Why is Vera Isak forgotten?

Why is Vera Isak forgotten?
This article has been written for Albanian Free Press newspaper and www.afp.al

By Frrok Çupi

In our language, the word “forgotten” can have two meanings. But, Vera was not forgotten on her own; Vera was forgotten the day they celebrated the 27th anniversary of the publication of the first issue of RD newspaper. Vera Isaku is a leading journalist and writer. But, her contribution in the publication of RD cannot be replaced. I will offer a single testimony, a testimony which future generations of journalists should know: Vera worked for this newspaper during the days there were no desks, no typewriters and those three people who worked there, corrected the articles by using a pencil.

It’s not just the fact that Vera Isaku that worries me; Vera is even less worried. Along with Vera, they also forgot all the true employees of the newspaper: Ermin Bari, BujarXhaferi, MhillTanushi, ArjanManahasa.

What worries me the most is the illness of those who forget: This is why:

Those who forget are always the “big ones” and who want to become “bigger”. The “little ones” are not treated well.

In our case, the “big one” of the party held on the occasion of the anniversary of RD, was the chairman of the Democratic Party, Mr. Basha. Many people may wonder: What does the Party have to do with the newspaper’s party? This is a fundamental thing with which we have come to terms with. We have come to terms with the truth that we will never have a democracy and this is why democracy is almost dead. We could not manage to build a party different to the Communist Party and a relationship which was different to the relationship between the Communist Party and the communist press.

But, in our case, why should we worry about the “illness” of the big one? When he seized power, EnverHoxha “forgot” those who fought the war, those who didn’t interest him, those who thought differently from him and those who did not support him from morning to evening.

But, the problem consists of the illness of the “big one”. Amnesia is a serious illness of the brain, which appears in many forms. By attempting to climb the steps of his career and become leader of the government in ways which even include celebrations for a newspaper that he does not belong to, he displays serious signs of amnesia. If, in this case, Vera and her colleagues are forgotten, then who would believe the word or promises of the opposition? Nobody. Amnesia, as a memory loss illness, is close to insanity. And who wants to get closer to an insane person? After the dictatorship, people have gotten used no to believe dead “gods” any more.

As an organic illness, amnesia would be easier than an imposed amnesia. Our political opposition, which has entered a tunnel of mistrust, dares to select between people and values. A little while ago, we saw a selection take place within the founders of the Democratic Party, among the most prominent leaders. After this step, one might easily think that there might even be a selection on history; or there might be an appeal to identify those former political dissidents who were spies and those who weren’t.

Who does the DP’s leadership prefer today?

Nobody knows, because the leadership works in “darkness”, in secrecy from the party supporters. For the very first time, the opposition drafted the list of candidates for Parliament at the home of the leader one night before the list was made public. What can Vera Isak do if the opposition comes in power? It could imprison her at once. It could even imprison me, because I’m on her side. We must all be scared; even more about the fact that the opposition has not yet explained why “it has forgotten Vera”. Even the communist dictatorship, which was the most brutal one, had its set rules: If you talked against the party, you and your family would be eliminated.

This is the first opposition which has copied in the worst way possible the dictatorship that it overthrew. The Democratic Party, which was created as part of a popular movement against selective dictatorship. Today, we’re dealing with a Democratic Party which has taken the old weapon to select people and values. How should I know why they have “forgotten” Vera Isak, JozefinaTopalli, BujarXhaferi, MajlindaBregu, the employees of the publishing house or Shpresa, RD’s employee…

This is also the first opposition which has nothing better than the government…

What worries me is the illness and not the details.

The illness may be serious: Political amnesia may have come for failing to create a new memory–and this is a big damage. It may have come as a result of the inability to remember events which have happened in the past.

You might say that this was only the case with the event concerning RD newspaper; why? Because today’s DP leader is very jealous about the event that took place during the time he was still little. He has declared that he has distributed the newspaper, but according to him, it’s a real shame that it was not him to create it. God’s role is the biggest amnesia. Several years went by since the fall of communism when we learned about the communist leadership’s brain illness.

This is why I am afraid of this political amnesia; it’s not just about journalist Vera Isak…

Note: The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Albanian Free Press’ editorial policy

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