Stories
| TRUE STORIES FROM MINE VICTIMS IN NORTHERN ALBANIA |
| ALB-AID (Victims of Mines and Arms-Kukes) Local based NGO has kept the population of 39 border villages in northern Albania continously informed about mine thread and helped some of the victims to be re-habilitated and re-integrated in society. IZET ADEMI is amongst one of them who is working successfully with VMA. |
| This is the story of Izet Ademi, living in the village of Bardhoc North Eastern Albania, 3 km near Morini Border with Kosovo. A Land Mine accident on May 27-th, 1999, changed his life. He lost his right leg forever. |
Izet comes from a traditional, proud and home loving family. His father has worked as a teacher for more than 35
years in the villages around Kukes.
years in the villages around Kukes.
Izet was born in October 1969. He was the first born son, normally, by
tradition, the hope of family. He grew up grazing his animals. He
attended High School in Bardhoc, his birthplace and got very high
results. There was no money for him to attend University. The family
eked a living at the poverty level.
Izet married Xhemile from Bicaj in 1996. They have three children, two
little daughters and a son who is only five years old.
tradition, the hope of family. He grew up grazing his animals. He
attended High School in Bardhoc, his birthplace and got very high
results. There was no money for him to attend University. The family
eked a living at the poverty level.
Izet married Xhemile from Bicaj in 1996. They have three children, two
little daughters and a son who is only five years old.
“The caravans of Kosovars, mainly women and children expelled by the paramilitary Serb forces, seemed never
ending”. Izet had taken orders from his commander to patrol the border near Morini two hours way from the border
post. “No-one believed it would come to this. They had planted land- mines in Albanian territory inside the border.
Maybe the Serb forces understood that the end was in sight.”
As usual, Izet, together with his friends Dan Shahu and Tarzan Veseli, started patrolling the border. When they
reached a spot about one kilometer from the border, near the place called “Hurdha e Thelle” where children and
other villagers graze animals in the summer, and gather wood for winter, a sudden explosion was heard. Izet felt
himself crashing to the ground. His radio and his Kalashnikov flew into the air.
ending”. Izet had taken orders from his commander to patrol the border near Morini two hours way from the border
post. “No-one believed it would come to this. They had planted land- mines in Albanian territory inside the border.
Maybe the Serb forces understood that the end was in sight.”
As usual, Izet, together with his friends Dan Shahu and Tarzan Veseli, started patrolling the border. When they
reached a spot about one kilometer from the border, near the place called “Hurdha e Thelle” where children and
other villagers graze animals in the summer, and gather wood for winter, a sudden explosion was heard. Izet felt
himself crashing to the ground. His radio and his Kalashnikov flew into the air.
When the conflict of Kosovo started, Izet was serving in the ranks of Border Police in his village.
“One day, one ill-fated day”, Izet tells us calmly, ”Thursday 27th May 1999, will not be forgotten. It changed my life….”
Slowly and calmly he describes the events which led to his accident:
“One day, one ill-fated day”, Izet tells us calmly, ”Thursday 27th May 1999, will not be forgotten. It changed my life….”
Slowly and calmly he describes the events which led to his accident:
“I lost my mind. I was in immediate agony,” he noted, “I was
hallucinating, in a dream of a field full of beautiful flowers. As I
regained consciousness, I felt a terrible pain. I felt that something
was missing from my body.., I tried to touch my legs but everything
seemed wrong...I saw that my foot had fled with the Kalashnikov.
Dan was trying to move me. I was half alive, half unconscious, half
dead. I had only one thing in my mind, my son’s name. I remember
I pronounced faintly ‘Altjon-where is Altjon? I saw him around…
Where is Tarzan?... is he alive…What has this bloody war done to
our lives?’…It was at the moment when Dan managed to lift me up
off the ground I fully understood that I had lost my leg for
ever…when I saw the blood flowing, coursing .. I remember I
pronounced ‘Ah, Dan it’s my children who will suffer forever….who
will look after them from now on?...Like the fate of street children…’
hallucinating, in a dream of a field full of beautiful flowers. As I
regained consciousness, I felt a terrible pain. I felt that something
was missing from my body.., I tried to touch my legs but everything
seemed wrong...I saw that my foot had fled with the Kalashnikov.
Dan was trying to move me. I was half alive, half unconscious, half
dead. I had only one thing in my mind, my son’s name. I remember
I pronounced faintly ‘Altjon-where is Altjon? I saw him around…
Where is Tarzan?... is he alive…What has this bloody war done to
our lives?’…It was at the moment when Dan managed to lift me up
off the ground I fully understood that I had lost my leg for
ever…when I saw the blood flowing, coursing .. I remember I
pronounced ‘Ah, Dan it’s my children who will suffer forever….who
will look after them from now on?...Like the fate of street children…’
I recall that he turned to me and said,’ Hajt bre burre’ (hey,old fellow) things
will get better, pull yourself together… our friend Basria looked after me while
Dan collected the Kalashnikov and radio and took care of Tarzan who was
also hurt in the eye. On the road to Kukes we couldn’t stem the bleeding. Dan
tore his shirt to provide a make-shift tourniquet.
In 15 minutes the other team arrived to give assistance to the wounded.
The news of the accident immediately spread through the village. Everyone
rushed to the door of the border post. They all looked devastated and angry.
First Aid was given in the Italian Field Hospital near Kukes. Izet and Tarzan
were transported by NATO/UNHCR helicopter to the military hospital in Tirana.
will get better, pull yourself together… our friend Basria looked after me while
Dan collected the Kalashnikov and radio and took care of Tarzan who was
also hurt in the eye. On the road to Kukes we couldn’t stem the bleeding. Dan
tore his shirt to provide a make-shift tourniquet.
In 15 minutes the other team arrived to give assistance to the wounded.
The news of the accident immediately spread through the village. Everyone
rushed to the door of the border post. They all looked devastated and angry.
First Aid was given in the Italian Field Hospital near Kukes. Izet and Tarzan
were transported by NATO/UNHCR helicopter to the military hospital in Tirana.
… …With a basic artificial limb Izet went through the tough process of
rehabilitation. He returned home to start a new life, feeling isolated and alone,
and trapped within four walls, thinking about the busy and active life that he
lived only a few months before. Even some of his friends started to
disappear.. Gloom set in and he was always thinking of his children and
feeling he could no longer support and help them as before. A new era
started for him. He started to become depressed.
rehabilitation. He returned home to start a new life, feeling isolated and alone,
and trapped within four walls, thinking about the busy and active life that he
lived only a few months before. Even some of his friends started to
disappear.. Gloom set in and he was always thinking of his children and
feeling he could no longer support and help them as before. A new era
started for him. He started to become depressed.
One day VMA, Victims of Mines and Arms Association, appeared in the village and knocked on his door. “This
happened in June 2001”, -he says. “I was very sceptical, because other organizations had already approached me
and had taken some pictures and had disappeared, promising me the moon, but then in fact not even bringing back
the photo. Then these folks from the VMA told me they were organizing a local NGO to protect the rights and life
chances of land-mine victims. They planned to raise awareness too to try to prevent more people suffering my fate.
I knew one of them. He came as a reporter from Radio “Kukesi”. He was someone to be taken seriously.” So I said,
“Since you are leading this initiative – I know things really will happen…”
happened in June 2001”, -he says. “I was very sceptical, because other organizations had already approached me
and had taken some pictures and had disappeared, promising me the moon, but then in fact not even bringing back
the photo. Then these folks from the VMA told me they were organizing a local NGO to protect the rights and life
chances of land-mine victims. They planned to raise awareness too to try to prevent more people suffering my fate.
I knew one of them. He came as a reporter from Radio “Kukesi”. He was someone to be taken seriously.” So I said,
“Since you are leading this initiative – I know things really will happen…”
Feelings of despondency replaced the hopes of a positive new start. Many organizations started to visit him, but only
with words and promises. His only concern was his family, his children and their future and his wife who had no
income. In the village where he lived he had only 500 square meters and one cow.
with words and promises. His only concern was his family, his children and their future and his wife who had no
income. In the village where he lived he had only 500 square meters and one cow.
Izet joined the organization. Things moved forward and the
organization received funds from UNICEF for mine risk education
and reintegration of victims... The organization offered Izet the
position of Field Monitor. At the beginning, still needing to be
instilled with confidence, he hesitated. But the team convinced
him to accept, offering him the support he needed. Gradually he
became part of the team. He moves from one village to another
to talk to the villagers in border areas about the land- mine
threat. He distributes posters, speaks with children and
youngsters. He becomes computer literate. Now Izet is a happy
good-humoured optimist. An English Volunteer who came to
help the organization portrayed him as ‘fshatar gezuar’ (happy
villager). Now everyone in the team calls him the “happy villager”
He is a positive, cheerful role model and ready to help victims to
re-integrate into society …. This is thanks to UNICEF – as he
often stresses.
organization received funds from UNICEF for mine risk education
and reintegration of victims... The organization offered Izet the
position of Field Monitor. At the beginning, still needing to be
instilled with confidence, he hesitated. But the team convinced
him to accept, offering him the support he needed. Gradually he
became part of the team. He moves from one village to another
to talk to the villagers in border areas about the land- mine
threat. He distributes posters, speaks with children and
youngsters. He becomes computer literate. Now Izet is a happy
good-humoured optimist. An English Volunteer who came to
help the organization portrayed him as ‘fshatar gezuar’ (happy
villager). Now everyone in the team calls him the “happy villager”
He is a positive, cheerful role model and ready to help victims to
re-integrate into society …. This is thanks to UNICEF – as he
often stresses.
| Izet ADEMAJ |
| {this link will open in a new window} |
| TRUE STORIES FROM MINE VICTIMS IN NORTHERN ALBANIA |
| ALB-AID, Rr. "EKSOD 99", P.Drini, K.I, Sh.1/2, Kukes, ALBANIA Tel/Fax: +355 (0)24 24006; Mobil: +355 (0)682070905; E-mail: albaid@alb-aid.org |
| Home | About Us | All Projects | Contact Us | Currents project | Donors | Partners | Services |
| Copyright © 2012 ALB-AID - All rights reserved |