refusal to do anything about the
pyramid-scams which have left most workers destitute.

 President Berisha has declared a state of emergency and a dusk to dawn
curfew. Anyone seen bearing arms will be shot on sight. A "Council of
Defence" headed by the boss of the secret police, Bashkim Gazidede, is now
leading the regime's counter-attack And the head of the army has been
dismissed and replaced by one of Berisha's cronies, General Adem Copani.

 Berisha now admits that he has lost control of the south to rebels which he
says are led by communists and "foreign agents". In the capital, Tirana,
sporadic exchanges of fire have been reported. Roadblocks have been set up
across all roads out of the city.

 In the south of the country, the stronghold of the opposition Socialist
Party, the army has put up little or no resistance to the masses, who are
forming people's militias in the areas they control.

 This new upsurge began in the port of Vlore last weekend. The town was the
centre of militant anti-government protests last month when the
pyramid-racketeers and their close links with Berisha's Democratic Party
were exposed.

 Demonstrators overran police and army arsenals, seizing weapons and taking
over the town. Berisha's holiday mansion was ransacked in the uprising
together with the headquarters of the SHIK secret police. At least four
people were killed in the fighting. Similar revolts spread through the south
once the news of their victory spread and armed rebel units are spreading
out across the mountains.

 In Saranda, near the Greek border, government offices, police stations and
courts were torched.

Two naval patrol boats have been commandeered. A prison was broken into and
200 inmates released. A new town council, led by the opposition, is calling
for an international delegation to come to the port to prevent a massacre if
Berisha's army returns.

 "We are going to organise the structures of the city ourselves and we will
become an example for all of Albania," one of the Saranda leaders told a
3,000 strong rally.


murderers


 Hooded SHIK men have been going round murdering individuals believed to be
opposition supporters. The air-force has dropped a few bombs outside the
rebel held town of Delvine. But the army has confined its operations to
sporadic clashes with rebel units along the mountain roads.

 The rebels have captured tanks and are well-armed. Most are untrained
though some are former members of Albania's old People's Army. They are
calling for Berisha's resignation and free elections. Some units are
preparing to march on the capital.

 Berisha has dismissed his own government in a move to appease the
opposition. But he got his tame parliament, the product of last year's
rigged elections, to give him another five years of office.


call


 The Socialist Party leaders, and other opposition politicians have called
on Berisha to form a national government to end the violence. The Socialists
are the main heirs to the old Party of Labour which ruled the country from
1945 until the counter-revolution of 1991.

 Their leaders are opposed to Berisha's pledge to totally privatise the
economy but they are in favour of some of the economic "reforms". Others
remain loyal to the policy of self-sufficiency practised by Enver Hoxha, the
leader of the Albanian revolution and government from 1945 to his death in
1985. His grandson is active amongst the Albanian opposition based in Greece.

 "Armed communist rebels, helped and financed by foreign espionage services,
have started military actions to overthrow the government with force and
establish their rule across the country" Berisha said on Albanian
television. "They will soon feel the iron hand and the full punishment of
the laws of this state".

 But all his "iron hand" can rely on is his own hand-picked thugs in the
secret police, the rabidly anti-communist members of his Democratic Party
and some elements within the army. And he clearly is praying that the West
will come to his rescue and bail out his tottering regime.

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