It is really disgusting and outrageous to see the array of
military hardware being used by the U.S. imperialists and the
European Union as they engage in brutal displays of violence to
rescue their nationals from the chaos they themselves have
wrought in Albania. What were these foreign nationals doing in
Albania anyway? Were they also involved in fleecing the people
through the pyramid schemes? Or were they the ones who brought in
the pyramid schemes in the first place as a means of
expropriating the savings of the people of Albania?
What is clear is that these imperialists and their mouthpieces
are the ones dictating that all countries in the world must have
a "free market economy" and these economies must be open to them
come what may. Through the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and
World Bank and other institutions, including the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization (NATO) and the "human rights" institutions of
the European Union and Organization of Security and Cooperation
in Europe (OSCE), they are dictating the terms of what these
countries can and cannot do and giving their seal of approval for
every kind of crime committed against the people, the people's
sovereignty and democracy. Under their aegis, chaos now reigns in
not a few countries in which the mafia rules supreme. Albania,
especially southern Albania, was filled with mafia gangsters,
drugs and money laundering linked with the government of Sali
Berisha brought in and propped up by U.S. imperialism and the
foreign powers. The "democracy" and "rule of law" imposed by them
through rigged elections, the use of a criminal secret police,
barbaric manipulation of the judiciary, parliament and office of
the president, are a farce recognized by everyone. Nonetheless,
the imperialists and their agencies blame the Albanian people and
"socialism" for the chaos which they themselves have caused.
The entire history of the twentieth century has proven that
imperialism does not stand for democracy or freedom. Imperialism
does not recognize the independence of nations and is not
peaceful. The imperialists and their apologists are trying to
convince world public opinion that the opposite is the case. If
this is true, then why are they dictating to the entire world
that they must abide by the one and only acceptable system _ a
"free market economy" _ or else! If they were peaceful, why do
they need a military alliance and why are they arming their
allies and puppets?
The chaos in Albania, once again, proves that the peoples
can defend their interests only on the basis of opposing
imperialism and reaction. They must establish the system of their
choice and put an end to foreign interference. The fact that the
"Forum for Democracy" with the Socialist Party of Albania at the
center of it, is demanding that the European Union and NATO send
troops "to restore order" in Albania is proof positive that they
are not part of the solution; they are part of the problem.
The deals which the foreign imperialists are brokering to
salvage their interests in Albania have the principal aim of not
responding to the demands of the Albanian people, which include
the demand that Berisha resign and that their life's savings be
returned to them. Are we to believe that with such a secret
police, and the dictatorship of the president over the
parliament, the judiciary, all the laws, the banks and the
presence in the highest of places of the "foreign nationals," the
NATO bases and so on, those in charge of the pyramid schemes are
not known entities? Is it perhaps not the very same people who
have robbed the Albanian people and are now attempting to divert
world public opinion by blaming the people themselves for being
lawless and their insurrection for the chaos?
Communists are convinced that the Albanian people are quite
capable of finding a solution to the problems they face and will
do so. The workers and oppressed people of the world must fully
support them in this noble task and condemn the imperialist
intervention and the imperialist idea that the Albanians are not
"civilized" and can only evolve on the basis of the institutions
brought in by foreign imperialism. The people know what they want
and they are sure to make headway in bringing it about.
Shawgi Tell
University at Buffalo
Graduate School of Education
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
