THE UNDAUNTED II.Piet J. Kroonenberg, Amsterdam and WOSM, Geneva.-II , , |
|
ALBANIA - SHQIPERIA - COUNTRY OF THE EAGLES. Albania is a small country squeezed in between Greece, Yugoslavia, Macedonia, Montenegro, and the Adriatic. The name Shqiperia, as the Albanians call their homeland, means "Country of Eagles" and one of these is represented in their national flag, their coat of arms and their scout and guide badges. In 1998 the population was around 3 million, 50% of those being children. It is always difficult to tell where mythology ends and real history begins and where the two are still very much intertwined. Such is very much so where the ages Before the Common Era (BCE) are concerned e.g. in the history of ancient Greece but also in Albania's. The Albanians claim that they are the descendants of the old Illyrians, contemporaries of the ancient Greeks and Macedonians. Apparently the Illyrians came to the Balkans at the same time as the tribes that were later to be known as the Thracians, the Greeks and the Macedonians. As the northern neighbours of the ancient Greeks and Macedonians, the Illyrians are said to have been inhabiting the region south of the Austrian Alps presently known as former Yugoslavia, present Albania and up to the Bay of Ambrakia in Greece The Roman Empire was the first to greatly influence the Illyrians. The Romans' contest with Cartage ended when during the Third Punic War (146 - 144 BCE) the latter was beaten and destroyed and the Romans extended their territory by taking over the Cartage possessions in the Mediterranean including those in Greece and Macedonia. About 201 BCE they also occupied the Dalmatian Coast and it came to clashes with the Illyrians. Later still the Roman Legions penetrated the Balkans making the Danube their Empire's northern border. Like the Greeks and the Macedonians, the Illyrians defended themselves but they too were no match to the Roman Legions. They were overwhelmed and subjected to Roman rule. Illyrian cities and villages were destroyed and thousands were enslaved and sometimes deported. Their territory was annexed and became known as the Roman Province of Illyricum, later to be split into two departments' Dalmatia and Pannonia. Yet during the following ages the situation changed gradually. The Illyrians may not have been Romanized, yet they were influenced and adopted the Roman civilisation, the way of life and the culture. From slaves they became allies and equals. Some Illyrians rose to very high office in the Empire and Illyrian Legions fought side by side with their Roman brothers-in-arms to - at first - enlarge and to - later - defend the vast Empire's long borders. All went well until the decline of the Roman Empire set in. Emperor Constantine the Great (306-337 ACE) moved the Imperial Throne and the government from Rome to the city of Byzantium on the Bosporus. (1) Byzantium was to be renamed Constantinople in 330. In 395 the Roman Empire was split into the Western and the Eastern Roman Empire. The latter soon to be known as the Byzantine Empire. The borderline ran more or less straight from the Danube in the north to the Adriatic in the south, thus cutting the Balkans as well as the original Illyrian homeland into two. In the long run the West Roman Empire was no longer able to defend its borders against the attacking Goths. The latter conquered Italy. The city of Rome fell in 476 and soon all of Italy and the northern part of Illyria had been taken over by the Goths who founded the Ostrogothic Kingdom. The Illyrian Legions belonging to the West fought bravely. But meanwhile the Illyrians were driven out of the northern part of their homeland and most of them found refuge behind the border of the East Roman or Byzantium Empire, which they further helped to defend. Around 568 the East Roman Empire had succeeded in taking large parts of Illyria away from the Goths. But the Empire was threatened too, from the north and from the east. The Slavonic tribes, which used to live north of the Danube and had long been kept out of the Eastern Empire, managed to infiltrate the Balkans. Again the Illyrians were pushed back and were driven away. What was left of them concentrated and settled in the areas presently known as Albania, Kosovo, Northern Macedonia and parts of Montenegro, with their backs to the Adriatic unable to go any further and making a stand until this very day. Meanwhile the Byzantium
Empire was also threatened from the east. The Turks, originally living
in the southern regions of Siberia, were on the move westwards. They
took Minor Asia, until then part of the Byzantine Empire, and (1071)
founded the Osman Empire. By that time the Byzantine Empire had shrunk
considerably. The Slavonic tribes had settled to the north and the west
of it and on its (or rather Illyrian) territory and had founded independent
states such as By 1353 Byzantium was restricted to a small territory in Europe and a small stretch of land on the Asian continent. The Turks had reached the city walls of Constantinople and a long siege began. The city stuck it out for a considerable time. Mainly because it could still be reached and supplied by sea and some reinforcements and some assistance were received from Western Europe. But the prolonged siege did not hamper the Turkish urge to the west. They crossed the waters and landed on the European beaches, moving into the Balkans, overrunning what was left of the East Roman Empire and marching into Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia. Nothing seemed to be able to stop their advance into Europe. The Balkan peoples resisted and many battles were fought. One of these is still famous and is known as "the Battle in the Field of the Black Birds" or "Kosovo Polje". According to the Enciklopedija Jugoslavia, published during the Tito era (1945-1980), the Bosnians, the Serbs, the Bulgarians, the Hungarians and the Illyrians (by then already also known as Albanians) formed an army which was also reinforced by some " Frankish Knights ", that is knights from Western Europe urged by the Pope to come to the defence of the Christian Religion. One day in June 1389 this allied army met the Turkish forces in the field of Kosovo. Again it is difficult to say how much history is mixed with myth. The battle was fierce, thousands were killed including most of the commanders on both sides and the cruel encounter in reality did not know any victors at all, be it that the Turks soon recovered whereas the other side was dispersed. It certainly did not delay the Turkish advance to the West. Almost all of the Balkans and Hungary fell pry to them. In 1453 in their hinterland the Turks at long last managed to storm and climb the Constantinople city defences and that was the end of the Byzantine or East Roman Empire. The city was renamed Istanbul and proclaimed to be the capital of the Ottoman Empire. The Turkish advance westward was stopped in 1529 when their armies reached the city of Vienna the capital of the Austrian Empire. They laid siege to it but despite all their efforts and losses did not succeed in taking it. Vienna was relieved by a Czech army and for the first time the Turks, used to victories only, had to retreat into Hungary. Decades of armed clashes followed. Many battles were fought but it was not until 1683 that the Turks once again besieged Vienna but were forced to retreat once more, this time to never return again. (2) The Turkish march to the west definitely ended once and for all. They were forced to sign the Peace Treaty of Karlowitz (1699) and had to cede large areas of Hungary to Austria. And so for hundreds
of years the Hungarians, the Slavonic inhabitants of the Balkans and
the The Christians of many - mainly West European - nations, colonising the world, sword in the hand, forcing the overseas populations to not only subject themselves to their domination, rule and "civilisation" but also to abandon their original religions and to accept the Christian belief. The Turks, being Islamites, were rather lenient. They seldom forced someone to convert but the young Christians of prominent families which they more or less kidnapped and obliged to join the Janitsjars, a crack regiment. Some of the surviving leaders of the nations now under Turkish rule, aware of the fact that they had lost all leadership and influence, sometimes thought to regain some say in the course of events by voluntary converting to Islam. And indeed it worked and they were reenlisted in the administration and - being leaders - their example was followed by their dependants.(3) In the Balkans, particularly in Bosnia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Albania there came to being Islamic pockets. Those who wished to embrace Islam were permitted to but on the whole the Christians were left alone. The Orthodox Church was able to proceed unhindered and was able to build many churches, cathedrals, monasteries and convents particularly so in the regions presently known as Serbia and Kosova or Kosovo. After 1699 the situation
was rather stable. The surpressed peoples were cut off from Western The victors divided
the spoils and ..... fell foul with each other, the Bulgarians being
accused of having appropriated too much. And so the second Balkan war
began (June - August 1913). During the Turkish
dominance the former national borders had faded away. The peoples of
the ALBANIA - SHQIPERIA. From 1800 - 1822
Turkish Albania, Macedonia and Thesalia (now Northern Greece) formed In 1878 a congress
was held in Berlin. It was called by the big European powers and was
supposed to deal with the Balkans. Most nationalities were represented
and the Albanian delegation was present but seldom heard or consulted
and its opinions and demands were ignored or neglected. They vehemently
protested when large tracts of land, having been inhabited by Albanians
and always having belonged to the Illyrian ancestors, were allotted
to Serbia (Kosova or Kosovo), Montenegro, Macedonia and Greece. The
Albanian Liga, a revolutionary In 1917 the Austrian forces had to withdraw and once more the Albanians proclaimed their independence. When the war ended in November 1918 and thereafter the peace negotiations began, the Albanians once again tried to obtain some attention, but again mostly in vain. Serbia belonged to the Allied Victors and had great influence. A group of intellectuals originating from Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Serbia had met in England and worked out a plan to unite all South Slaves into one country - South Slavia or Yugoslavia - Jugoslavia. In their enthusiasm they overlooked the fact that during the ages all these regions and nations had been subjected to divers sometimes opposing influences and had all undergone different developments. Further they were separated by religion and sometimes language. All but Serbia and Montenegro had always been subjected to foreign rule. Slovenia had been Austrian, Croatia had been connected with Hungary, Bosnia had been Turkish first and later had come under Austrian influence. Montenegro (= Crna Gora = the Black Mountains) had always remained independent and after the Battle of the Field of te Black Birds in 1389 had also been able to always keep the Turks out (4). Apparently the initiators of Yugoslavia had never investigated whether such a combination of nations with such various backgrounds would really work and would ever be successful. But Serbia, dreaming of a Great Serbia, embraced the idea with enthusiasm and so the Kingdom of Yugoslavia was constructed, with Serbia's capital Belgrade to be the capital of the new country and the Serbian Royal Family to also be Yugoslavia's Royalty. Others suffered too. Vovodina, being the south eastern province of Hungary with its Hungarian majority was cut off from Hungary and added to Yugoslavia. Kosovo or Kosova with its Albanian majority was given to Serbia and thus included into the new Yugoslavia. There was talk of also including Albania into Yugoslavia and the Albanians protested. Their Illyrian blood, though, during the ages - no doubt - diluted and not as pure anymore, was still there and the Albanians did not consider themselves as belonging to the Slaves. After a lot of bickering the Albanian independence was made official (1921) and the country's borders, as they are now, were fixed and guaranteed. But conseqently a large number of Albanians were living outside Albania, in the Yugoslavian provinces of Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo/Kosova as well as in Greece. SCOUTING and GUIDING, 1918 - 1939. World War One over (1918) and the Albanians free again but their country was in a terrible state of underdevelopment. The war had done a lot of damage and the population was very poor indeed. Everything had to be rebuilt, including administration, education and health care. Outside aid was necessary. The British Red Cross undertook to organize a health service. It sent some special units to Albania. According to a magazine article - dated 1922 - found in the Archives of the British Scout Association - one of the team members was Nurse Marquerite Moseley Williams. In the WAGGGS report on the 9th European Guide Conference, (Luxembourg 02-07/05/1998) she is mentioned as " Marguerite Windram, a Guide from the UK, working for the Red Cross ". (Perhaps in later years she got married to a Mr Windram.) Anyway she found that Scouting and Guiding were totally unknown in Albania and - blood being thicker than water - in her leisure time - she gathered around her girls and boys and founded a Guide Company as well as a Scout Troop. In the former she acted as the Guider, in the latter as the Scoutmaster, doubtlessly one of the first female ones. She reported to the British Guide Association as well as to the Scout Association and her appeals were not in vain and support was given. British Scout HQ was talked into inviting a number of promising Albanian young adults, selected by Marguerite, to come to Britain - all expenses paid - for a leaders' training. Though no evidence of the kind has been found until yet, it so seems that the Guides Association acted similarly. After their return these new leaders took charge of Albanian Scouting and Guiding and the movement grew in numbers and popularity, and continued doing so even after Marquerite's return to Britain. In the Scouting Magazine GURMUSIA (= Tracking) of March 25, 1927, the districtcommisioner M. Milova paid tribute to Marguerite and to the important work she had done for Albanian Scouting and Guiding. Even now - in revived Albanian Scouting and Guiding - she is still remembered and held in high esteem by all. The Albanian government recognized the importance of both movements and - as well as the local authorities - supported their growth and development. The Scouts were united in the GJURMUSIS SHQYPTARE - ALBANIAN BOY-SCOUTS. During the 2nd International
Conference in Paris World Scouting was founded (vide Chapter After 1918 Albania
was initially led by the very competent and popular Prime Minister Achmed
Zogoe Bey (08/10/1895 - 09/04/1961). In June 1924 a successful communist
coup d' etat, led by Bishop Fannoli, forced Zogoe to leave the country.
But during winter 1924-1925 he returned and with Yugoslavian assistance
removed the communists again. He was elected to be President but in
1928 was elevated to be King. Still grateful for the Yugoslavian assistance
but afraid that Yugoslavian (Serbian) influence might grow, Zoegoe made
overtures to Italy and gradually Albanian got very dependent on this
country which was led by the Fascist Dictator Mussolini. The latter
had its own plans and in spring 1939 Italian armed forces landed in
the Albanian ports and occupied the country which was turned into an
Italian province. King Zoegoe and his family had to leave the country. It was not in the
Albanians' nature to accept another foreign oppressor without resistance
and When first the Italians
and later (1944) the Germans were obliged to retreat from Albania, the SCOUTING AND GUIDING, 1944 - 1945. Some scoutleaders made an effort to revive scouting but the endeavour was nipped in the bud. In the Albanian communist encyclopedias the word Scouting was explained as "a reactionary bourgeois organization" Albanian youth was never to know anything about Scouting and was organized in a political youth organization divided in three age groups : Fatosa (7-10 yers old), Pioneers (10-14) and a section for the 18-25 years old. As a uniform they wore the usual white shirt, a red scarf en short trousers, as in most of the communist countries. One had to be a member if one wanted to study and to achieve something. But even then the threat, warning and fear of being expelled hung over their heads like the Sword of Democlues. Mihal Dhima, later to play a leading role in Scouting, studied English at university. Having passed the final exams his fellow students were appointed in ministeries in the capital Tirana, and some were sent abroad to be employed at the embassies in foreign countries. To his surprise and disappointment he was allotted a position as a teacher in a small town only. It was not until much later that he found that this was because his wife Dolores came from an ancient aristocratic family and consequently was suspect in the party's eyes. Outcasts they were with hardly a future at all. . THE REALITY. When a conflict arose between the Peoples' Republic of China and the Soviet Union Hoxa sided with China and the isolation of Albania was complete. It became a very lonely Stalinist Island in the world with no foreign connections at all. Whereas Yugoslavia had opened its borders and attracted thousands of Western tourists each summer, Albania kept its borders closed to all foreigners and consequently foreign tourists were unknown. In 1985 the government realised that tourists were spending money and would bring the much needed foreign currency. So small parties of western tourists were allowed in. But conducted coach tours only and led by government selected, reliable guides and interpeters only and to selected places only so that the harsh reality could be hidden. Yet even then the visitors were deeply impressed by the general state of the country, the neglect and the population's poverty. On the other hand the Albanians watched these visitors as if they were aliens from Outer Space. A CRACK IN THE WALL : SCOUTING TRICKLES IN. To most of the small number of speakers of foreign languages selected to act as guides these conducted tours were total eye-openers. A new world presented itself to them and they learned things they had never heard of before. Sometimes there were not enough trusted party members available to tackle the job and others had to be used. Mihal and Dolores Dhima weresuch substitutes. In summer 1989, during one of his trips, Mihal met Kristo Goga, a Greek scoutleader. He was the fist person to ever talk to Mihal about World Scouting, its principles and methods. This new knowledge was quite different from what he was used to and - considering the system - it even frightened him to learn all this. But his world was about to change. THE TURNING POINT. In the mid-eighties
Corbatchev, the leader of the Soviet Union, introduced his Glasnost
and THE RE-INTRODUCTION OF SCOUTING AND GUIDING. The collapse of the communist regime in many countries was unexpected and came as a surprise to the world. The revival of Scouting and Guiding in the former communists countries also came as a surprise to most - but a few - in the Scouting and Guiding worlds. The World Bureaux WOSM and WAGGGS where not prepared either. But they did not hesitatewhen letters began arriving from the East and Central Europe and it soon dawned upon them that something was really happening. Information on the World Movements was provided. Missions to investigate the situation were sent to many countries. In November, 1989,
January 1990, April 1990 and September 1990 WOSM Geneva issued Not that there was
nothing happening in Albania. All during the communist years there hadbeen
the pre-1939 publications section of the National Library which had
been closed to the general public. It contained books etc. that the
regime deemed dangerous to the system and that might give readers ideas
different from the ones imposed on them. Mihal and Dolores Dhima had
a relative working in the secret section of the government's archives
and she was able to provide them with a copy of "SCOUTING FOR BOYS"
and other pre-1939 scouting publications. During March and April 1991
they read and absorbed the information and they decided to create a
Scout Movement. But it was still
chaotic in the country. Thousands, afraid that the new situation might
not last Early May 1991 Mihal
and Dolores managed - one wonders how - to leave their country for the
very first time in their lives. Which in itself must have been quite
a flabbergasting experience as they suddenly stood in a world they had
never seen before. They went to Greece, intending to visit Kristo Goga
of Ioanina, the man Mihal had met three years before. And they did so
on May 6th and had long conversations with him. The next day they were
taken to Athens. Their first time in a big city of a free, western country,.
They were totally browbeaten and overwhelmed by all they saw and heard.
It was so different from what they had been used to all their lives.
"We were impressed by the large buildings, the scout office, the The experienced Greek leaders gave the advice to tread carefully and to just start with one scout troop only and to later, after one or two years, found troops in other areas. But Mihal and Dolores were very enthusiast and predicted that they intended "the Scout Flame to be burning all over Albania in six months time." No doubt the experienced Greek scoutleaders shook their heads. And however they right they were, this time they were wrong underestimating the enthusiasm, the willpower and the energy the Albanians were going to display. ALBANIA 2 Back in their hometown of Sarande - on May 16th - the day Albania knew its first free elections - Dolores and Mihal called a meeting of fellow teachers and other adults such as representatives of the local government, the various religious institutions, parents and many others. A dedicated team was formed to set up Scouting. On May 18th the first scout troop was founded in Sarande ! The leadership managed to have a first national radio broadcast and published an article in one of the leading newspapers explaining the principles and methods of Scouting. And on June 19th the Albanian Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, assessing the value of Scouting and showing great trust in the initiators, approved and registered the still embryonic movement officially as BESA SCOUTS ALBANIA. But it lacked many basic necessities without which its progress would be greatly hindered. From May to mid-August
1991 the initiators despite the difficulties, lack of transport etc.
traveled from one town to the other. They met hundreds of people and
propagated scouting. Quote from the Situation
Report WOSM no 67, September 1991. Meanwhile the general
situation in the country was still chaotic. But WAGGGS was also paying
attention to Albania. In its Central and East European Report of July
1991, covering the period October 1990 -May 1991 it stated : "As
soon as the political situation improves we will be able to make contact
with a view to establishing Girl Guides/Girl Scouts in Albania."
Meanwhile Albania was is still in a fragile situation but those involved in the rebirth of Scouting and Guiding were showing enthusiasm and great commitment and willingness to promote their work and to enable young people to enjoy Scouting and Guiding and take on their responsibilities. Various training courses were organized with the assistance of the Greek movement. In October 1991 the European Regional Scout Office received two invitations to come and visit Albania. One from Mihal and Dolores Dhima and one from a person in Korce, not named, who had also been in correspondence with the European Regional Scout Office. Despite the country's fragile situation the European Regional Office's Yrjo Gorski accepted and visited Albania from November 11th until 18th, 1991. His findings were laid down in his Mission Report dated 25/11/1991. A quote from it : "Besa Scout Albania. Memberhip of the association is open to both sexes. It has its HQ, , as well as some 300 members in Sarande. It is also established in the following cities : Tirane, Elbasan, Koce, Shkodr, Berat, Fier, Gjirokaster, Kruje, Lezhe, Pogradec, Permet, Peshkopi, Erseke, Himar and Tepelen, each with some 30 to 100 members." He had meetings
with not only the Republic's President but also burgomasters of the
various towns he visited, other high ranking civil servants, the highest
Muslim Leader, the Archbishop of the Orthodox Church and the representative
of the Roman Catholic Church. The European Regional
Scout Office stated that it would assist BESA SCOUT's development in
every possible way. Guides and scouts from several countries were involved in the humanitarian work done in Albania, a country not used to seeing foreigners and hence their activities attracted the people's and - in particular - the youngsters' attention. In the C & E Europe Report of January 1993, WAGGGS hits the nail on the head stating : "The situation in Albania is unique within the Central and Eastern European countries due to the almost total separation from the rest of the world that it experienced. A volatile political situation, harsh economic conditions and the attitudes of the people create immense difficulties for the development of voluntary organization." And indeed it also led to misunderstandings. The goodwilling people from the West, sent to advise, assist and train the Albanians did not always grasp the fact that they were dealing with people which - for many decades - had been held in total isolation by a regime that sought to prevent - and succeeded in so doing - its people to get any information regarding the outside world. The Albanians had been kept ignorant, knew nothing and were suddenly put into a world that was totally new to them and, in several respects, frightening too. Such in a time of splendid means of communication such as telepone, fax, e-mail, radio and TV to name but a few. It was unbelievable indeed. The Albanians had to adjust to everything and in Scouting and Guiding it was often forgotten that they were brand new, empty, unwritten pages that had to learn everything. Sometimes the approach was such that the Albanian leadership, doing its upmost and a wonderful job, got the impression that the other party did not come to train and advise but to dictate. An impression which was also wrong but nevertheless sometimes led to unpleasant situations. embarrashing both sides. There were some
problems regarding the BESA's Constitution. The BSA leadership, doing
its very best to be well prepared, read the Constitutions of the Movements
of Germany, Italy, Ireland, Greece, Hong Kong and the model sent by
the World Bureau. Yrjo Gorki had promised to come and help them, but
when mentioning their work during above mentioned September Conference
in London, they were attacked on being too premature. Which they felt
as an unwarrented, undeserved and uncalled for rebuke. One of the difficulties
they struggled with was the fact that they found that in most Republics
the Head of State, the President mostly, was also the "Honorary
President of the Scout Organization". But at that time the Head
of State was still a left over from communist times and a representative
of the party, that had done so much harm to the country. So they did
not want to involve him in Scouting. So, unaware of the fact that the
problem could have been postponed to a later date, also unaware of the
fact that many an other scout movement in a lot of other countries do
not have such an "Honorary President" they decided to bestow
the title on the Minister of Culture. In the interim coalition government
he represented the Democratic Party, one of the founders of which he
was. This too was not understood by some Westeners lacking general knowledge
of the country's political and historical backgrounds. During 1993 and 1994 in the WOSM or WAGGGS bulletins, magazines and reports there was hardly any news at all re Albania. But plenty of activity in the BSA. There was another National Camp with 300 participants. Leaders attended training camps at home but also in Greece. Italian AGESCI sent 2000 square metres of cloth for the manufacturing of shirts. The Badgers Challenge, in which most of the West European Scout and Guide items collectors associations were represented, had several badges - free of charge - made for the BSA amongst which a very nice membership badge with Eagle for the BSA as well as for the Guides. 1994 began with a visit of members of the US Eagle Scouts Association. There were discussions with the Italians again and the Youth Progam Commissioner went to a Seminar in Sweden concerning the opening of the European Campaign against xenophbia (the resentment of foreigners), nationalism, racism, intolerance and antisemitism. The World Bureau and the European Office invited a BSA delegation to come to a meeting in Athens in June. Local camps as well as a National Camp were held. To the latter, attended by 268 scouts from 23 districts, the national TV dedicated an half hour program. Two patrols of senior scouts -over seventeen - participated in an International Camp in Greece. In October a first attempt was made to found a BSA "Baden-Powell Centre" in Tirana, the capital. In 1995 BSA is getting
more and more international. Representatives participate in the BSA - with regards to the various ethnic religious groups in the country - decided to start the project "All Different - All Equal" to last from October 1995 until June 1996. The Deputy Chief Commissioner of Greece paid a visit in May 1996 and a third National Camp was held that summer. It was attended by 30 French Scouts who before had been working for a project in Pogradec. From the start BESA SCOUT ALBANIA was coeducational so mixed, a real SAGNO or a Scouts and Guides National Organization. Yet - under the influence of the Guides Catholiques de Belgique (Belgium) and the ladies of AGESCI (Italian) - it was deemed necessary to create an additional separate Guide movement. At Bize, in 1996, the two "link" movements organised a training camp, coordinated by WAGGGS. 30 potential Guide leaders-to-be participated. In 1997 disaster hit the still vulnerable and unstable country. In all the countries that shook off the shackles of communism there were those who thought that in the Western Capitalist World the streets were paved with gold and that progress and richess would be coming automaticly. They did not know better but when it did not happen they got discontent with the country's development and progress. In Albania some crooks began a series of "pyramide games" in which a lot of Albanians invested the little money they had, hoping it would multiply. Maybe it was unknown to them that these games tend to collapse. In early spring 1997 there was a financial crisis. The people desperate, took to the streets and - in its desperation - caused terrible riots and upheavels. Strange though it may seem to many, some men, particularly so in the Balkans do have, the tendency of thinking that they are not being a complete man unless they have a firearm to brandish or - worse still - to fire. So police stations and army depots were attacked and robbed by some who armed themselves and formed gangs. Thereafter banks, shops, stores and warehouses were robbed. It was complete anarchy. What could not be taken was destroyed and it so seemed that some were totally out of their minds not knowing what they were doing and not realizing how much damage and harm they were doing to their poverty stricken country, their fellow citizens and last but not least to themselves. Scouting suffered too. WORLD SCOUTING NEWS
WOSM June-July 1997 : Despite the fact that suddenly all communication inland as well as with the outside world was impossible during the riots, on April 26th-27th, 1997 the BSA National Board managed to meet and to discuss the unexpected, disastrous situation. The "B-P. Centre" in Tirana acted as a co-ordinator in the organization of activities for Peace and Tolerance and in co-operation with The Women of Albania BSA even organized mobile schools. When the offenders
came back to their senses and the riots died down much damage had been
done and the country was back to nill. Scouting too had suffered a lot
and had to start from scratch again. The faxes, computers, office and
other equipment presented by WOSM, WAGGGS and other friends had either
been stolen or destroyed. Communicating with WOSM, WAGGGS and the National
Scout and Guide Movements was almost impossible. Yet the Albanians appeal
to the other organizations was not in vain and help came. Slowly the
Albanans regained their foothold. WITH YOU WE WILL
DO GREAT THINGS. Another quote from
WAGGGS' MAGAZINE EUROFOCUS, April 1999 no 32. : Shoqata e Guidave dhe Scouteve ne Shqiperi's founding assembly was held in Gjinar (El Basan) on the day as mentioned above. At that time 5 groups were operational. And indeed it so
seemed as if Albanian Guiding and Scouting were on the verge of attaining
membership of the World Movements. And just as it so seems that all is going well disaster is hitting the country and its people once again. It has been explained
previously that the Albanians claimed to be the descendants and the
heirs of the ancient Illyrians, a people that in Roman times inhabited
the areas to the north of the ancient Greeks and the ancient Macedonians.
When the Slavonic tribes moved in from the north, the Illyrians resisted
but were gradually pushed to the south east until the sea made further
retreat impossible and they made a stand in the regions presently known
as Albania, Kosovo/Kosova, parts of Montenegro and today's Macedonia.
Kosovo or Kosova mostly had an Albanian speaking majority also when
it was allotted to Serbia. When in 1989/1990 the communist regimes and
systems collapsed, in some countries they were replaced, regretfully,
by nationalist leaders and governments. Some of these leaders were the
one day still convinced communists, the next day fanatic nationalist.
In order to maintain their precious power they made promises they had
never made before and some turned to nationalism, which the system had
always condemned and surpressed as being " an enemy of the working
classe". After some of the Federal Yugoslavian Republics had declared
their independence, Yugoslavia shrunk andthe name Yugoslavia was maintained
only by Federated Serbia and Montenegro. Kosovo had been an autonom
province in the Yugoslav federation, but Serbia's leader Milosevic,
turned nationalist, promised that he would make Kosovo-Metohija (the
official Serbian name, the Albanians are using Kosova) once again an
undissoluble part of Serbia. The area was declared to have been the
cradle of Serbian civilization. Here the Serbs, and they alone - no
others involved - had tried to stop the Turks on the Field of the Black
Birds, here too the eldest monasteries and churches of the Orthodox
religion were build. Seldom it was stated or admitted that all the time
Albanians had been living there as well, well before the Serbs ever
came. Albania was very
much effected though it could not permit itself to get involved. But
blood being thicker than water it could not just stand aside and simply
watch. Albania became the UCK's feedpipe and the safe place for the
Kosova refugees. It was too heavy a burden for a country that had not
yet recovered from its own recent riots. But with the assistance of
other countries it did all it could to help the thousands of refugees
that crossed its borders, often chased by the Serb forces. The 35th World Conference
WOSM was held at Durban in South Africa from July 26th - 30th FOOTNOTES. 1) Constantin the Great, Emperor of the Eastern Roman or Byzantium Empire (306 -337 ACE) , above all wanted peace and order in his realm. The Mithras religion, which had replaced the ancient Roman and Greek religions, clashed with the new Christian one. The disputes causing an unrest which Constantin did not like. He wanted to end the strives between the two competing religions and desired one official state religion excluding and banning all others. Weighing all the pros and cons this proven opportunist opted for the Christian Church. The Mithras religion was banned and disbanded. It did not bother the Mithras priests and their followers much. They simply changed religion and brought with them many traditions, ceremonies and ceremonial dresses which can still be admired in many of today's Christian Churches. One wonders what today's world and society would have been like if Constantin had Mithras and had banned the Christian religion. In 1054, long before the Fall of the East Roman or Byzantine Empire, the original Christian Church, accepted by Constantin, split into the western Roman Catholic Church and the eastern Orthodox Church. The latter maintained its influence in Byzantium and so the state line between Byzantium and the rest of Europe also became a religious border which divided Europe and in particular the Balkans. In later years the intollerance was the cause of many wars and and a lot of hatred between the various Balkan inhabitants. 2) The Turkish or rather the Ottoman armies carried red banners displaying the white Waxing Moon or Crescent, (in French Le Croissant) and a five pointed white Star. In 1683, during the second Turkish siege, the Viennese bakers, probably the only ones working at night, heard strange, underground noises, raised the alarm and further investigations brought to light that the Turks were digging a tunnel to undermine the city wall. The Turks were chased off and the bakers had saved the day. When the siege was over the Viennese bakers, to add to the celebrations, baked crescent shaped rolls which later went all over the world as the tasteful Croissants and are - wrongly - supposed to be of French origin. 3) Johan Kastriota,
Prince of Emathia in Albania, was head of a prominent family that -
in order to regain some of its lost power - converted to Islam. He was
indeed appointed governor of Emathia. He had three sons. To increase
his sense of loyalty Sultan Moerad II took them hostage. But one of
them - George Kastriota (1406 - 17/01/1467) - in 1422, was also appointed
governor of a province. After his Father's death he demanded the leadership
of Emathia. This incurred the Turks' displeasure and George had to save
his life by fleeing to the city and fortress of Kroja (1443). He made
an appeal to the Albanians to fight for their freedom and raised an
army. Favoured by the nature of the mountainous terrain he managed to
inflict the attacking Turks many defeats and in 1461 the Turks had to
give in to his demands. Yet in 1463 George made war on the Turks again
until he died on the battle field on 17/01/1467. The inspired leader
gone the resistance died down and soon the Turks were once again in
overall control of Albania. The Albanians named their hero Iskander
Beg (Prince Alexander) or Skanderbeg. He was always held in high esteem
by the people as a national hero, a symbol and an inspiration to all
Albanian Guerillas or Partisans that, throughout the ages, fought for
their country's liberty. 4) Crna-Gora = Montenegro or Black Mountains was an inaccessible mountainous region easy to defend. The Turks - during their conquest of the Balkans - time and again tried to penetrate but never really succeeded in subjecting the people to its rule. In 1799 the Turkish government officially and publicly made it known that the people of Crna Gora had never been Turkish subjects. During the above mentioned Berlin Congress (1878) the Big European Powers officially recognized Montenegro as being an independent state. In 1910 Prince Nikita (1860-1918) as King Nikita I mounted the throne. During the Balkan War (1912-1913) the country participated and during World War One (1914-1918) the country was occupied by the Austrians but its partisans managed to be a nuisance to them and to push them out again. Thereafter the parliament chose to become part of the newly created Kingdom of Yugoslavia and King Nikita was dethroned and sent packing. 5) Revived Albanian
Scouting did not re-introduce the pre-1939 name - Gjurmusis 6) THE SCOUT AND GUIDE BADGES. Both movements
lacked everything and were not very strong financially. So they were
very pleased when they were approached by the Badgers' Challence. |