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Albanian Refugees in Italy Giovama Campani Albanian Refugees in Italy Giovama Campani In March 1991 the Albanian exodus to and lack of confidence in the democra- creating a purely autarchical socialist Italy involved over 20,000 refugees, who tization process and in those who were country. Enver Hodja, who was the hero arrived in precarious and rotten boats. supposed to promote it.' It is also of the Resistance against the Germans They waited in the rain and wind in the possible that this mass migration is the and Italians, as well as the leader of the bay of Brindisi to be allowed to stay, but Albanian government's manoeuvre to Party of Work (the name of the the Italian government was cynically pressure the West, and particularly Italy, Communist Party in Albania), broke indifferent to them. into giving them more help. relations with Tito and turned to Stalin. In August 1991desperate Albanians But apart from these reasons, this Later he refused to "de-Stalinize," and jumpedinto the sea from a crowded ship, exodus can be seen as an explosion of took the China's side against the the Valona, as it came into Bari harbour. claustrophobia (Colafato 1992) in people Russians. China was Albania's main But this time, the Italian government's who were confined within a small partner until 1978 when it stopped reaction, which may have been country for forty years. These people do providing military and economic aid condoned by other European states, not wish to wait any longer for change in because of ideological and political went far beyond indifference. These conflicts. Albania was always portrayed people were all sent back. Since then the as the "bright spot" of world socialism in Adriatic Sea, which divides Albania It seems paMd0xica.l that official propaganda. One refugee from Italy, is guarded day and night. As when the Albanian interviewed in the study commented: Ruotolo (1992) said, "the sea as a place of freedom or transit towards freedom has government wants to join the I thought that Yugoslavia was not a become inaccessible for Albanians." Western democratic world, Communist country any more. They told Italian patrol vessels, military ships the Werrequests that us that it wascommunist until 1948, then and coastguards try to prevent any flight. it changed its way because it was no longer Albanian harbours are watched by Albanian citizens be in agreement with Enver Hodja. Until 1960 we were friends with Russia, then soldiers. Still, illegal immigrants manage restricted inside the country they told us that Russia had also changed to reach Italy, as on July 7 when a boat and even shot ifthey attempt its way. Hodja was frmds with China. with 109 men, women and children on Then when Mao died, that finished too. board tried to force its way into Italian to get out. And they told us that we were the only waters. All of them were sent back. bright spot. It seems paradoxical that when the Albanian government wants to join the Albania. It is certainly difficult to This change of ideologicaland trade Western democratic world, the latter generalize, but refugees' statements to partners had a devastating effect on the requests that Albanian citizens be journalists at the time of their arrival and counby's already weak e~onomy.~The restricted inside the country and even comments made during the indepth results were outdated industries and shot if they attempt to get out. Albanians interviews we conducted: express this technology, poor agriculture, hard have obtained the right to vote, but they sense of claustrophobia and wish to working conditions, no contacts with the have not obtained the right to leave their enjoy a way of life known only through rest of the world and widespread country or to travel. Albania is still a huge Italian tele~ision.~We did not encounter poverty. The government's attempt to jail, as it was at the time of Enver Hodja. the will to fight for changein Albania and remain ideologically pure did not to construct a new country during any of succeed either. Despite the propaganda, Reasons for the Flight the interviews conducted between young people were sceptical of socialist ' November and December 1991. Only in principles and would rather have In no other Eastern European country some very recent interviews conducted consumer goods. has the end of Communist dictatorship in May 1992 was the will to go back to The regime's crisis began after been accompanied by such large-scale Albania expressed. Enver Hodja's death on April 11, 1985, emigration. There are different reasons Albania's recent history partly but it only became evident five years for it: economic disaster, fear of civil war explains these attitudes. This country later. In 1985 Rarniz Alia became the new seems to be suspended in time (Ferraris Secretaryof the Party of Workand began Giovanna Campani teaches at the Universitb degli 1991).It was isolated from the rest of the modest liberalization, a kind of Studi di Firenze, Florence, Italy world by Enver Hodja's dream of "Albanian Spring," following the Refuge, Vol. 12, No. 4 (October 1992) 7 examples of other East European exodus are also very complex. There was In March 1991 the Italian gov- countries and especially that of a rumour that there were boats in ernment received 26,000 refugees and Gorbachev's perestroika, but this relative Albanian harbours to take people toItaly. found them places to stay. Only one boat liberalization resulted in an economic The same rumours sparked the exodus went back to Albania. Although crisis, and living conditions began to get in August 1991 and the most recent one Albanian refugees are beginning to worse. of 10,000 people who wanted toleave the realize that the myth of Italy does not In July 1990 approximately 5,000 Albanian harbour of Diirres on July 7 correspond to reality, they have nowhere people occupied different European and 8,1992. else to go. Italy is the closest European embassies in Tirana. Thanks to How can these rumours be country and a gate to Europe, both in a international intervention, 4,500 explained? Were they manufactured by metaphoric and geographic sense. As Albanians arrived in Brindisi on July 13. the government to push people out of the one refugee said, "I would have liked to They were brought from Tirana to country and to show the world the extent go to Germany, but I could not get a Diirres. Most of them will not stay in of Albania's misery? Were there visa-the embassy was always closed. Italy. They will go to Germany, which information networks to link those who There was no choice but to emigrate to agreed to take them. It was the only wanted to leave withownersofboats?Or Italy or to Greece. I wanted to go to Germany. I was in Austria to study and - I speak the language." Although Albanian refigees are beginning to realize that the So the exodus continued between myth of Italy does not correspond to reality, they have nowhere March and August 1991. Most of the rafts else to go. Italy k the closest European country and a gate to were stopped and people were sent back--often in a harsh way--after an Europe, both in a metaphoric and geogmphic sense. exhausting trip (DIAngelis 1992). In August 1991 there was another mass exodus. This time, the myth of Italy was "planned" exodus and the only time was it an explosion of claustrophobia that definitely shattered. Albanians when Albanians were received and occurred when it seemed possible that a understood that they could be sent back consequently treated as political dream might become reality for people in the most humiliating way. Still, there refugees in Italy. After the "crisis of the who lost hope for the future? were new attempts to leave in July 1992. embassies," the exodus continued Regardless of the origin of the As one refugee explained, "There is slowly. People leave individually or in rumours, they prompted people to rush nothing to do in Albania, at least for small groups, sometimes by boat or to the harbours without taking any of twenty years." "How many years willgo plane. It is still possible toget touristvisas their possessions. They squeezed in the by before Albania becomes rich, in some European embassies. It is easier boats. People who lived in the ports of democratic and prosperous? We will be to get an Italian visa than a French or a Diirres andvalona had abetter chance of old and Europe will always be better," German one, even though it is necessary getting on the boats first. From the said another Albanian refugee. Western to wait for a few months. It is quite northern town of Diirres boats went to aid is not sufficient. It is just enough to difficult but not impossible to obtain a Valona and left for Brindisi and Otranto. enable the country to survive. The passport, especially for those who are Most Albanian immigrants in Italy are victory of SaliBerisha's Democratic Party not well-known dissidents, or for those from Diirres and Valona. has not performed any miracles. The who pay bribes or have friends in the Protests against the government are West did not give any more aid just ministries or in the Party. the strongest in urban areas. Rural Al- because the Democratic Party won the By March 1991 the economic bania is still supportive of the Party of election. situation continued to deteriorate and Work. Ramiz Alia and the Party of Work there was still much politicaluncertainty. will win in the elections, thanks to rural Attitudes of the Italian Govern- On December 1, 1990 Ramiz Alia voters.
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