The warning of Avni Rustem's friends

By: Kastriot Dervishi

Veli Hashorva's "Drita" newspaper, in the issue of April 26, 1924, describes, according to her opinion, the murder of Avni Rustemi, the very day when the latter was denied an American visa. Avni was wounded on April 20, 1924 by the miller Jusuf Reçi and died two days later in the Tirana hospital. His murder was accompanied by oaths and exclamations, such as the one I am presenting today, until the event escalated into a civil war and a coup d'état. In the said issue of the newspaper, among others, it was said:

"The murderer escaped and poor Avni, although wounded, shot him four times like a real man and not like someone who loses his temper before the assassination. The bullet took him in the left side and went between the seventh and eighth ribs; hit the lung and stayed on the stomach. With the serious wound, he survived 40 hours and never bowed down or despaired like some men. Avni died as he fought, a hero.

When Avni was injured, many people suspected that Esat's blood was taken. And then, after the details were obtained, it was realized that Avni fell victim to a nefarious political conspiracy. There is no doubt that Avni was not killed by humans. Avni's mother, when we went to comfort her, told us with certainty that Avni was killed by Ahmet Zogu, from whom she is demanding blood. Following the custom of the country, it falls to Zogu to justify himself in front of Avni Rustemi's parents.

However the job is, the government is tasked with uncovering the plot and after capturing the killer alive to give everyone the punishment they deserve. Otherwise, she herself will be accused, but neither foreigners nor Albanians will be safe to live here, when they are killed and not wanted.

Avni and his companions have never been frightened by either internal or external enemies; they don't want to know either lead or rope. We pray to you AMAN!, may we be sons of whores. Of this, let everyone be sure. Only with what is left for Albania, we ask for an end to the political murders, because if we kill each other behind our backs, we will destroy the country. Otherwise, it's two hands for a head."