Elida Dakoli elected member of the Board of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation in Washington

2026-05-11 12:04:00, Aktualitet CNA

Elida Dakoli elected member of the Board of the Victims of Communism Memorial

A joyful news comes from Washington that for the first time a representative from the class of Albanian politically persecuted, Dr. Elida Dakoli, has been elected a Board Member of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation in Washington.

This was announced by Dr. Eric Patterson, President and CEO of VOC, who emphasized:

“Dr. Elida Dakoli’s joining the VOC Board marks a new era for the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation. I look forward to working with Dr. Dakoli to strengthen VOC’s mission and tell the important but often ignored story of communist oppression in Albania.”

Statement by Besim Ndregjoni, President of the National Union for the Integration of Prisoners and Politically Persecuted Persons of Albania!

The Nationwide Union for the Integration of Political Prisoners and Persecuted of Albania, as a single voice over three decades in denouncing the macabre crimes of Stalinist-Enverist communism both inside and outside the country, welcomed the election of our fellow sufferer Dr. Elida Dakoli to that world board and expresses her respect and gratitude and assures her that we will have an institutional and active cooperation to make the crimes of communism present in Washington!

The only Albanian state that has not become part of that World Foundation, with the aim of preventing the world from recognizing the crimes committed by the dictator Enver Hoxha. With the election of Dr. Elida Dakoli, the world will recognize the crimes of communism in Albania and the tragic balance of these crimes, which have resulted in the execution and disappearance of the remains of over 6,000 Albanians and today, after three decades, they do not have a grave on their land.

And the so-called "democratic" state is silent and does not honor these luminaries of Freedom. 36,000 Albanians have been convicted for political reasons. And today they are despised by the political class. 60,000 families have been interned in the infamous camps of Tepelena, Berat, Porto Palermo, Zvernec, and Lushnja. About the death of 300 children from starvation in the Tepelena camp and their corpses taken by the Vjosa River. The execution and imprisonment of 120 Catholic clergymen. The execution and imprisonment of 83 Bektashi clergymen.

The execution and imprisonment of 60 Muslim clerics.

The execution and imprisonment of 39 Orthodox clergymen. The destruction and closure of 2,169 religious institutions. In the late 1980s, when Europe was collapsing the Berlin Wall, the Stalinist dictatorship hanged the poet Havzi Nela.

The Stalinist torture concentration camps such as Spaçi, Qaf-Bari, Maliqi Marsh, Burreli, the tomb of Albanian Intellectuals, etc. will be recognized, as Albania does not have a museum of the crimes of Communism. The Foundation, through Dr. Dakol, will be recognized as the post-90s political class not only did not condemn these inhumane crimes but fought with undeserved power to erase them from memory, with the ideological slogan "That's how it was"

Dr. Elida Dakoli, through this world institution, will introduce the survival and peace that Albanian anti-communists brought to their families and why three generations were politically punished, they did not seek revenge but only Justice!

The Foundation will be introduced to the bitter Albanian reality of how, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the democratic system was formally implemented in Albania without legally violating the communist dictatorship. The communist revival during 35 years made laws in defense of the executioners of the dictatorship and criminalized Albanian politics. In a country where the law does not operate and democracy does not function, dictatorships arise.

America, the land of freedom, values ??and honors activists who serve peace and honors those who defend human rights and freedoms! The opposite happens in Albania, where patronageists, those privileged by the dictatorship, those who had connections and supporters of communism are honored. Marxist-Leninists, corrupt rulers who distort democratic power are honored.

The election of Dr. Elida Dakoli, a civil rights leader, cultural diplomat, academic, and concert pianist, focuses on preserving historical memory and promoting democratic values.

Born in Durrës, during the last years of the communist regime, she comes from a family deeply rooted in Albania's early democratic movement, an Albanian family that was deeply affected by the political persecution of communism under Enver Hoxha's regime.

Her grandfather, Hysen Myshketa, a lawyer and participant in the early Albanian state-building efforts, was killed by the communist regime's guerrilla units. Her grandfather, Sadik Dakoli, died in a communist prison, and his remains were never found. Members of her family have been imprisoned and persecuted by the communist regime for their pro-democracy activities.

The Nationwide Union for the Integration of Political Prisoners and Persecuted of Albania wishes success and good work to the daughter of Durres, our honored fellow sufferer, and welcomes her voice in the service of national memory! Congratulations are a little for you as an intellectual in the defense of national memory!

An Albanian proverb says, "Justice delays but does not forget." Convicted anti-communists and politically persecuted Albanians will have their voice in Washington after three decades!

With good health, Dr. Elida Dakoli, and may you set out with a clear face on this great global mission!/ CNA