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Today marks the 23rd anniversary of the exodus of Kosovo Albanians, when during the 1998-1999 war, about one million Albanians were forced by Serbian paramilitary forces to move to Albania and Macedonia.
In addition to those displaced in Albania and Macedonia, thousands of Albanians crossed the border into Montenegro, while hundreds of thousands were displaced from their homes to seek refuge in the mountains of Kosovo.
They were children, women and the elderly, raped, tortured and massacred. On every anniversary of the exodus of 1999, which took on biblical proportions, in Kukës is commemorated, and in the last two years also symbolically by the pandemic, this drama of the most terrible sufferings that the people of this land have experienced.
The exodus, or the forcible expulsion of Albanians from their homes, reached its peak after the start of NATO bombing against military and police points of the former Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro), KosovaPress reports.
On March 27, at 13:20, at the Vërmicë / Morina customs crossing, the first 187 refugees from Kosovo crossed into Kukës, most of them children and women, who were in a miserable physical and mental condition and injured by means of strong as: rifle butts, rubber truncheons etc. Immediate measures were taken for their transportation by civil transport and army by the Heads of the Kukes Prefecture. They were mainly residents of the villages of Prizren, Krusha e Madhe and Zym. Initially, these refugees were sheltered in the palace of culture “Hasan Prishtina”.
Until 24.00 on 27.03.1999 in Kukës arrived 12,721 Kosovars. The first food aid came from the Ministry of Agriculture of Albania where on March 27 in Kukës, contingents with food were sent (oil, flour, sugar, pasta, rice, soap, etc.) for 2500 people per month.
On March 28, the influx of Kosovars towards Kukës continued, forcibly expelled from the lands by the Serbian occupiers. Their number was 13,000 inhabitants. Kosovar refugees entered Kukës from the Vërmicë / Morini checkpoint where they were raped, tortured, massacred and stripped by Serb police, taking their money, jewelry and any valuables they had.
Their temporary shelter was the Palace of Culture “Hasan Prishtina”. Later, the local government in Kukës opened the doors of several school facilities, nurseries, kindergartens, warehouses and warehouses for housing the deportees. The other refugees were sheltered in Kukës families where they were hosted by them. On average, each family in the city of Kukes had about 14 Kosovars. They slept in every part of the house.
At the beginning of the week in Kukës arrived the second caravan of deportees with about 70,000 Kosovars. Of these, 40,000 were housed with civic families, 10,000 in various public areas of the city, 6,000 in the municipalities of Bicaj, Kolsh, Tërthore and Shtiqën, 12,000 in the city of Krumë and 300 in the municipality of Golaj. 16 vehicles arrived in Kukës to evacuate some Kosovars to other cities. Day by day the number of deportees increased. Despite being housed in the homes of Kukës residents, large numbers of Kosovars were housed in camps
April 16 is the date when the Exodus Day is celebrated in Kukës, as a sign of gratitude and respect for all those who open their doors to receive their Albanian brothers from Kosovo.
In the framework of the 2️3 anniversary of the exodus of Kosovo Albanians, a festive concert “EXOD 99” is held at 11:30, organized by the Municipality of Kukës in front of “Skënderbej” square in Kukës.
One of the main symbols of April 16 is the Obelisk. The tower was built as a sign of gratitude to the Albanian people. It was built on the site of tents that housed the Kosovar population. The tower is 23.5m tall and is filled with photos which depict the events of that time. Kulla is one of the most visited tourist spots in Kukës. During the 16th of April the tower is the most visited point.
To commemorate the days of forced displacement of Albanians from their homes and their suffering by the Serbian regime in the Memorial Center “Bllaca ’99” in Hani i Elezit stands the monument “Wall of Remembrance” and the park “Hasan Prishtina”.
The “Wall of Remembrance” monument is a mosaic that symbolizes the sacrifice of the Albanian mother, together with the names of some of the world famous personalities who contributed to the liberation of Kosovo, a monumental work of art that best expresses memory and respect for all. those who brought the long-awaited freedom and independence.
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