ELIMINIMI I ELITËS FETARE TË SHQIPTARËVE SI FORMË E GJENOCIDIT SERB (1878-1999)
THE ELIMINATION OF THE ALBANIAN RELIGIOUS ELITE AS A FORM OF SERBIAN GENOCIDE (1878-1999)

Summary/Abstract: Our religious leaders make an important part of the Albanian society throughout history. Connected to the country and the people they served, and whenever the people were exposed to genocide, they were not spared either. Given that this section of the society has had both special spiritual and intellectual role, its influence on the Albanian society was significant. Thus, many times the Albanian religious elite put themselves at the forefront of the events of social and political character in our country, while this consequently made them the first ones to be exposed to genocide. As of the year 1878 when Serbia gained its independence and had unjustly grabbed a part of the Albanian territories, while forcibly removing their population from those lands. The removing of the population was often accompanied by massacres, sparing no one regardless of their age or gender. Our religious leaders were attacked in particular. The Balkan wars and the period between the two world wars are known for the plans of the then Serbian government to eliminate the religious elite of the Albanians, because this macabre act committed against them made the actions of the invaders easier in those lands. People such as Haxhi Zeka, Father Luigj Palaj, Imam Adem of Keçekolla, Imam Agan Koja, Father Shtjefën Gjeçovi, Imam Idriz Gjilani, Father Bernard Llupi, etc., are just a few of well-known names from this elite who were eliminated by the Serbian forces. However, the plans for the elimination of this elite from the Serbian government had not stopped even after the Second World War including the last war in Kosovo, where on the list of those killed and martyred appear also the names of our religious leaders. From the aforesaid, in this overview we will present the planned elimination of our religious figures by the Serbian government with a focus from 1878 until the last war in Kosovo.

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