Hey, all you warriors, here's your chance to leave the keyboard for the front!
Americans Volunteer To Join KLA
By VERENA DOBNIK Associated Press Writer
YONKERS, N.Y. (AP) -- Hundreds of Americans in store-bought camouflage
uniforms stood in the parking lot of a suburban New York hotel on Sunday,
volunteering to fight the Serbs.
The men and women were ready for guerrilla war: They pulled shiny new
combat boots and army-green sacks from their Volvos, Chevys and
Mercedes-Benzes.
``Albanians are willing to die for freedom!'' yelled Joseph DioGuardi, head
of the Albanian-American Civic League, to the more than 400 recruits in
military formation.
``Yeah!'' responded 4-year-old Laura Muriqi, whose father, a Manhattan
doorman, stood at attention in his camouflage uniform.
``It's dangerous, but it's the last chance to be free or die,'' said
Remziga Gjonbalaj, tears in her eyes. About 500 family members and friends
watched, weeping and cheering, in the lot outside the Albanian-run Royal
Regency Hotel.
Her brother, a waiter in a New York restaurant, was among the would-be
soldiers leaving this week on charter flights from New York to Tirana,
Albania.
They are to be trained there before attempting to cross the mountainous
border sprinkled with land mines to join the Kosovo Liberation Army.
``I'm very happy I'm sending my son, I'm very proud,'' said Elfet Kodra, a
mother clutching her youngest son's camouflage jacket.
Born in Brooklyn, 19-year-old Isa Kodra is a National Guard platoon
sergeant who was helping with the training. On Sunday, he stood facing the
makeshift battalion, an American flag gracing the sleeve of his camouflage
shirt above an Albanian one. He's taking a leave of absence from the Guard
to fight.
The families were told to say their last good-byes on this raw spring day
at a swearing-in ceremony.
``Bye, daddy!'' said Laura, waving from her aunt's arms to her 34-year-old
father, Feriz Muriqi, who joined up with his 31-year-old brother, Besim.
Wearing her best leather shoes and snow white tights, she held up her tiny
hand and shaped two fingers into a ``V.''
As the recruits placed their hands on their hearts, a soprano with an
Albanian accent sang ``The Star-Spangled Banner,'' followed by the Albanian
anthem.
Then the crowd chanted ``U.S.A.!''
``Are you proud to be American?'' one speaker yelled from a platform
bearing the red-and-black Albanian flag and an American flag. ``Yes!'' they
answered, then broke into roars of ``Kosovo Liberation Army! Free Kosovo!''
That's the mission of Timmy Zherka, 31, who left his wife and three
children, and a job as manager of a Manhattan restaurant, to fight. ``I'm
anxious, but I'm not afraid. I'm going to fight for what we talk about here
-- freedom, liberty, democracy.''
Some recruits spent time in the U.S. military or in the Yugoslav army, but
most are untrained. Their uniforms from Army-Navy surplus stores were
brand-new.
They planned to join the Kosovo rebel force in a last-ditch effort to save
hundreds of thousands of Albanians who have fled their decimated towns and
villages. Most in the Yonkers parking lot had relatives there who are
either dead or missing.
Sanije Bruncaj, 19, was toughened up for combat by her stint as a wide
receiver -- and the only female player -- on her Yonkers high school
football team. About 30 women were among the recruits.
A light rain began to fall as the military formation dissolved into
tear-drenched hugs.
The Kuka family took snapshots.
``I'm happy to go, because they're raping women and killing children
there,'' said Ymer Kuka, 56, who left his job at a Bronx pizzeria.
``If she were there,'' he said, squeezing his 1-year-old granddaughter Nora
in his arms, ``they would kill her too.''
AP-NY-04-11-99 1946EDT
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