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Exclusive / Ramiz Ali's full letter to Ismail Kadare in 1990: Don't forget what your friend Enver did for you

2022-12-12 09:23:37Histori SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Exclusive / Ramiz Ali's full letter to Ismail Kadare in 1990: Don't
Ramiz Alia and Ismail Kadare

The spring of 1990 was characterized by a series of events and developments, which clearly showed that the communist regime in Albania had come to an end. In addition to the internal indicators, starting from the violence, of the degeneration of the country's economy, the messages coming from abroad, mainly from the countries of the former Eastern Bloc, where the democratic processes had already begun, were just as important.

At the same time, this period also marks the time of the longest and toughest discussions, either within the Political Bureau, but also among intellectuals, on issues of democratization of the country's life.

In this context, in May 1990, Ismail Kadare and Ramiz Alia exchange letters with each other, where they discuss important issues of political developments in the country. If Ismail Kadare's letter, which he sent to Ramiz Ali on May 3, 1990, has been published in its entirety, Ali's reply, dated May 21, i.e. almost three weeks later, has not been published in its full form. in print, but always selectively quoting and interpreting it.

What stands out in the letter is that it creates the impression of a letter between friends, where Kadareja is considered a man of the Party, where he is sometimes criticized for his positions, then he is flattered, then he is whipped and instructed about the positions he should take , but he also remembers the services he had done to the country of the Party, as well as the benefits and privileges he had:"Your work is dedicated to the defense of the homeland, its freedom, its independence, the heroic struggle of our Party and Comrade Enver Hoxha to preserve our sovereignty (I remember "The General...", "The Castle", "The Big Winter", "Why are these mountains thought of", "Eagles fly high", "Concert..." - thank you for the French edition you sent me - etc. etc.). This honors you, not only as a writer, but above all as a fighter, as a patriot, as a communist. The people love your work and the Party has always appreciated it," Alia wrote to him . Also, among other things, Ramiz Alia did not hesitate to remind Kadare not to forget "neither what Comrade Enver has done for you, nor my bias in your favor".

Below, we are giving this letter in its entirety, the original of which is located in the Ramiz Ali fund, in AQSH, in order for the reader to judge for himself the message of this historical document.

 

***

Dear Ismail,

I received your letter of May 3, 1990. Busy with work I did not have a chance to write you sooner. Not that you expected an answer, but that I had some things to say. I have always spoken openly with you. Even now I will speak like this.

The letter did not leave a good impression on me, not because of the "gloomy" paragraphs, but because of the outburst of anger against those forces, which you call conservative, and for the superlative praises in my address. Let's be clear: I do not defend any regressive force, from any side that appears, just as I do not see any violation of legality by various employees of the police and any state body. These are reprehensible and our state has not hesitated or hesitates at any time to punish them. For the cases you wrote to me, I have ordered it to be investigated. But from these cases, focus all your concern only on the "conservatives", completely forgetting the other side, the foreign and internal reaction, which tries to push us towards the denial of freedom and independence as a people and ourselves as communists, and frankly, it bothered me.

Regarding the praises in my address, don't forget one thing, Comrade Ismail, that everything we do is related to the Party, its strength and wisdom. The party taught us, it inspired us, it gave us the courage not to be afraid of any storm. I appreciate the evaluation of the people (I have received many letters and telegrams, collective and personal), as well as your evaluation, but personally I did not do anything special either in the 9th Plenum of the Central Committee of the Party or in the 10th . I, as it is the duty of every leader, summarized in a speech the thoughts expressed to me by communists, workers, youth, intellectuals, various specialists, peasants. I don't say this out of false modesty. But he expresses a truth that was crystallized meeting after meeting with Party comrades, with people of different categories.

I stopped at this issue not to be "principled", but because I was drawn to the fact that in your letter with over 3 thousand words, I never came across the word Party. Even when he mentions the 9th and 10th Plenums, even in this case it is not specified that they are the CQ of the Party. This thing caught my eye in the interview some time ago with "Voice of Youth". It could be trying not to be formal, it could just be forgetfulness! But at this time, when the (non-conservative) reaction suggests the denial of the Communist Party, so much so that in this pressure the names of the Parties and the designations of the republics are being changed, neither forgetting nor being careful not to be formal serves our struggle for protection of independence, does not even serve the process of revolutionizing life and its comprehensive democratization. Without the Party, without socialism, there can be no free sovereign Albania. So no democracy for the people.

These days I read with great attention the interviews that many of our friends gave to foreign correspondents. The questions of the foreigners were oriented only to the freedom of expression, of publication, to the existence or not of a split in the leadership, to the continuity or disconnection from the legacy of Enver Hoxha, etc. Etc. Their intention is clear. But in the answers of our comrades (which were entirely correct), in my opinion, in such cases, our socialist path should be more explicitly affirmed, the line and attitude of the Party should be more clearly evidenced, without hiding its existence. They may seem formal, but at this time, they are not.

  In Albania, just as the National Liberation War was led and won under the leadership of the Party, the processes of further and comprehensive development of the country can only be done under its leadership. This is the only guarantee that everything goes for the good of the country, the people, and socialism. This is the only guarantee that the various processes, those of economic and cultural progress, of improving the lives of the masses, of connections with the world, of the comprehensive emancipation of society and man, etc. to develop well.

The party works to be integrated into the progressive processes of the time. Here we are talking about transformations in the field of economy, as well as those in social life, in the growth of the role and personality of the Albanian man. In what way should this be done? According to the dictates of the world's models or according to our conditions, preserving our sovereignty, originality and national traditions?

I believe that every reasonable person, every patriot and communist is for the second path. This is how we have always acted. Our own war, socialist transformations, agrarian policy, educational and cultural policy, etc. they have the Albanian stamp. This is our uniqueness.

Today, the reaction, from the West and the East, tries to dictate its own ways, even to lay down these as necessary conditions to be accepted in the international community. Even the free market, i.e. the development of private property and the opening of doors for investments and concessions of foreign capital, and party pluralism, i.e. the creation of anti-socialist parties that would lead to the division of the nation (another is the pluralism of opinions, development and encouragement of free debate, etc.), and so on, serve as universal models. But where do these lead? For us, a small country, surrounded by unfriendly countries, not only socialism, but also the freedom and independence of the motherland is put at risk.

It is clear to me that you are well aware of these things, but in the letter you send me you completely ignore this danger, the external pressures, which do not threaten an individual or a few individuals, but seek to put a rope around the throat of the entire Albanian people , to overthrow the power gained with blood, to bring the rule of foreigners.

Your work is dedicated to the defense of the homeland, its freedom, its independence, the heroic struggle of our Party and Comrade Enver Hoxha to preserve our sovereignty (I remember "The General...", "The Castle", "The Great Winter", " Why are these mountains thought of", "Eagles fly high", "Concert..." - thank you for the French edition you sent me - etc. etc.). This honors you, not only as a writer, but above all as a fighter, as a patriot, as a communist. The people love your work and the Party has always appreciated it. Don't forget what friend Enver has done for you, nor my bias in your favor. Even if I write like this openly, without much "diplomacy", this is related to those friendly relations that exist between us, but also based on the care that the Party has constantly shown for Ismail Kadare, whom we loved and love as great writer

I did not understand your controversy with Arshi Pipa via "Voice of America". It was also weak from a defensive position. Just like the entire international reaction against the Party and Albania, provocateur A. Pipa in his interview demanded that you distance yourself from Enver Hoxha, deny your work, your militancy. He told "Voice of America" ​​that I. Kadareja now speaks well of democracy and human rights, criticizes shortcomings in this field, but this is not enough. A. Pipa raises the issue of denying the past, the socialist system, the social order that you defended with your work. So he doesn't do literary criticism, he doesn't care that you criticized the regime or exalted the cult. Therefore, your defense, in my opinion, should have been on the political level. A. Pipa does not get the right answer by saying that he once "called" or "denounced" you, or that your book "is a literary work" and it has nothing to do with criticizing the regime, nor with exalting the cult. It's very simple, no nerves.

Of course, your work is fiction, but it conveys a certain message: the heroic struggle of the people, of the Party, of Enver Hoxha to protect the freedom of the people, the independence of the homeland, the ideas of socialism. Without this clear message, the work would not have the value it has. Arshi Pipa does not like exactly this message, this anthem of the people of socialism. And you, in my opinion, defending this militant message should oppose that puppy of the enemy reaction of socialist Albania. The struggle for the democratization of the country's life and the heroic struggle of our Party and Enver Hoxha to protect freedom, independence and socialist ideas do not exclude each other.

Today, Comrade Ismail, when the issue of the independence of the homeland and socialism has been pointed out by various reactionary forces more dangerous than at any other time in our recent history, the people and the Party demand a lot of militancy, more determination from everyone, from the workers and intellectuals, from the young to the veterans. We must repel enemy attacks using all weapons. We must unite around the Party and support the revolutionary measures it takes, either in the field of economy or in the democratization of life.

No one alone, no force, whatever it may be, can do anything without the Party, outside its rushing current. The party walks on the right path, takes steps with wisdom and certainty. These measures, from the field of economy and culture, of social and state life, must be implemented. For this, the enthusiasm of the popular masses must be raised, which must see a united front of fighters and not "Nazi ladies", as you say. (And today there are enough "misses like this, who have learned, even badly, the words "democracy" and "universal human rights" and bend them according to their appetite).

Struggling to implement measures to democratize the country's life, we undoubtedly have a lot to do. At the same time, we will have to fight against those forces that hinder this process. And these are different: from the right to the left, conservatives and dogmatics, liberals and opportunists, incompetents and mediocres, careerists and bureaucrats, degenerates and anti-socialists. But this struggle must and will be done only unitedly and not individually, with a broad mass work, mobilizing the popular masses through Party organizations, mass organizations, the press, television, etc. without stopping on our path of revolutionizing the life of the country and the Party, through democratization and deepening the line of the masses, we must be very vigilant and work wisely to protect the freedom of our socialist homeland. Albania should never return to Romania, nor to Poland, nor to Bulgaria and Yugoslavia. This would be the curse of generations, the curse of the nation.

I wrote you openly, because I know that you also like things to be said without gloves. But I also have another reason: I wish that anyone, our people and intellectuals, as well as the public opinion outside of Ismail Kadareja, do not see a man who sometimes criticizes the insurance or the judicial system and sometimes the mediocre dogmatics in the field of arts, but to see a communist writer who, in these difficult times, fights together with the Party for the protection of the freedom of the homeland and the development of socialism in Albania. no one should be left equivocal.

 

Thank you very much

Ramiz Alia

Tirana, on May 21, 1990

***

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