{"id":115758,"date":"2025-03-18T11:29:50","date_gmt":"2025-03-18T10:29:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kosovotwopointzero.com\/?p=115758"},"modified":"2025-04-11T10:33:16","modified_gmt":"2025-04-11T08:33:16","slug":"the-silences-and-noises-of-a-decade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/en\/the-silences-and-noises-of-a-decade\/","title":{"rendered":"The silences and noises of a decade"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"115758\" class=\"elementor elementor-115758 elementor-114746\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-aeaff85 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"aeaff85\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f99f43d\" data-id=\"f99f43d\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6233866 elementor-fixed elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"6233866\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_position&quot;:&quot;fixed&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kosovotwopointzero.com\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"1080\" height=\"383\" src=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/K2.0-BLACK-LOGO.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full 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lang=\"sr\">B\/C\/S<\/span><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-c766541 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"c766541\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6ccbab6\" data-id=\"6ccbab6\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f627b4b elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"f627b4b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-Feature-Ultimate.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-115250\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-Feature-Ultimate.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-Feature-Ultimate-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-Feature-Ultimate-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-Feature-Ultimate-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-Feature-Ultimate-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-Feature-Ultimate-326x183.jpg 326w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2faaa4d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2faaa4d\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9378781\" data-id=\"9378781\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bb498c0 elementor-align-left elementor-mobile-align-left elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"bb498c0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-xs\" href=\"https:\/\/kosovotwopointzero.com\/en\/longform\/\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">LONGFORM<\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-d78286c elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"d78286c\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-460be53\" data-id=\"460be53\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1262c30 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1262c30\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The silences and noises of a decade\n<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ce0d493 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"ce0d493\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Intricate everyday life between memory and history of the '90s.\n<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3739add elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"3739add\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c8c8bc6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"c8c8bc6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kosovotwopointzero.com\/en\/author\/eli\/\" style=\"border-bottom: 1.3px solid yellow;\" target=\"_blank\">By Eli Krasniqi<\/a>  | March 18, 2025<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-07f10bf elementor-shape-square e-grid-align-left elementor-grid-0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-social-icons\" data-id=\"07f10bf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"social-icons.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-social-icons-wrapper elementor-grid\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-grid-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-icon elementor-social-icon elementor-social-icon-facebook elementor-repeater-item-5e387e1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Kosovo2.0\/\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-screen-only\">Facebook<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"fab fa-facebook\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-grid-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-icon elementor-social-icon elementor-social-icon-twitter elementor-repeater-item-7ae3a81\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/kosovo2point0\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-screen-only\">Twitter<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"fab fa-twitter\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-grid-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-icon elementor-social-icon elementor-social-icon-instagram elementor-repeater-item-8daffd8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/kosovo2point0\/\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-screen-only\">Instagram<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"fab fa-instagram\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6630f35 elementor-widget-divider--view-line_text elementor-widget-divider--element-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"6630f35\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-f2bc6c8 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"f2bc6c8\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-277310d\" data-id=\"277310d\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a49daae elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a49daae\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I&#8217;ve heard, from time to time, the generations who grew up or were adolescents in the \u201890s \u2014 usually in the context of education \u2014 being called the &#8220;lost generations.&#8221; This has always made me think. We lose when we forget. But who decides what we remember and what we forget?<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When the \u201990s are remembered or written about, they are often swallowed into grand narratives of the nation, the internationalization of the national cause, social movements and war, leaving everyday life to be lost in the background. This is where the importance of micro-history and the history of everyday life \u2014 <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alltagsgeschichte<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2014 comes to the surface: the effort to understand how political, social and economic developments shape people&#8217;s lives. In Kosovo in the 1990s, because of the marginalization and systemic injustices that came with those developments, Albanian society created a value system rooted in collectivity, solidarity and resistance.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It goes without saying that the intersecting realities resulting from multiple national, gender and class oppressions in Kosovo cannot be fully examined in a single article. However, this piece \u2014 organized in the form of narratives from entirely personal experiences, details of events, occasionally supported by archival and theoretical references \u2014 seeks to create a general impression of everyday life in the \u201990s.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This decade included a peaceful resistance, which initially aimed to preserve lives by taking into account the persecution, killings and imprisonments of Albanians by the state; the parallel system, which aimed at the refunctionalization of Albanian society, which was pushed into extreme margins after the revocation of Kosovo\u2019s autonomy in March 1989; the internationalization of the Kosovo issue, as the oppression of Albanians would not be resolved by Yugoslavia if it did not receive international attention or pressure, and finally, the armed resistance during 1998-1999.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every segment of this period was part of the path towards the missing freedom, as the imagination and the aspirations for that freedom, became the axis around which Albanians survived.<\/span><\/p><p><b>An onion a day keeps the tear gas away<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mom placed the plates of beans on the table. Mimoza, my close friend, after saying &#8220;thank you,&#8221; had removed some tiny pieces of onion that hadn&#8217;t been minced or mashed properly. Mom asked her with a smile: &#8220;Mimoza, you don&#8217;t like them?&#8221;<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;No, no, Auntie Remzie, don\u2019t worry, there aren&#8217;t many, just these tiny pieces,&#8221; Mimoza replied with a smile.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mimoza and I kept removing the tiny pieces of onion from the plate, being the proper \u201cseparatists\u201d we were. And so, the conversation turned to onions and garlic. Mom telling us about how healthy they are, and us saying how useful they could be \u2014 especially onions against tear gas \u2014 and laughing.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We knew it ourselves, but also from our older siblings, that ever since 1989, when Serbia revoked Kosovo\u2019s autonomy, you\u2019d go out with onions in your pockets because of the frequent protests. We started enacting funny situations \u2014 mothers standing by the door, seeing their kids off: \u201cWait, you forgot your onion!\u201d or \u201cBetter to have an onion in your pocket than under your head,\u201d a play on \u201cbetter have onions under your head,\u201d an Albanian proverb implying \u201cbetter be safe!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Laughter and jokes aside, we knew that tear gas was next to nothing compared to being killed. We had been children when, during a protest in the village of Lup\u00e7 i Posht\u00ebm in Podujev\u00eb on February 1, 1990, the police killed 16-year-old Ylfete Humolli. The policeman had stepped out of his vehicle and fired at the demonstrators. That same evening, after the killing, in the yard of the Humolli family homes \u2014 not far from where Ylfete had been murdered \u2014 while her body lay in the morgue, the police fired tear gas. I didn\u2019t know this at the time, or maybe I did and forgot. I relearned it later, while going through archives for my research on the 1990s.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As a sign of protest, Albanians across Kosovo turned off their lights for five minutes and lit candles in their windows, along with a series of other activities throughout the day. RTP, Prishtina\u2019s radio and television station, had not reported the news.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2bda937 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2bda937\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1cc4142\" data-id=\"1cc4142\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4f78bcf elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"4f78bcf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"1040\" height=\"369\" src=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s-Image-1__Eskadrone\u0308t-e-vdekjes__Halil-Matoshi_Alternativa_jjanar_shkurt-1_1_1990_pg.-104.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-114748\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s-Image-1__Eskadrone\u0308t-e-vdekjes__Halil-Matoshi_Alternativa_jjanar_shkurt-1_1_1990_pg.-104.png 1040w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s-Image-1__Eskadrone\u0308t-e-vdekjes__Halil-Matoshi_Alternativa_jjanar_shkurt-1_1_1990_pg.-104-300x106.png 300w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s-Image-1__Eskadrone\u0308t-e-vdekjes__Halil-Matoshi_Alternativa_jjanar_shkurt-1_1_1990_pg.-104-1024x363.png 1024w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s-Image-1__Eskadrone\u0308t-e-vdekjes__Halil-Matoshi_Alternativa_jjanar_shkurt-1_1_1990_pg.-104-768x272.png 768w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s-Image-1__Eskadrone\u0308t-e-vdekjes__Halil-Matoshi_Alternativa_jjanar_shkurt-1_1_1990_pg.-104-326x116.png 326w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1040px) 100vw, 1040px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">From the article \"Death Squads Trample on the Blood of Albanians,\" by Halil Matoshi, in the magazine Alternativa. Matoshi describes the grave situation in Kosovo and the killings at the end of January and beginning of February 1990, including the call for protest, which was joined by the Youth Parliament.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-d509824 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"d509824\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-764c983\" data-id=\"764c983\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-df52b6f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"df52b6f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Between 1990 and 1991, the police killed 75 protesters. Throughout the \u201890s, we learned that you didn\u2019t even have to be at a protest to end up murdered.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the night of April 21, 1996, Armend Daci, a student, was on his way home when a Serb civilian named Zlatko Jovanovi\u0107 shot and killed him in the Aktash neighborhood of Prishtina. Jovanovi\u0107 had casually stepped onto his balcony, or stood by his window, and fired at Armend \u2014 some said with a sniper rifle \u2014 just as Armend had turned 20.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Two days later, on April 23, the Women&#8217;s Forum of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) \u2014 LDK being the largest party throughout the \u201890s \u2014 together with the Center for the Protection of Women and Children and the Albanian Women\u2019s League, called on women to hold a silent protest with candles and flowers placed at the spot where Armend was killed, just 500 meters from his home.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shortly after, the Independent Union of University of Prishtina Students (UPSUP) \u2014 from the parallel Albanian-run university \u2014 also called for a protest on April 26 at 9 p.m., urging people across Kosovo to turn off their lights for five minutes and light candles, just as they had done in 1990.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2ee55d6 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2ee55d6\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b8ac90c\" data-id=\"b8ac90c\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-091eff3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"091eff3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The autonomy that was revoked in 1989 had been achieved through the 1974 constitution, which the Albanian political elite, together with miners, students, workers and citizens in general, sought to defend through protests, marches and strikes. The trajectory of Kosovo\u2019s status since World War II reflects the political tensions between Yugoslavia\u2019s proclaimed principles of equality \u2014 only valid on paper \u2014 and Serbia\u2019s real ambitions in practice.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-dc6d8b3\" data-id=\"dc6d8b3\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-23e35cc elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon elementor-view-default elementor-widget-divider--element-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"23e35cc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon elementor-divider__element\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-quote-left\"><\/i><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1e33f9c elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1e33f9c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Without wages, social protection, healthcare or education, Albanians faced extreme poverty \u2014 but they also organized collectively.\n<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9a145f4 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"9a145f4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-500d1fc elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"500d1fc\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6d4b4ed\" data-id=\"6d4b4ed\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fd25ed8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"fd25ed8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Following the revocation of autonomy, Serbia installed what were called \u201cviolent measures,\u201d which meant bringing all of Kosovo\u2019s institutions under Serbian control and the policy of differentiation. The latter meant the marginalization of Albanians in the workplace, often culminating in outright dismissals, with far-reaching consequences. This was, in effect, a form of \u201ccivil death,\u201d as Antoine Garapon, a jurist and member of the International Federation for Human Rights Commission, described it after his visit to Kosovo in November 1989.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The mass dismissals from work were, in reality, expulsions from all public institutions, often carried out with brutal police violence against Albanian workers, who were then replaced by Serbs. As a result, it was estimated that 700,000 family members were left without access to health insurance, pensions and child benefits. The loss of wages, social protection, healthcare and education deeply impoverished Albanians. In response, Albanians organized collectively.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The so-called parallel system<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">was established<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Kosovo\u2019s government-in-exile was formed, and the entire system was supported by a financial structure funded through a 3% tax on Albanian incomes worldwide, with the diaspora playing a crucial role. Education and healthcare operated in private buildings. Since Albanians were also expelled from RTP in July 1990, Albanian Radio and Television in Albania allocated two hours of satellite broadcasting to fired RTP staff. Meanwhile, Rilindja, the Albanian-language daily that was shut down, continued to publish through Bujku, a newspaper that had previously focused on agricultural issues.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When the regime closed schools and universities to Kosovo Albanians, citizens opened their homes and vacant spaces to hold classes. Prenk Jakova Music High School, which I attended, held lessons in the house of the national activist Ibrahim Gashi. Being part of the underground movement, Ilegale, himself, the same house had hosted the first meetings for organizing the 1968 demonstration \u2014 something we didn\u2019t know at the time. I only learned about it later while researching the women of Ilegale.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Ilegale movement consisted of various groups and organizations operating covertly since the end of World War II, across different periods. Despite programmatic changes over time, their fundamental and shared goal was resisting Yugoslav \u2014 especially Serbian \u2014 discrimination and oppression of Albanians.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-a874e2b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"a874e2b\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-056f355\" data-id=\"056f355\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f53fdcb elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon elementor-view-default elementor-widget-divider--element-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"f53fdcb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon elementor-divider__element\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-quote-left\"><\/i><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a86fe4a elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"a86fe4a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">We didn\u2019t rebel against the poor conditions because attending school and being a good student had become almost like a patriotic duty. \n<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f5d9009 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"f5d9009\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-9e06236 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"9e06236\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-bba9cf2\" data-id=\"bba9cf2\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f4a73ba elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f4a73ba\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the Gashi family home, our classrooms during the day were the rooms of the family\u2019s children, Arb\u00ebria, Mir\u00ebdita, Milot and Mrika, at night. They, too, attended classes in the homes of other families. Within the courtyard of this house was another home, where the Vehapi family lived \u2014 a couple with two small children, Segja and Burak. We also held lessons in their house, in two rooms \u2014 one of which, the living room, had an aquarium with goldfish. The two rooms had been turned into classrooms, where upright pianos and pentagram boards stood.<\/span><\/p><p>Instead of chairs, we had either wooden planks placed on two logs or some makeshift seating, like benches with cushions. We had no desks. There was no heating in the winter. We kept warm with a small quartz heater with three bars \u2014 one of which conveniently replaced a match when we illegally smoked in school. We didn\u2019t rebel against the poor conditions because attending school and being a good student had become almost like a patriotic duty.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-21972ee elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"21972ee\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-daf1c4e\" data-id=\"daf1c4e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-baa8d73 elementor-arrows-position-inside elementor-pagination-position-outside elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-carousel\" data-id=\"baa8d73\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;slides_to_show&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;navigation&quot;:&quot;both&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;pause_on_hover&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;pause_on_interaction&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;autoplay_speed&quot;:5000,&quot;infinite&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;effect&quot;:&quot;slide&quot;,&quot;speed&quot;:500}\" data-widget_type=\"image-carousel.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-carousel-wrapper swiper-container\" dir=\"ltr\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-carousel swiper-wrapper\" aria-live=\"off\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"1 of 3\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/eli-photo-album.png\" alt=\"Left:  The Albanian language teacher, Lule Dushi (second row, center), the author with her classmates and the Vehapi family, 1996.  Right: The author (center) on a school day. Photos from the author&#039;s archive.\" \/><figcaption class=\"elementor-image-carousel-caption\"><b>Left: <\/b> The Albanian language teacher, Lule Dushi (second row, center), the author with her classmates and the Vehapi family, 1996.  <b>Right:<\/b> The author (center) on a school day. Photos from the author's archive.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"2 of 3\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/eli-photo-album-3.png\" alt=\"Left: Music theory and counterpoint professor, Murat Osmanaj, the author and her classmates, 1995.Right: AThe author (center) with her friends Mimoza (left) and Valentina (right), 1996. Photos from the author&#039;s archive.\" \/><figcaption class=\"elementor-image-carousel-caption\"><b>Left:<\/b> Music theory and counterpoint professor, Murat Osmanaj, the author and her classmates, 1995.<b>Right:<\/b> AThe author (center) with her friends Mimoza (left) and Valentina (right), 1996. Photos from the author's archive.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"3 of 3\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/photo-album-eli.png\" alt=\"Harmony professor, Selim Ballata, sitting by the piano, the author (first on the left) and her classmates, 1996. Photos from the author&#039;s archive.\" \/><figcaption class=\"elementor-image-carousel-caption\">Harmony professor, Selim Ballata, sitting by the piano, the author (first on the left) and her classmates, 1996. Photos from the author's archive.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-swiper-button elementor-swiper-button-prev\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"eicon-chevron-left\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-swiper-button elementor-swiper-button-next\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"eicon-chevron-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-pagination\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6199a58 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6199a58\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-bb1592a\" data-id=\"bb1592a\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-927b629 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"927b629\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After wiping our plates clean of beans, thoroughly discussing the benefits of onions, Mimoza and I headed out for one of the \u201cwalks\u201d that UPSUP organized back in 1997, along the city\u2019s promenades. Prishtina\u2019s promenades had always been more lines of division than of unity between Albanian and Serb youth. During the socialist years, Albanians would walk on one side in one direction, while on the other side, moving in the opposite direction, were Serbs and Montenegrins. Albanians started walking there less frequently after 1988, even more so after 1989. Following the mass demonstrations of the early &#8217;90s, they became just passersby.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The \u201cwalks\u201d on the promenades in 1997 were political acts \u2014 assertions of our presence in public space and a prelude to the October 1 demonstration, the first mass protest after a pause for several years in the peaceful resistance led by the LDK. The party saw patience and restraint as a strategy for preserving lives, among other things.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For me, Mimoza, Tina, Benet and other friends from my generation, October 1, 1997 was also our first day at university.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-8363793 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"8363793\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b926e21\" data-id=\"b926e21\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fef2538 elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon elementor-view-default elementor-widget-divider--element-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"fef2538\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon elementor-divider__element\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-quote-left\"><\/i><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5f2e803 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"5f2e803\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">But silence at a demonstration is something different. Especially in the moments before the tear gas \u2014 or even the bullets \u2014 are fired. It\u2019s not an ordinary silence. Something shifts in the air, bringing down that silence.<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c97784d elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"c97784d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-54ac796 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"54ac796\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-951593a\" data-id=\"951593a\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-291435d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"291435d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was a peaceful demonstration. That\u2019s why we had been told that all students should wear white shirts. Over 30,000 students filled the streets of Velania, a neighborhood in Prishtina, with every alleyway packed. Armed police, clad in bulletproof vests and wielding batons, were stationed in the middle of the neighborhood as well as throughout the city. Standing in rigid formation, lined up horizontally, legs spread apart, they struck their hands with their batons.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We were silent. But silence at a demonstration is something different. Especially in the moments before the tear gas \u2014 or even the bullets \u2014 are fired. It\u2019s not an ordinary silence. Something shifts in the air, bringing down that silence. It lands on your shoulders, but it doesn\u2019t weigh on you. It covertly pierces your body like a needle, weaving threads that bind everyone together. Threads that transform into action, into unity and solidarity. The thread does not break. Should someone fall, others grab them by the arms, dragging them to a place where they can recover. That must be how they pulled Ylfete, hoping she would come around. That must be how they pulled the others killed in the demonstrations of \u201989 and the early \u201990s, clinging to the hope that they would come around again.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-c0849c5 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"c0849c5\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-11647f5\" data-id=\"11647f5\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-da683e9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"da683e9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"1578\" height=\"1085\" src=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/to-use_tetor97-@eliza-hoxha-copy-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-114919\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/to-use_tetor97-@eliza-hoxha-copy-1.jpg 1578w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/to-use_tetor97-@eliza-hoxha-copy-1-300x206.jpg 300w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/to-use_tetor97-@eliza-hoxha-copy-1-1024x704.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/to-use_tetor97-@eliza-hoxha-copy-1-768x528.jpg 768w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/to-use_tetor97-@eliza-hoxha-copy-1-1536x1056.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/to-use_tetor97-@eliza-hoxha-copy-1-326x224.jpg 326w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1578px) 100vw, 1578px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\"><\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3362e55\" data-id=\"3362e55\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-402d062 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"402d062\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"2560\" height=\"1726\" src=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/to-use_Eli-Student-protest_01-scaled.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-114922\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/to-use_Eli-Student-protest_01-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/to-use_Eli-Student-protest_01-300x202.jpg 300w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/to-use_Eli-Student-protest_01-1024x690.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/to-use_Eli-Student-protest_01-768x518.jpg 768w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/to-use_Eli-Student-protest_01-1536x1036.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/to-use_Eli-Student-protest_01-2048x1381.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/to-use_Eli-Student-protest_01-326x220.jpg 326w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-0f753fe elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"0f753fe\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-80d2f5b\" data-id=\"80d2f5b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c53bec0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"c53bec0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">On October 1, 1997, after a several-year pause in peaceful resistance, over 30,000 students filled the streets of the Velania neighborhood in Prishtina. Photo on the left: Courtesy of the author. Photo on the right: Mihane Salihu-Bala.\n<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-54ce2da elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"54ce2da\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9745eda\" data-id=\"9745eda\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-380103f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"380103f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The order was given, and it felt as if it had come straight from the helicopter circling not far above our heads. The police charged at us. The organizers told us to sit on the ground as a sign that we weren\u2019t confronting them. We, dressed in white shirts, sat down, expressing our demands for the right to education in school and university facilities. Meanwhile, they, the police, struck us with batons and threw tear gas.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We had no onions in our pockets, damn it. I don\u2019t understand how we didn\u2019t bring onions with us that day. Amid the burning in our eyes and throats, the coughing, the tears, the dizziness, the running, the stampede \u2014 we reached a house where a woman opened the door for us. We told her: \u201conions, give us onions!\u201d She, her voice trembling along with her body, told us that the onions were in the basement.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We grabbed a wooden crate full of onions and distributed them. As \u201cseparatists,\u201d Mimoza and I peeled the layers, pressing them to our eyes and noses. At some point, we just started eating them. Like apples. We \u2014 who usually found tiny bits of onion in our beans annoying.<\/span><\/p><p><b>White paper sheets<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The year 1989, when autonomy was revoked, marked all of our lives. But the marks on the surface, the ones I was aware of at the time, were mostly small, just like my age at the time: 10. In March, autonomy was taken away; in July, I got my first period; in September, we had already parted ways with our primary school teacher and were starting fifth grade with subject teachers and in October, I turned 11.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7f213de elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7f213de\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-58a4544\" data-id=\"58a4544\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dc08d33 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"dc08d33\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I didn\u2019t fully understand what the revocation of autonomy meant, but it was the only thing people talked about both at home and outside. Yet, that same year and the one after, with news of mass protests and killings, job dismissals and then ethnic division of schools through walls and the poisonings, the loss of autonomy started making sense even to us kids, along with a deep awareness that we had no rights at all because we were Albanian. Because of this, danger felt as close as death itself \u2014 closer than the shirt on our backs, as the saying goes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The separation in schools was done with walls and in such a way that, essentially, 80% of Albanian students were crammed into just 20% of the school\u2019s space. The other 80% of the space was left to Serb students, who were perhaps even fewer than 20%. This also depended on the area.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-0187379\" data-id=\"0187379\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-793a0c0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"793a0c0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"741\" height=\"639\" src=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-9_Alternativa_Shkolla_1990_Agim-Qena-1.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-114527\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-9_Alternativa_Shkolla_1990_Agim-Qena-1.png 741w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-9_Alternativa_Shkolla_1990_Agim-Qena-1-300x259.png 300w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-9_Alternativa_Shkolla_1990_Agim-Qena-1-326x281.png 326w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 741px) 100vw, 741px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Illustration by Agim Qena for the magazine Alternativa, 1990.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e86e469 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"e86e469\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6188a03\" data-id=\"6188a03\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b8dcec6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b8dcec6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We had staged a protest in front of the school, completely spontaneously, but my memory of the details of this episode is quite blurry. Our protest must have been simple, with two fingers raised as a symbol of peace and democracy. Raising our fingers had almost become a greeting for us, and for them, the police and most Serb civilians, a \u201c<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">provokacija<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,\u201d or provocation. It was reason enough for brutal beatings and arrests. During this period, any action by Albanians was considered a \u201c<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">provokacija.<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-b7c9ac8 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"b7c9ac8\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6481ed2\" data-id=\"6481ed2\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1f1dddd elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"1f1dddd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"2205\" height=\"1496\" src=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-10_dy-gishta-demostrate-@eliza-hoxha-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-114530\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-10_dy-gishta-demostrate-@eliza-hoxha-1.jpg 2205w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-10_dy-gishta-demostrate-@eliza-hoxha-1-300x204.jpg 300w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-10_dy-gishta-demostrate-@eliza-hoxha-1-1024x695.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-10_dy-gishta-demostrate-@eliza-hoxha-1-768x521.jpg 768w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-10_dy-gishta-demostrate-@eliza-hoxha-1-1536x1042.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-10_dy-gishta-demostrate-@eliza-hoxha-1-2048x1389.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-10_dy-gishta-demostrate-@eliza-hoxha-1-326x221.jpg 326w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2205px) 100vw, 2205px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">During the 1990s, the two-fingered gesture was used as a symbol for freedom and democracy. Protest in Prishtina, 1998. Photo: Eliza Hoxha.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-05a35b7 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"05a35b7\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1b72d29\" data-id=\"1b72d29\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6e49b0e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6e49b0e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When the mass poisonings occurred in schools after the ethnic separation, it was clear that only Albanian students were affected \u2014 over 3,000 of them, according to an international commission led by Bernard Benedetti, a doctor from M\u00e9decins du Monde. The Serb side claimed it was a case of collective hysteria, and for the poisoned young boys and girls, they would say that even the actors at the Cannes Film Festival would envy their performances.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other forms of protest, which almost all of us remember, included banging pots and pans with spoons or whatever we had on hand, anything that made noise, from our balconies. This form of protest, known as <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">cacerolazo<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, has been used in many places in Latin America, especially in the 1970s and 1980s. It was called for in June 1991 by the Parliamentary Party of Kosovo, one of the parties formed after March 1989.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-215c952 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"215c952\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-efab481\" data-id=\"efab481\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-945fc4b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"945fc4b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At 12 p.m.,<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> we would go out onto our balconies and make noise for five minutes with pots and pans \u2014 a symbolic act of hunger, a consequence of the mass firings of Albanians from their jobs. By 1991, 146,025 Albanians had been fired. Then there was the protest where we shook our keys, and much later, sometime in 1997 or 1998 \u2014 I don\u2019t remember exactly \u2014 the one with alarm clocks all ringing at the same time. I believe that on that same day, Serb students also held demonstrations, opposing Albanian students\u2019 demands for the right to education in university and school buildings. Their banners read: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cNe dajte im olovke\u201d<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2014 Don\u2019t give them pencils.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-15b22f6\" data-id=\"15b22f6\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2864655 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"2864655\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"605\" height=\"451\" src=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-11__Per-Oscar__Bota-e-Re_15-prill-1990-fq-3-1.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-114533\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-11__Per-Oscar__Bota-e-Re_15-prill-1990-fq-3-1.png 605w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-11__Per-Oscar__Bota-e-Re_15-prill-1990-fq-3-1-300x224.png 300w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-11__Per-Oscar__Bota-e-Re_15-prill-1990-fq-3-1-326x243.png 326w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 605px) 100vw, 605px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Illustration in the magazine Bota e Re, April 15, 1990. After the mass poisonings of Albanian students in Kosovar schools, Serbian authorities denied accusations, describing the poisonings as staged and fabricated.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-c99e501 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"c99e501\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5aa4c2c\" data-id=\"5aa4c2c\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e6ee58e elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon elementor-view-default elementor-widget-divider--element-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"e6ee58e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon elementor-divider__element\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-quote-left\"><\/i><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3188671 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3188671\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) had already emerged into the open. Watching the images on television, we realized that these soldiers were mostly young men and women our age, worn down by political and economic oppression and violence.<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-212e2be elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"212e2be\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-220aebe elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"220aebe\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-32e21a1\" data-id=\"32e21a1\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-373cf24 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"373cf24\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The women\u2019s protests were just as important \u2014 if not more so \u2014 because they did not always fully adhere to the several year pause in peaceful resistance advocated by the LDK. The silent protest condemning the murder of Armend Daci was the first public gathering after six years of passive resistance. Women\u2019s resistance was multifaceted, as was the oppression they faced: national and gendered, while the symbolism of their protests took many forms. Among the many protests organized by women, particularly in March 1998, the one most remembered is the march known as \u201cBread for Drenica.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By the end of February and the beginning of March 1998, war had begun in Drenica in central Kosovo. The Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) had already emerged into the open. Watching the images on television, we realized that these soldiers were mostly young men and women our age, worn down by political and economic oppression and violence. Their patience had run out. Serbia called them terrorists. To us, they were liberators. In three attacks over five days, Serbian forces killed 84 people, at least 24 of whom were women and children.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The civilian population, forced to take shelter in the mountains while facing the cold and a complete lack of food, was totally cut off. The Serbian military did not allow aid to pass through \u2014 not even via humanitarian organizations \u2014 claiming that they were secretly smuggling weapons.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Women feminist activists organized themselves, joined by other women from across Kosovo. On the morning of March 16, 1998, in silence and solemnity, around 10,000 women, each carrying a loaf of bread, marched from the U.S. Information Center \u2014 or the American Office, as we called it \u2014 located in the Arb\u00ebri (formerly Dragodan) neighborhood of Prishtina, all the way to Fush\u00eb Kosov\u00eb, where the police stopped them and prevented them from continuing further.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The march aimed to ease the humanitarian crisis in Drenica by delivering bread and alert the international community to what was happening. This march gained significant international attention, just like the protest on March 8 before it, known as the &#8220;White Sheets Protest.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-c87b800 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"c87b800\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-8b242b3\" data-id=\"8b242b3\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1e9e30b elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon elementor-view-default elementor-widget-divider--element-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"1e9e30b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon elementor-divider__element\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-quote-left\"><\/i><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3b9ed35 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3b9ed35\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The activists had said that this March 8 was not a celebration for us, and beyond our doorsteps, there was nowhere else to go.<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8951495 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"8951495\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e2bae3e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"e2bae3e\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-ade5fcf\" data-id=\"ade5fcf\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-116896b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"116896b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Women feminist activists had decided that the protest would be peaceful, holding white sheets of paper as a symbol of the total absence of human and national rights for Albanians. The main slogan of the protest, &#8220;We stand strong in front of our doors,&#8221; was also connected to the fact that the women, who could not participate in the protest in front of the U.S. Embassy, could protest by standing at the thresholds of their homes with white sheets of paper in their hands. The activists had said that this March 8 was not a celebration for us, and beyond our doorsteps, there was nowhere else to go.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thousands of women, amid strong police presence, stood together in silence holding white sheets of paper in their hands. Police radio communications were all that could be heard. To me, it seemed like we could even hear our own breaths.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The women handed a declaration, the Declaration of the Silent Protest, to the head of the U.S. Information Center. Signed by the Center for the Protection of Women and Children, the Women&#8217;s Forum of the LDK, the Albanian Women&#8217;s League and the Media Project, among others, the declaration stated: &#8220;We opt for peace, and for this reason with the white sheets of paper, we show the world that we have no rights and that we want to write our rights in peace, not in war.&#8221;<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes wearing white shirts, other times holding white sheets of paper, in every possible way, we tried to send messages of peace and show the world that we are peaceful. Now, it&#8217;s not entirely easy to give meaning to those symbolisms, because the context is different. What remains, however, is the memory, which sometimes peels like an onion, and at other times creates dark holes in which events and episodes are hidden.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-678f3c2 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"678f3c2\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-0c268ac\" data-id=\"0c268ac\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f2ceeb3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"f2ceeb3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"2560\" height=\"1667\" src=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-11_@Enver-Bylykbashi_File-81-99_Grate-me-qirinj-ne-dore-1-scaled.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-114536\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-11_@Enver-Bylykbashi_File-81-99_Grate-me-qirinj-ne-dore-1-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-11_@Enver-Bylykbashi_File-81-99_Grate-me-qirinj-ne-dore-1-300x195.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-11_@Enver-Bylykbashi_File-81-99_Grate-me-qirinj-ne-dore-1-1024x667.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-11_@Enver-Bylykbashi_File-81-99_Grate-me-qirinj-ne-dore-1-768x500.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-11_@Enver-Bylykbashi_File-81-99_Grate-me-qirinj-ne-dore-1-1536x1000.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-11_@Enver-Bylykbashi_File-81-99_Grate-me-qirinj-ne-dore-1-2048x1333.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-11_@Enver-Bylykbashi_File-81-99_Grate-me-qirinj-ne-dore-1-326x212.jpeg 326w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Women in protest during the 1990s. Photo: Enver Bylykbashi.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-9b7ac58 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"9b7ac58\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2bb8224\" data-id=\"2bb8224\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a44cba2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a44cba2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When I look at the archives from that period, the photographs that always spark my memory, I see women in protests wearing coats and headscarves. This represents an interesting element, given that socialist modernity cemented, especially in the 1970s, these women as only part of the private sphere.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The prevailing impression was that women could participate in the public sphere as citizens only if they didn\u2019t wear headscarves. The idea of removing the headscarf in relation to emancipation was entrenched after World War II with the Women\u2019s Antifascist Front. This was not only in Yugoslavia but also in other communist countries with Muslim minorities. In Kosovo, since the late \u201880s, women with and without headscarves have made their presence public, sometimes as mothers, sometimes as citizens. This was yet another fusion of the divide between the private and public spheres, and another break that women were showing amidst other divides.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is not a given that memory of this period, including efforts for gender liberation, easily surfaces. In \u201cThe Deepening Darkness: Patriarchy, Resistance, and Democracy&#8217;s Future,\u201d Carol Gilligan and David A. J. Richards suggest something along the lines of trauma often resulting in the loss of memory and voice. They focus on the dynamics of intimate relationships and patriarchy, but this loss to me resonates with what the French philosopher and sociologist Maurice Halbwachs argues in \u201cOn Collective Memory\u201d \u2014 that we remember as part of a group. Furthermore, it is the relations of economic and political power that impose amnesia or shape memory regarding specific historical segments.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2d160fa elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2d160fa\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-cf4b098\" data-id=\"cf4b098\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5dc7b17 elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon elementor-view-default elementor-widget-divider--element-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"5dc7b17\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon elementor-divider__element\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-quote-left\"><\/i><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-eed812f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"eed812f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Within these power dynamics, not just in Kosovo, of course, women are routinely pushed toward the vortex of oblivion.<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-744a118 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"744a118\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-fc2b378 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"fc2b378\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6099b05\" data-id=\"6099b05\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dfa5188 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"dfa5188\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This isn\u2019t all that difficult, given that people generally measure developments and progress by their own lifespan \u2014 and this is where the importance of memory emerges, in that it must be carried across generations. Not to create a singular narrative of the past, but rather to expand the space for nuanced narratives, of marginalized people and groups, so that, ideally, memory can resist being swallowed up by regimes and those in power.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is especially the case considering that collective memory is a construct, as Halbwachs argues, shaped by the needs of the present. In other words, memory and forgetting \u2014 and even more so, history and historians \u2014 remain innocent only as long as they are not swallowed by power for the purpose of projecting political and economic futures. Within these power dynamics, not just in Kosovo, of course, women are routinely pushed toward the vortex of oblivion.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Beyond feminists, it is rarely, if ever, stated explicitly or voiced loudly that Albanian women in Kosovo, despite the prevailing stereotype of them as secluded behind high courtyard walls, confined in homes and submissive \u2014 stereotypes nurtured and propagated for years in Yugoslavia and beyond \u2014 were, in reality, the initiators or propellers of major social, political and economic transformations.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2f91b9c elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2f91b9c\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-770c6a9\" data-id=\"770c6a9\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-08ed62a elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon elementor-view-default elementor-widget-divider--element-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"08ed62a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon elementor-divider__element\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-quote-left\"><\/i><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d9a2f34 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"d9a2f34\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">All these initiatives and movements paved the way toward both national and gender liberation. The latter remains in process.  \n<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-71cfe14 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"71cfe14\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9a40eac\" data-id=\"9a40eac\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d0ab11a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d0ab11a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The spark that ignited the student demonstration in March 1981 was the revolt of student Bahrije Kastrati, who slammed her food tray in the Prishtina student cafeteria. The students\u2019 frustration stemmed from the harsh conditions in the dormitories and cafeteria, which were a reflection of broader economic and political struggles. Kosovo had always been the poorest region of Yugoslavia. What began as a student uprising quickly escalated into mass demonstrations. The central demand to solve the political and social inequalities Albanians faced was for Kosovo to become a republic. The 1981 demonstrations are widely regarded as the first signs of the beginning of Yugoslavia\u2019s dissolution.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-ff44bc5 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"ff44bc5\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-565e481\" data-id=\"565e481\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dc98c2e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"dc98c2e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 1989, a group of intellectual women who initially gathered at the National Library in Prishtina, represented by the prominent feminist Sevdije Ahmeti, founded the first women\u2019s association, called the Independent Women\u2019s Association. This association was short-lived and merely an attempt to break away from politics, as it was soon swallowed by the LDK. However, throughout the 1990s, women went on to establish other independent organizations that played crucial roles in education, healthcare and culture.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Education, in particular, was a field where women contributed, whether through formal organizations, informal initiatives or as teachers who took students into their homes to ensure they didn\u2019t miss out on their education when schools were shut down. For instance, the Motrat Qiriazi organization, founded and led by Safete and Igballe Rogova, launched literacy courses in 1990 under the motto &#8220;With a pencil to Europe \u2014 stop illiteracy,&#8221; establishing 33 branches across Kosovo. Later, in 1993, the Group of Creators and Veterans of Education, founded by Naxhije Bu\u00e7inca, helped enroll 94 girls in primary and secondary schools. Other smaller groups and organizations also emerged.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was the members of the Ilegale organizations \u2014 Have Shala and Myrvete Dreshaj at first, followed by Akile Dedinca and Zoge Shala \u2014 who took the initiative to mediate blood feuds, an effort that soon turned into a massive popular movement. All these initiatives and movements paved the way toward both national and gender liberation. The latter remains in process.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Women\u2019s production and reproduction \u2014 both in the public and private spheres \u2014 were at the core of survival, resistance and resilience in Kosovo. Gender freedom in this period was often suppressed in the name of the national cause, with the \u201cpromise\u201d that gender equality would come with liberation. As is often the case, also in other contexts, after the 1998-99 war, this \u201cpromise\u201d did not materialize on its own, and feminists had to continue their struggle for gender equality on multiple fronts and within various hierarchies.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The international community never failed to remind us of the war and NATO\u2019s intervention for humanitarian purposes \u2014 a reminder that often felt like a form of discipline. Implicitly, and at times even explicitly, we were told to forget and to start from scratch, writing Kosovo as if on a blank sheet. This kind of \u201cforgetting,\u201d in a way, seemed to also imply the erasure of women\u2019s activism.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After Kosovo declared independence in 2008, the feminist movement seemed to free itself from the burden of the national question. Shaped by the legacy of social movements during socialism \u2014 especially the women\u2019s movement of the 1990s \u2014 and by the broader struggle for freedom, today, the feminist movement in Kosovo is one of the most dynamic in the Balkans.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Across generations, feminists remember.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-8aa6866 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"8aa6866\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f306d1c\" data-id=\"f306d1c\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4f11786 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"4f11786\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"2560\" height=\"1796\" src=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Untitled-11-scaled.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-114970\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Untitled-11-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Untitled-11-300x211.jpg 300w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Untitled-11-1024x719.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Untitled-11-768x539.jpg 768w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Untitled-11-1536x1078.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Untitled-11-2048x1437.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Untitled-11-326x229.jpg 326w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">On March 8, women protested in Prishtina. The white papers they held conveyed messages of peace and meant that there was nothing left to be said. Photograph by Hazir Reka.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-ae72721 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"ae72721\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-12e57b9\" data-id=\"12e57b9\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-20be9f3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"20be9f3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><b>The jar<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite my mother\u2019s efforts to offer me a variety of dishes, I didn\u2019t like eating, so much so that by 1994, I had developed anemia. There were only a few things I enjoyed, like <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">smoki \u2014 <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the peanut puff snack, with yogurt \u2014 a combination I learned from my classmate Benet \u2014 and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">gurabija me arra \u2014 <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">cookies with walnuts. The ones that Benet\u2019s mother, Aunt Naz\u00eb, made, and I ate with delight on their 14th-floor balcony in the Lakrisht\u00eb neighborhood of Prishtina. From that height, where the purple dusks looked even more vivid, the world was soft.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Long story short, I had to undergo therapy. At the same time, my parents put me on a strict, dictatorial eating regime. Between pleas and threats to get me to eat, one of the worst punishments was a bowl of carrots and red beetroot. The beetroot smelled of soil. I despised it.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The threats of embargoes and economic sanctions continued until the blood test results were improved, almost up until the time of the war. When the Serbian forces began expelling Albanians from their homes, right after the NATO bombing started on March 24, 1999, our family, together with hundreds of thousands, found itself in one of the two corridors that were opened, towards Albania and Macedonia.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We, along with two other families in cars, were in the long column of the displaced, about six kilometers away from the town of Han i Elezit, heading towards the border. In haste and anxiety, we had taken some food, but after maybe three days, we went hungry and saved food in small bites for our grandmother. She was completely silent, weak. She knew what war was. She had survived World War II, and before that, as a baby, she and her brother had been the only survivors from their immediate family in the January 1921 massacre in the villages of Gollaku, carried out by the gendarmerie of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Throughout the long column of deportees, paramilitaries wandered. In various parts of Kosovo, many of the killings and rapes occurred when these paramilitaries pulled men, boys, girls and women from the column. And in this atmosphere of fear, the Serbian army brought bread. Elsewhere in Kosovo, they would shell and kill, but here they gave us bread. After some doubt about whether we should take bread from them, we decided to go, but in the crowd&#8217;s push, my two sisters ended up falling and terrified. Only one jar of I-don\u2019t-know-what remained, which a soldier handed to me. I held the jar in my hand, not as a survival trophy, but simply as a tragic artifact. Even later, as I remembered this episode, I saw myself, skinny and pale, holding a jar in my hand.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4f5ee1f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4f5ee1f\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b3f8a40\" data-id=\"b3f8a40\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4fb9d56 elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon elementor-view-default elementor-widget-divider--element-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"4fb9d56\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon elementor-divider__element\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-quote-left\"><\/i><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3fb60f8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3fb60f8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Researching in the archives is like touching time itself, or perhaps some of its dimensions.\n<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dc27f75 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"dc27f75\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e1af1d1 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"e1af1d1\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5a21bf4\" data-id=\"5a21bf4\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-48543fe elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"48543fe\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Much later, when I read my diary about this period, amid the fear and the terrible cold, another central topic emerging was hunger. We could see others boiling nettles. Meanwhile, I noticed a soldier talking to my brother, Meti. I don&#8217;t know if it was the same one who had given me the jar.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Terrified of what was happening, when he returned to the cars, Meti told us that the soldier had told him he was a reservist from Ni\u0161, a recently graduated doctor who had been drafted by the Serbian army. A few minutes later, we saw the soldier crying. I was completely confused. At that time, I couldn\u2019t logically connect his presence there with his crying. Why hadn\u2019t he fled? That could have been like Meti in the early &#8217;90s, some time in the war in Croatia or Bosnia, when the Yugoslav People&#8217;s Army (JNA) was forcibly drafting young men in Kosovo for military service.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 1991, when Meti received the invitation from the JNA for the second time, like many youngsters, he fled the country. Of the young men drafted into the army, many returned in metal coffins, hermetically sealed, with an order not to open the coffin, and the explanation that the soldier had committed suicide. However, the families of the slain, whenever they could escape the strict surveillance of the police, would open these coffins. The young Albanian men must have had incredible acrobatic skills, because after their coffins were opened, bullets were visible in their backs.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2014, when I was reading the women\u2019s magazine Kosovarja, the articles about these murders brought back memories of photos showing bodies of those Albanian soldiers, autopsied, with vertical incisions on their torsos. While reviewing archival materials, some corners of my memory were illuminated, black holes that had sucked up fragments and images of the past. Researching in the archives is like touching time itself, or perhaps some of its dimensions.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5d1766a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5d1766a\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-199041d\" data-id=\"199041d\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-be4a85f elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"be4a85f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"984\" height=\"353\" src=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-12_-Lista-e-ushtarve-qe-vdiqen-ne-APJ-1.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-114539\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-12_-Lista-e-ushtarve-qe-vdiqen-ne-APJ-1.png 984w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-12_-Lista-e-ushtarve-qe-vdiqen-ne-APJ-1-300x108.png 300w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-12_-Lista-e-ushtarve-qe-vdiqen-ne-APJ-1-768x276.png 768w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-12_-Lista-e-ushtarve-qe-vdiqen-ne-APJ-1-326x117.png 326w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 984px) 100vw, 984px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">On January 1, 1991, the daily newspaper Bujku published a list of Albanian soldiers who lost their lives while serving in the Yugoslav People's Army between 1981 and 1991, casting doubts on the circumstances of their deaths.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-591316f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"591316f\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-23fbeab\" data-id=\"23fbeab\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1bad50c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1bad50c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One response to these crimes, which was also one of the first joint initiatives of women, was a letter sent to the federal minister of defense, General Veljko Kadijevi\u0107, and the president of the presidency of Yugoslavia, Janez Drnov\u0161ek, signed by 15 women known as the Albanian Intellectual Women. Not long after this letter, the Women\u2019s Forum, which gathered many women and was led by Luljeta Pula, a university professor and one of the bravest politicians of the \u201890s, amid the many protests and letters at the time, made an appeal to the mothers of Yugoslavia to react and condemn the killings of soldiers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Similar initiatives by mothers, who wrote petitions or protested against sending sons to war, were also present in other parts of Yugoslavia. However, they were not successful because a large majority of women chose national interests over the women\u2019s cause.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e3d9aa8 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"e3d9aa8\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-828e1dc\" data-id=\"828e1dc\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f18e5d2 elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon elementor-view-default elementor-widget-divider--element-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"f18e5d2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon elementor-divider__element\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-quote-left\"><\/i><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bba2699 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"bba2699\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Even during the outbreak of war in 1998-99, Prishtina experienced it the least compared to other areas of Kosovo, where there was armed resistance, like in Drenica, Llap, Dukagjin and beyond. Aware of this, some of us, when we talk about the '90s, speak in a mumbling way.<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-033e349 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"033e349\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-99ecebf elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"99ecebf\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-c4dd576\" data-id=\"c4dd576\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-26c1d6f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"26c1d6f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 1991, Meti returned from emigration back to Prishtina and was arrested by the police for the second time. They had stopped him in the center of Prishtina, taken him into a building entrance, and during the search \u2014 usually hands against the wall, legs spread \u2014 they found a \u201cdangerous\u201d book. He doesn&#8217;t remember whether it was the magazine Alternativa or Blerim Shala&#8217;s book, \u201cKosovo, Blood and Tears,\u201d published in 1990. They beat him in that entrance and at the police station until he lost consciousness. I learned these details much later, during the war. But I still remember the baton marks on his back, which I had seen stealthily. Our apartment was too small to hide the pain. Of all kinds, of everyone.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first time Meti was arrested, when he was in high school, was during the protests in 1988, with dozens of other young people. I remember very little from that time. But, I do remember my grandmother whispering to herself, \u201cI hope they haven\u2019t killed him,\u201d and that he did not return from the protest, and only on the next day, it was understood that he was at the police station. For us, this detention was a prison, and I knew what prison meant because my aunt, Shukrije Gashi, had been a political prisoner in the &#8217;80s, and two of my uncles as well. Even though people didn&#8217;t talk openly about it in the early &#8217;80s, I understood. Children don\u2019t always need words to understand.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But these were among the few things that could have happened. Throughout the entire oppression in Yugoslavia, especially after the major riots, the most at-risk group was Albanians from other municipalities. For example, students who didn\u2019t have permanent residence in Prishtina, but for them, Prishtina was the city of studies, and simultaneously the city of peril. Even during the outbreak of war in 1998-99, Prishtina experienced it the least compared to other areas of Kosovo, where there was armed resistance, like in Drenica, Llap, Dukagjin and beyond. Aware of this, some of us, when we talk about the &#8217;90s, speak in a mumbling way.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The young Albanians migrated due to political and even economic reasons. Kosovo, as the poorest region in Yugoslavia, was already burdened by an economic crisis, and the mass dismissal from jobs made almost everyone even poorer, turning them into masters of improvisation. We couldn\u2019t afford to buy everything in self-service stores. Our mothers would make us elderberry and nettle juice. It seemed to me that everything could be preserved in jars or barrels, from peppers to pears.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We spent quite a bit of time at home. For some of us, time would pass next to the phone, waiting for a connection. The signal was analog, and you&#8217;d often find several people on one line, so we&#8217;d pass the time saying things like, &#8220;Hang up a bit!&#8221; or &#8220;No, you hang up!\u201d In the afternoons, one of us would use a hand mill to grind coffee. We all somehow patched things together. Among the neighbors, if you needed coffee or tea, an egg or some baking powder, the common phrase was &#8220;Do you happen to have any&#8230;?&#8221; That was pretty normal. Solidarity was another defining feature of that decade. My family told me that my uncle, at the very beginning, had brought us flour and oil. Then, we got out of the crisis by opening a mini-market, where all us kids worked in shifts. It could be said that that was my first job.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the time between TV or radio news, we would play some video cassettes of films from Albania, which we either got from our uncles or from our neighbor across the hall, Uncle Syla, whose books I borrowed quite often, especially when I finished the ones from our home library. He kept a record of the borrowings in his thick-covered notebook. In the mornings, we\u2019d watch musicals like &#8220;Hair,&#8221; and in the afternoons, &#8220;Two Gunshots in Paris,&#8221; a film that depicted the trial of national hero Avni Rrustemi for the assassination of Esat Pasha Toptani. I knew both of them by heart. Now, I laugh at the contrast, but still, both films have something in common \u2014 efforts for freedom \u2014 one individual, the other national. We\u2019d also watch concerts, like Pink Floyd&#8217;s &#8220;Live in Pompei&#8221; and other bands&#8217; concerts that Meti collected fanatically as VHS tapes. During this period, especially in the latter half of the \u201890s, we competed with MTV against news channels. This period came back to me in more detail during the pandemic in March 2020, when I was looking for the songs we used to listen to in the &#8217;90s. It must have been because the lockdown reminded me of that state of emergency, curfews and war.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3af0009 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3af0009\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-59f4bea\" data-id=\"59f4bea\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c0bfe34 elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon elementor-view-default elementor-widget-divider--element-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"c0bfe34\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon elementor-divider__element\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-quote-left\"><\/i><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3f345b4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3f345b4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Solidarity, this core element of survival, provided social security, especially through the social reproduction of women.<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f5769a1 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"f5769a1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-d9ef93a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"d9ef93a\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1315438\" data-id=\"1315438\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4295511 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4295511\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As if social isolation itself wasn\u2019t enough, I would scratch through the past with songs, thinking of it as a form of relaxation. Unconsciously, I must have been trying to find the meaning of the present through the past, because that\u2019s what I knew, while the future seemed entirely uncertain.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On one of the first days of the lockdown, I went to buy groceries. While I was looking at the products and watching people grabbing a lot of food, just like in the early and late &#8217;90s, I spotted a jar on a shelf that, like many others, was empty. At first, I thought someone had second thoughts about buying the jar and didn\u2019t return it to the right shelf. When I touched the cold glass, in that split second, like in a movie scene, I saw an image of myself back then: skinny, pale, with a jar in my hand, standing near our car in a line in March 1999. But now, I was in Graz, scared, though I wasn\u2019t sure if it was more because of the virus or the idea that there was a high chance that I would not be able to return to Prishtina for a long time. I had felt that same fear on March 31, 1999, when I had written in my journal: &#8220;I might never see Kosovo again&#8230; .&#8221; I was buying jars and canned food, just like we did in the &#8217;90s, but the fear couldn\u2019t be canned.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My friend, Merita, who also lives in Graz, had phoned me. &#8220;Eli, don&#8217;t worry about food, we&#8217;ve got enough,&#8221; she said \u2014 &#8220;we,&#8221; meaning her and her family. Solidarity, just like in the &#8217;90s. This core element of survival provided social security, especially through the social reproduction of women. And memory? Well, it had already, selectively, burst open the airtight lids again.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I understood what had been in the jars, both then and now: red beets.<\/span><\/p><p><b>The \u201cL-walk\u201d<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It must have been the mid-2000s when I went to Belgrade for the second time. The first time was in February 1999, when I traveled to Norway to take part in the International Student Festival in Trondheim (ISFIT). My flight was from Belgrade, which meant that both on the way there and on the way back, I had to spend the night in Belgrade. There was a war going on in Kosovo, and I had no idea whether it would be safe to stay in Belgrade. My Aunt Shuki told me, &#8220;you can stay at Lepa Mla\u0111enovi\u0107\u2019s place.&#8221;<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shuki, a feminist activist who was a journalist at the time and worked for the Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF), came to know Lepa \u2014 a prominent feminist, anti-war activist and psychologist \u2014 through the feminist network Women in Black and other collaborations between feminists in Prishtina and Belgrade. Among other things, Lepa had written about the injustice Shuki had suffered \u2014 like many former political prisoners, she was denied the right to a passport for nearly two decades. When I walked into Lepa\u2019s office, I saw large banners that she and her comrades, including Sta\u0161a Zajevi\u0107 and others, had repeatedly taken to Belgrade\u2019s squares to protest against the war in Kosovo. It was a moment that left a deep impression on me. It shattered and reshaped some of the boundaries that time and circumstance \u2014 and, to put it mildly, the indifference of certain intellectuals in Belgrade \u2014 had built within me.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometime in the late \u201890s, Shuki and Nazlie Bala \u2014 who was also a feminist activist, working at the CDHRF at the time and later the founder of the organization Elena \u2014 attended a feminist event in Belgrade. A Serbian \u201cfeminist,\u201d not like Lepa and her comrades, said to Shuki and Nazlie, \u201cwhat\u2019s your problem, you Albanians? You have a university, just study in Serbian.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-d6494e7 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"d6494e7\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-55ba813\" data-id=\"55ba813\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-252d3f4 elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon elementor-view-default elementor-widget-divider--element-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"252d3f4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon elementor-divider__element\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-quote-left\"><\/i><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-882287f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"882287f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">For them, and generally in Yugoslavia, a \u201c\u0161iptarka\u201d was seen as primitive, uneducated, wearing a headscarf, having many children \u2014 something that Serbia viewed as a politically motivated increase in birth rates. \n<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ed3c088 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"ed3c088\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-fe3a162 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"fe3a162\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f2506c1\" data-id=\"f2506c1\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ac44114 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ac44114\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I experienced this same \u201clack of information\u201d and colonialist attitude in Hungary in the mid-\u201990s, also at a feminist event. One of these \u201cfeminists\u201d was astonished that I, a \u201c\u0161iptarka,\u201d could express myself better in English than in Serbian and on top of that, played the saxophone.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For them, and generally in Yugoslavia, a \u201c\u0161iptarka\u201d was seen as primitive, uneducated, wearing a headscarf, having many children \u2014 something that Serbia viewed as a politically motivated increase in birth rates. In reality, demographic analyses showed that birth rates were linked to women\u2019s economic status and social class position. In families where women were employed, the number of children was lower than in those engaged in agriculture. And this wasn\u2019t just the case in Kosovo, but also, in Vojvodina, the other autonomous province.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During colonization in the interwar period, settlers referred to Albanians using slurs like &#8220;Tur\u00e9,&#8221; a pejorative form of Turk; \u201czhugana,\u201d meaning mangy or filthy; and savages. By the late 1980s and beyond, all these racist labels had been condensed into &#8220;\u0161iptari.&#8221; After World War II, particularly in the 1960s, &#8220;\u0161iptar&#8221; was also used to differentiate between Albanians from Albania \u2014 referred to as &#8220;Albanci&#8221; \u2014 and Albanians from Kosovo because, to many, we Kosovar Albanians were not considered &#8220;real&#8221; Albanians. This is why the unification of the Albanian language at the 1972 Albanian Orthography Congress in Tirana was seen as such a major victory. Among other things, it invalidated the impact of this falsehood.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Anti-Albanian racism began to be recognized as such by some Yugoslav intellectuals, albeit only a few. Upon returning from Kosovo in 1989, Iztok Tory, a Slovenian theater director, wrote in an article for the magazine Alternativa that discovering open racism against Albanians was shocking for his generation because they knew of such phenomena in Africa and the U.S., whereas they had lived completely oblivious to it right in their midst, in Yugoslavia. He recalled and reproachfully questioned his generation\u2019s stance toward the term \u201c\u0161iptar.\u201d The realization that they had fallen into a propaganda trap, believing what they had been told about Albanians &#8220;down there&#8221; as &#8220;primitive and incapable people [&#8230;] who do nothing but slaughter everything around them,&#8221; only began to take hold when Albanians who had moved to Slovenia spoke to Slovenians in their own language, Slovenian.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-c217daf elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"c217daf\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9161d88\" data-id=\"9161d88\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e4ddd76 elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon elementor-view-default elementor-widget-divider--element-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"e4ddd76\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon elementor-divider__element\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-quote-left\"><\/i><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fd6ed71 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"fd6ed71\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The \"L-walk\" came from the letter L, resembling the movement of the knight in chess, something my father had taught me back in the early or mid-\u201990s.\n<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6b9baee elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"6b9baee\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-c6c63fd\" data-id=\"c6c63fd\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-156b0d8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"156b0d8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As is often the case, the creation of the &#8220;other&#8221; \u2014 through racism and an emphasis on differences rather than similarities \u2014 is aimed at instilling fear, through which oppression and crime is justified, in the name of protection.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-74bee48 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"74bee48\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4170df6\" data-id=\"4170df6\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9bdb895 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9bdb895\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Back in the mid-2000s, on the last day of my second visit to Belgrade, as I was walking back to the hotel, a police patrol appeared in front of me. They were just doing their job, and of course, had no idea I was Albanian \u2014 but the Albanian in me had certain impulses when seeing the police, like changing direction. Even though it had been a while since I had seen Serbian police, the moment I saw them on that day, the &#8220;L-walk&#8221; came to mind, almost like a command. The &#8220;L-walk&#8221; came from the letter L, resembling the movement of the knight in chess, something my father had taught me back in the early or mid-\u201990s. During those difficult times, because of the political and economic situation, he would often wake up in the middle of the night, and I\u2019d be up too. He no longer scolded me for not sleeping. It had almost become a habit for us to either play chess or at least pretend to. So, navigating the city \u2014 whether escaping or returning from demonstrations, or just in everyday life \u2014 meant taking side streets or changing routes to avoid encounters with police patrols or checkpoints. And this act of avoiding, of maneuvering, I called the &#8220;L-walk.&#8221;<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This wasn\u2019t just a trait of my generation. Members of the Ilegale, when pursued by the police and the state secret service (UDB), were forced to operate underground. Their movements went far beyond the \u201cL-walk.\u201d They would slip through backyard gates, house doors and fences, doing whatever it took to avoid falling into the regime\u2019s hands. We, too, had learned certain alleyways in the neighborhoods and passages through building entrances and courtyards.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whenever I found myself doing the \u201cL-walk,\u201d I imagined myself as an armored knight, weaving through the hidden corners of the city where I was born and raised. Thus, in my mind, I created a map of what remained of the city as a consequence of ethnic segregation.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-a6dbd8e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"a6dbd8e\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-84acb4d\" data-id=\"84acb4d\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ebc5019 elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon elementor-view-default elementor-widget-divider--element-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"ebc5019\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon elementor-divider__element\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-quote-left\"><\/i><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-51bcf47 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"51bcf47\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">We liked these Albanian names for parts of the city, like \u201cQafa\u201d \u2014 the Neck \u2014 and \u201cKurrizi\u201d \u2014 the Backbone \u2014 because we said that the city, after all, is ours, since without a neck or a backbone, nobody can move.\n\n<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-51a30dd elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"51a30dd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5bbca7d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5bbca7d\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-bd68700\" data-id=\"bd68700\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-402df54 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"402df54\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The segregation began in the 1980s when Serbia considered that Kosovo should be de-Albanianized. The marked crescendo of this process started with the removal of autonomy. It began with the renaming of streets, squares and institutions, and even the construction of Orthodox churches, such as the one right in the middle of the University of Prishtina campus. In Prishtina only, within a short period, the Serbian regime renamed 7,000 streets, schools and institutions. Statues and monuments were replaced with those of Serbian historical figures, and new ones were built. This type of reconfiguration of a city inevitably led to ethnic segregation, except in some residential areas where Albanians and Serbs lived, usually in the collective buildings of socialism.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spatial segregation also occurred because none of the buildings of public institutions and hospitality facilities, most of which were in the city center, had any Albanian employees. Our cultural and social life took place in spaces assigned to us, such as Kurrizi, Qafa and a corridor between buildings in the Dardania neighborhood known as \u201cSanteja,\u201d after a nearby cafe called Sant\u00e9. In these locations, in the absence of proper facilities, exhibitions, literary events and concerts were organized. And on some occasions, even theater shows, when it wasn\u2019t possible to perform in Dodona Theater, the puppet theater that had been spared from complete occupation. We liked these Albanian names for parts of the city, like \u201cQafa\u201d \u2014 the Neck \u2014 and \u201cKurrizi\u201d \u2014 the Backbone \u2014 because we said that the city, after all, is ours, since without a neck or a backbone, nobody can move.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The city looked different due to the posters of Serbian political parties and nationalist graffiti, which were another visual reminder of Serbian oppression and hegemony. What I remember are slogans like \u201cSrbija do Tokija\u201d (Serbia to Tokyo), one in English: \u201cI am not just perfect, I am a Serb too\u201d and \u201cOvo je Srbija\u201d (This is Serbia). In the case of the latter, beneath it later appeared another graffiti that said, \u201cOvo je zid, budalo!\u201d (This is a wall, you fool!).<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There were others too, like &#8220;Delije,&#8221; which I later realized was a group of football fans. Every time Serbia won a football or basketball game, gunfire was inevitable. It was wise, during those times, not to walk around the city, even if doing an &#8220;L-walk.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5fc5584 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5fc5584\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4b53bae\" data-id=\"4b53bae\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c35e29a elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"c35e29a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"2560\" height=\"1686\" src=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-14_I-am-no-just-perfect-I-am-a-serb-too_Eliza-Hoxha-1-scaled.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-114545\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-14_I-am-no-just-perfect-I-am-a-serb-too_Eliza-Hoxha-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-14_I-am-no-just-perfect-I-am-a-serb-too_Eliza-Hoxha-1-300x198.jpg 300w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-14_I-am-no-just-perfect-I-am-a-serb-too_Eliza-Hoxha-1-1024x674.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-14_I-am-no-just-perfect-I-am-a-serb-too_Eliza-Hoxha-1-768x506.jpg 768w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-14_I-am-no-just-perfect-I-am-a-serb-too_Eliza-Hoxha-1-1536x1011.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-14_I-am-no-just-perfect-I-am-a-serb-too_Eliza-Hoxha-1-2048x1349.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-14_I-am-no-just-perfect-I-am-a-serb-too_Eliza-Hoxha-1-326x215.jpg 326w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Serbian nationalist graffiti was common in Prishtina during the 1990s, like this one from 1999, marking the city as a space of control and domination. Photo: Eliza Hoxha.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-b71693d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"b71693d\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-da0ddae\" data-id=\"da0ddae\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dd52eb6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"dd52eb6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our graffiti was different. It was spring 1998, surely the second half of March, when Burim invited us, his friends \u2014 me, Vlora, Kushtrim and a few others that I don\u2019t remember \u2014 to his house. I don\u2019t recall if we discussed the idea of doing graffiti not only in \u201cour\u201d parts of the city but also in the center, or if it was an idea that Burim and Kushtrim had earlier. I only knew Kushtrim superficially at that time, but not long after, he became my boyfriend.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Later, we found out that both of our families from our mothers\u2019 side had been former members of Ilegale and former political prisoners. Jokingly, we used to say that, in contrast to that generation, who wrote slogans with a brush and red paint, we had &#8220;advanced&#8221; and used spray paint, also red. Just like them, we wrote &#8220;Kosova Republik\u00eb,&#8221; for them a demand, for us an affirmation \u2014 since the Albanian members of the Provincial Assembly of Kosovo had declared Kosovo a republic on July 2, 1990. The will of the Albanians for a republic was further confirmed through a referendum held in 1991.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The strategy for our \u201cillegal activity\u201d was set: one would write, while the others would keep watch, and then we would switch. The signal that the police were approaching and we would need to disperse was the same as calling someone. We decided on the name &#8220;Fis.&#8221; One evening, after writing in several places, we decided to write \u201cGive peace a chance\u201d on the wall of Xhevdet Doda school, in the center of the city. This time, it was Kushtrim\u2019s turn to write, and I, along with Burim, would keep watch. When he started writing the sentence, which seemed the longest one in the world to me that evening, as if from the sky, a police <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">marica<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2014 a riot van \u2014 appeared, one of those vans with grills that came down from the student cafeteria. I don\u2019t know if it was fear or adrenaline, but when I started yelling \u201cFis,\u201d my voice came out with such a vibration that any folk singer would have envied. Kushtrim turned his head, continued writing and laughed, \u201cWhat about Fis?\u201d imitating my voice. He finished the sentence, the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">marica<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> went on its way toward the post office, and we continued on to Santeja, laughing at my \u201cF-i-i-i-s\u201d vibrato refrain.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-51522e4 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"51522e4\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9d715ec\" data-id=\"9d715ec\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-621d635 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"621d635\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"960\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-13_Eli-Xh.Doda_-1.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-114542\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-13_Eli-Xh.Doda_-1.png 960w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-13_Eli-Xh.Doda_-1-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-13_Eli-Xh.Doda_-1-768x576.png 768w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Eli-90s_Image-13_Eli-Xh.Doda_-1-326x245.png 326w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">The 1998 graffiti by the author and her two friends on the wall of Xhevdet Doda high school, the only one that remained visible in Prishtina during the '90s, in the city center. Photo: Eliza Hoxha.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2132f25 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2132f25\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-e3df078\" data-id=\"e3df078\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-64c1814 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"64c1814\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After the liberation, in June 1999, my imaginary lines for the segregated city began to converge. For the first time, with Kushtrim, I was able to enter many public institutions. For the first time, at 20, I was rediscovering the city. This time round, without the need to do the &#8220;L-walk.&#8221;<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The silences and the noises of a decade of resistance in various forms, which the city, along with our bodies, had absorbed, were coming to an end, and with it, the century as well.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We were free, or at least, partially so.<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Feature image: The background image of a poisoned student and the title &#8220;Kosova&#8221; in handcuffs are works of Faik Krasniqi during the &#8217;90s.\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Editor\u2019s note (March 28, 2025):<\/strong> The original version of this article stated that 700,000 families lost access to health insurance, pensions, and child benefits as a result of the mass dismissal of Albanians from their jobs. This sentence has been corrected to reflect that the actual figure refers to 700,000 family members.<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/kosovotwopointzero.com\/en\/the-90s-in-pieces\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Return to Monograph.<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-da2d344 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"da2d344\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f9d93fa\" data-id=\"f9d93fa\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-326277d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"326277d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Bibliography:<\/strong><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Clark, H. (2000). <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Civil Resistance in Kosovo.<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> London: Pluto Press.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Duha\u010dek, D. (1993). Women\u2019s Time in the Former Yugoslavia. In Nanette, F., &amp; Mueller, M., (editors), <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gender Politics and Post-Communism: Reflections from Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. New York and London: Routledge.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u0110or\u0111evi\u0107, V. (1913). <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Arnauti i velike sile<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Belgrade: Dositije Obradovi\u0107.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Farnsworth, N. (2009). <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">History is Herstory Too: The History of Women in Civil Society, 1980\u20132004<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Prishtina: Kosovar Gender Studies Centre.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Garapon, A. (1989, November). Sulme ndaj t\u00eb drejtave t\u00eb njeriut n\u00eb Jugosllavi. <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Le Monde Diplomatique<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Paris). Translated and republished as: &lt;&lt;T\u00eb diferencuar&gt;&gt; shqiptar\u00ebt e Kosov\u00ebs n\u00eb \u201c<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alternativa,\u201d<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> nr. 6 (Ljubljana: Shoqata Kulturore Shqiptare \u201cMigjeni,\u201d November 1989).<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gilligan, C., &amp; Richards A.J. D. (2009). <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Deepening Darkness: Patriarchy, Resistance, and Democracy&#8217;s Future<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Halbwachs, M. (1992). <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Collective Memory<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. (Coser L.A. translation). <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">La M\u00e9moire collective.<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Chicago: University of Chicago Press. (Original work published in 1950).<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Human Rights Watch. (2001). <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Under Orders: War Crimes in Kosovo.<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> New York: Human Rights Watch. Last accessed on February 27, 2025.<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/reports\/Under_Orders_En_Combined.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/reports\/Under_Orders_En_Combined.pdf<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Islami, H. (1990). <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Popullsia e Kosov\u00ebs; studim demografik<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Prishtina: Enti i teksteve dhe mjeteve m\u00ebsimore i Krahin\u00ebs Socialiste Autonome t\u00eb Kosov\u00ebs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Luci, N., &amp; Gusia, L. (2015). Our Men Will Not Have Amnesia. Civic Engagement, Emancipation, and Transformation of the Gendered Public in Kosovo. In Ramet S. &amp; Listhaug, O., &amp; Simkus A. (editors). <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Civic and Uncivic Values in Kosovo: History, Politics and Value Transformation<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Budapest: CEU Press. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1515\/9789633860748-012\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1515\/9789633860748-012<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Matoshi, H. (1990, January-February). Eskadron\u00ebt e vdekjes shkelin mbi gjakun e shqiptar\u00ebve. <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alternativa<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Ljubljana: Shoqata Kulturore Shqiptare \u201cMigjeni.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Me laps n\u00eb Evrop\u00eb \u2013 Analfabetizmit Stop. (1990, July). <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kosovarja, <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">nr. 19.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mertus, J. (1999). <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kosovo: How Myths and Truths Started a War. <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Berkeley: University of California Press.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nushi, P., (2000). Krimet kund\u00ebr njerzis\u00eb dhe gjenocidi ndaj shqip\u00ebtar\u00ebve<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> In Stavileci E. &amp; Nushi, P. (editors), <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">T\u00eb v\u00ebrtetat p\u00ebr Kosov\u00ebn<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Prishtina: Lidhja Shqiptare n\u00eb Bot\u00eb.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Porosia: duam buk\u00eb. (1991, 25 June). Bujku (E p\u00ebrkohshme p\u00ebr \u00e7\u00ebshtje shoq\u00ebrore t\u00eb fshatit).\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rozhaja, D. (1990, 15 April). Parullat dhe sintagmat p\u00ebr shqiptar\u00ebt. <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bota e Re: Gazet\u00eb e Student\u00ebve t\u00eb Universitetit t\u00eb Prishtin\u00ebs<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Serb\u00ebt viktima t\u00eb terrorit t\u00eb vet. (1996, 13 May). <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bujku<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shkelje flagrante e t\u00eb drejtave t\u00eb shqiptar\u00ebve n\u00eb Kosov\u00eb. (1991, 16 February). <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bujku.<\/span><\/i><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tory, I. (1989, October). Zogjt\u00eb n\u00eb Kosov\u00eb. <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alternativa, <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">no 5, Ljubljana: Shoqata Kulturore Shqiptare \u201cMigjeni.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u0110or\u0111evi\u0107, V. (1913). <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Arnauti i velike sile<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Beograd: Dositije Obradovi\u0107.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vukovi\u0107, \u010c. (1967). <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rustemi.<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Shita, V. p\u00ebrkthim). Botim i dyt\u00eb. Prishtina: Rilindja.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-c69b8c0 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"c69b8c0\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-e3c50c6\" data-id=\"e3c50c6\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-456e42c elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon elementor-view-default elementor-widget-divider--element-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"456e42c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon elementor-divider__element\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" id=\"Layer_1\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" viewBox=\"0 0 659 627\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 659 627;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><style type=\"text\/css\">\t.st0{fill:#FDE801;}\t.st1{fill:#363635;}<\/style><g>\t<path class=\"st0\" d=\"M652.9,260.8c-0.3,0.7-0.6,1.7-0.9,2.6c-35.8,100.2-71.7,200.4-107.4,300.6c-0.9,2.7-2.1,3.9-5.1,4.4  c-43.3,7.4-86.5,15-129.8,22.6c-54.7,9.6-109.4,19.1-164.1,28.7c-6.9,1.2-13.8,2.1-20.6,3.6c-3,0.7-4.6-0.2-6.3-2.3  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d=\"M287.2,272.1c-13.6,0.1-23.7-9.8-23.6-22.9c0.1-12.6,10.1-22.2,23.2-22.3c13.7-0.1,24.2,9.7,24,22.6  C310.7,262.2,300.4,272.1,287.2,272.1z\"><\/path>\t<path class=\"st0\" d=\"M515.2,335.6c-4,0-8-0.1-12,0c-2.7,0.1-3.4-0.9-3.4-3.4c0.2-10,0.7-19.9,3.1-29.6c2-8,5.5-11.4,11.6-11.5  c7.2-0.2,11.6,3.2,13.9,11c3.1,10.2,2,20.8,2.4,31.2c0.1,2.2-1.1,2.4-2.8,2.4C523.9,335.6,519.6,335.6,515.2,335.6z\"><\/path><\/g><\/svg><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2b56119 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2b56119\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-be21cc0\" data-id=\"be21cc0\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-22a6df6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-global elementor-global-104647 elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"22a6df6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong><em>D\u00ebshironi t\u00eb mb\u00ebshtetni gazetarin\u00eb ton\u00eb?<\/em><\/strong><\/p><p>N\u00eb Kosovo 2.0, p\u00ebrpiqemi t\u00eb jemi shtyll\u00eb e gazetaris\u00eb s\u00eb pavarur e me cil\u00ebsi t\u00eb lart\u00eb, n\u00eb nj\u00eb epok\u00eb ku \u00ebsht\u00eb gjithnj\u00eb e m\u00eb sfiduese t\u2019i mbash k\u00ebto standarde dhe ta 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P\u00ebr ta siguruar pavar\u00ebsin\u00eb ton\u00eb t\u00eb vazhdueshme, po prezantojm\u00eb HIVE, modelin ton\u00eb t\u00eb ri t\u00eb an\u00ebtar\u00ebsimit, i cili u ofron atyre q\u00eb e vler\u00ebsojn\u00eb gazetarin\u00eb ton\u00eb, mund\u00ebsin\u00eb t\u00eb kontribuojn\u00eb e b\u00ebhen pjes\u00eb e misionit ton\u00eb.<\/p><p><em>An\u00ebtar\u00ebsohuni n\u00eb \u201cHIVE\u201d ose konsideroni nj\u00eb donacion.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7dee29c\" data-id=\"7dee29c\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c5c0253 elementor-align-justify elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"c5c0253\" 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