"Free Albania" National Committee
| Komiteti Kombëtar "Shqipëria e Lirë" | |
|
Logo of the Committee, as appeared on the cover of its official newspaper "Shqiperia"[1] | |
| Abbreviation | FAC |
|---|---|
| Motto | Për Shqipëri! Për Liri! Për Flamurin Kuq e Zi! |
| Predecessor | Balli Kombëtar, Legaliteti, "Lidhja Agrare", "Lidhja Katundare". |
| Formation | 26 August 1949 |
| Extinction | 1992 |
| Purpose | Overthrowing the Communist regime in Albania (1944-1992) |
| Headquarters | Paris, NYC |
| Services | Political engagement, subversion, intelligence support, financial support |
Chairman |
Mithat Frashëri (initial) Hasan Dosti Rexhep Krasniqi |
| Abaz Kupi, Zef Pali, Said Kryeziu, Nuçi Kotta[2] | |
Main organ | Shqipëria |
| Affiliations | National Committee for a Free Europe |
"Free Albania" National Committee (Albanian: Komiteti Kombëtar "Shqipëria e Lirë"), also known as "Free Albania" National-Democratic Committee or FAC, was a political organization of post-WWII Albanian emigre in the Western countries.[3] It was supported by CIA, placed as member of National Committee for a Free Europe.[4][5] The committee aimed organizing the Albanian diaspora and cooperating with western powers into overthrown Enver Hoxha's Communist regime in Albania.
The committee creation started in Rome and was finalized in Paris on 26 August 1949.
Background
With the triumph of Communism in Albania, many of the political factors of Albania during WWII had to flee the country. Many of them collaborated with the western government and secret services into overthrowing the communists, and changing the form of the regime in Albania. The base for the committee was heterogeneous, the most known actors were former Balli Kombëtar members including Mithat Frashëri, Abas Ermenji, Vasil Andoni, Ali Klissura, etc., Legaliteti members with its leader Abaz Kupi, "Blloku Indipendent" (Independent Block) of pro-Italian and/or collaborationist elements that were involved with Albanian puppet governments during the war, i.e. Ernest Koliqi, Mustafa Kruja, Gjon Marka Gjoni, Shefqet Verlaci, anti-fascist and anti-communist guerrillas (that co-operated with British-American emissaries during the war) led by Said bey Kryeziu, and other independent anti-communists, i.e. Muharrem Bajraktari, as well as other political fractions like "Peasant League" (Albanian: Lidhja Katundare), etc.
Creation
The preparation started in Rome in 1948, with the initiative of Legaliteti. After the rejection of Balli Kombëtar (due to political antagonism inherited since WWII), Balli's leader Mithat Frashëri resumed the initiative again. This time strong confrontations happened between Balli members and "Blloku Indipendent" which definitely stayed out of the committee.[6]
Free Albania" National Committee was officially formed on 26 August 1949 in Paris. Mithat Frashëri was its chairman, with other members of the Directing Board: Nuçi Kotta, Albaz Kupi, Said Kryeziu, and Zef Pali.[2] There was also a national committee consisted of Eqrem Telhai of "Peasant League" (Albanian: Lidhja Katundare), Hysni Mulleti of "Agrarian League" (Albanian: Lidhja Agrare), Muharrem Bajraktari as "Independent Fighting Group" (Albanian: Grupi Luftëtar i Pavarur), Ihsan Toptani - independent, Gaqo Gogo, a pro-monarchist, Myftar Spahiu and Gani Tafilaj from Legaliteti, while Halil Maçi, Vasil Andoni, and Abaz Ermenji from Balli Kombëtar.
On September 6, 1949, the committee proclaimed itself in a BBC radio transmission. In the following days, Mithat Frashëri would organize a press-conference, which rose another conflict with pro-Yugoslavian British authorities, opposing Frashëri's words which included "Kosovo", stating that he should speak only regarding territories subject to Albanian state.
Former King of Albania, Ahmet Zogu, opposed the committee even though his supporter Abaz Kupi was one of the founders, with the explanation that he was the only legitimate representative of Albania.[2]
The committee collaborated with CIA into forming the Company 4000 military units, stationed in Hohenbrunn, Bavaria, West Germany in 1950. The "company" consisted of trained military units, supporting the Albanian Subversion, though it was never effective.[4]
The committee published the biweekly journal "Shqiperia" (Albania) in Albanian language.[1]
Post 1949
The committee was restructured with its center in New York City. After Frashëri's death in October 1949, Hasan Dosti took over,[1] but later Rexhep Krasniqi,[3] a Kosovar Albanian became chairman with support of Xhafer Deva who had previously settled in US.[4] Abas Ermenji continued to work in France, where he published the journal "Qëndresa Shqiptare" (Albanian: Albanian Resistance).
With Albania joining UN in 1955, the committee's activities diminished over the years, but it continued to organize political gatherings, conferences, and seminars. Over 15,000 Albanian refugees were resettled in the United States through its efforts. Krasniqi publisher the newspaper "The Free Albanian" (Albanian: Shqiptari i lirë) from November 1957 to 1970. With the demise of communism, the board of directors of the FAC decided that its functions would no longer be needed, and it was disbanded in 1992.[3]
CIA involvement
Recent(2013) CIA documents becoming public, which found a vast reflection in the Albanian media, showed CIA's deep involvement in committee's creation and activity, as well as the sponsor.[4][5]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 CIA released documents
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Thanas Mustaqi (2011-09-23), 1949, Pentagoni: Diplomaci fleksibël me Shqipërinë [1949, Pentagon:Flexible diplomacy with Albania] (in Albanian), Lajmi, archived from the original on 2014-12-22, retrieved 2014-12-19,
Më 26 gusht të vitit 1949, në Paris u formua Komiteti Kombëtar-Demokratik “Shqipëria e lirë”, me nismën e Mithat Frashërit për të “udhëhequr dhe inkurajuar njerëzit tanë të zotë në rezistencën e tyre kundër tiranisë komuniste”. Këtu u zgjodh edhe Këshilli udhëheqës i saj i përbërë nga Mid’hat Frashëri (kryetar), Abas Kupi, Zef Pali, Said Kryeziu dhe Nuçi Kotta (anëtarë). Organi më i lartë ishte Këshilli Kombëtar prej 11 anëtarësh nga parti të ndryshme. Por pas disa ditësh, agjencia franceze e lajmeve AFP transmetoi një deklaratë të Mbretit në mërgim Ahmet Zogu, në të cilën thuhej se nuk e njihte Komitetin Shqipëria e Lirë dhe se “pas 7 prillit 1939, unë jam i vetmi autoritet legjitim i shqiptarëve”.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Robert Elsie (2010), Historical Dictionary of Albania, Historical Dictionaries of Europe 75 (2 ed.), Scarecrow Press, p. 144, ISBN 978-0810861886
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Petrit Palushi (2014-03-12), Dëshmia e Neshat Bilalit: Pse "Kompania 4000" dështoi në rrëzimin e Enver Hoxhës [Testimony of Neshat Bilali: Why Company 4000 failed in overthrowing Enver Hoxha] (in Albanian), Tirana Observer, archived from the original on 2014-12-24, retrieved 2014-12-19
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Auron Tare (2012-06-30), Arkivi i CIA: Roma, qendra e operacioneve kundër Hoxhës [CIA archives: Rome, centre of operations against Hoxha] (in Albanian), Gazeta Panorama Online, archived from the original on 2014-12-24, retrieved 2014-12-19
- ↑ Përparim Halili (2013-04-17), Fitorja e PKSH në vitin 1944 detyroi 1100 ballistë e legalistë t’ia "mbathin" në Itali, 450 të tjerë në Greqi [Victory of PKSH in 1944 forced 1100 Balli and Legaliteti members to flee to Italy, other 450 to Greece] (in Albanian), Sot News, retrieved 2014-12-19