Macedonians Attack Albanian School,
Historic Building in Fyrom Town of Bitola
The town of Manastir (Bitola) in Macedonia was swept
by
unrest yesterday. It happened when the Macedonians began
a
protest and, afterward, launched an attack against the
Albanians who live in this town. The object of the
attack
was the historic building of the Manastir Congress, in
which the Albanian-language parallel classes of the high
school for the Albanians pupils living in this town have
been opened. The Macedonians initially demonstrated in
the
streets, waving Macedonian flags and shouting
anti-Albanian
slogans. Afterward the situation deteriorated. The Orbit
local television station played a negative role by
inciting
the protests. It called on the Macedonians to prevent
the
opening of the Albanian-language high school and to
stage
street protests in the town.
According to a well-prepared scenario, the crowds of
vandals first headed for Goce Dellcev Elementary School,
where the Macedonian and Albanian pupils attend
elementary
education classes. The Macedonian police did not allow
the
crowd to enter the school facility. The intention of the
protesters was to engage in violence against the
Albanian
elementary school pupils. However, according to
information
obtained from some teachers, in the course of the chaos
created in the schoolyard of Goce Dellcev Elementary
School,
the Macedonian pupils hit their classmates. As a result,
four pupils were injured and asked for medical
assistance.
They emerged from the clashes with bloodstains.
Afterward
the crowd continued its march toward the historic
building,
where the Congress for Manastir convened and approved
the
Albanian alphabet 95 years ago. The crowd was not able
to
enter the building in the morning. However, in the
afternoon the protesters, taking advantage of the
indifference of the Macedonian police, were able to
attack
the building. They broke the windows of the historic
building by throwing stones from all directions. The
Albanian pupils and teachers remained "confined" in the
building for several hours due to the attacks of the
crowd
of Macedonian hooligans.
Decision, School in Historic Building The Albanian high
school pupils in the town of Manastir are attending the
Albanian-language classes in the historic building on
the
basis of a decision made by the Macedonian Ministry of
Education. The minister of education has ordered the
authorities to furnish the school with all the necessary
means so that the classes can take place normally.
Speaking about the incidents Agim Fazliu, high school
director in the Ministry of Education, told
correspondents:
"We in the Ministry of Education demand the
implementation
of the decision on Albanian-language education, not only
in
Manastir, but also in Shkup (Skopje). We think that this
is
absolutely necessary and that we have found a rational
solution. . .. The Macedonians should give up their
emotions and prejudices. The accommodation of the
Albanian
pupils in the Manastir Congress building has been made
on
the basis of our official decision." However, the
continuity of the classes in this building is considered
risky, because the Albanian pupils might again come
under
attack from Macedonians. The building is owned by the
public enterprise in charge of the utilization of the
buildings and the use of other public and living
facilities.
According to some sources, this enterprise has been
obstructing the running of the parallel high school
classes
in the Albanian language.
The parents of the Albanian pupils have become furious
at
the savage behavior of the Macedonian pupils and have
decided that their children should boycott the
educational
process until normal conditions are created. The
Parents'
Council is expected to issue a statement containing the
parents' demands regarding the future of their children
in
this town, which has been swept by ethnic unrest. The
only
reason for this is that the Albanians want their
education
in the Albanian language.
A possibility for the Albanian pupils might be to
continue
their classes in the building that once housed Nikolla
Tesla School, an Albanian school. However, our sources
said
that the BDI (Democratic Union for Integration)
functionaries think that at the present moment the only
solution is the continuation of the Albanian language
parallel classes in the Alphabet school building. This,
on
the other hand, poses a risk to the Albanian pupils.
Ninety-Fifth Anniversary of Manastir Congress The
current
unrest reminds the citizens of Manastir of the events of
1991, when similar Macedonian nationalist crowds burned
80
Albanian shops and buildings in Manastir. The citizens
of
Manastir fear that the situation might again spin out of
control. Qenam Hasani, an old correspondent who has
worked
in the local television station for 30 years, told
Shekulli:
"It is in violation of every ethnical norm to attack
this
historic building, which has been a home of Albanian
culture.
It is here where the congress set down the alphabet of
the
Albanian language on 14 November 95 years ago." These
acts
of vandalism are paradoxical, because they are taking
place
at the time when a special government commission headed
by
Deputy Prime Minister Musa Xhaferi has been just set up
to
organize the celebrations for the 95th anniversary of
the
Congress of Manastir. A statement of the cabinet of
Deputy
Prime Minister Musa Xhaferi said that the commission has
discussed the activities that will take place during the
next two months. It is 95 years since the Congress of
Manastir, which is known as the Congress of the Albanian
Language Alphabet, took place. In order to mark this
important cultural and historic day the Macedonian
Government decided, at a meeting on 25 August, to set up
a
council for the organization of activities. Members of
the
council include Culture Minister Bllagoja Stefanovski,
Education Minister Aziz Pollozhani, writer Meto
Jovanovski,
academician Luan Starova, writer Ali Aliu, and historian
Reshat Nexhipi.
Bardhyl Berberi And Ylber Lili World News Connection
Sep. 14, 2003