Fazli Berani, born in 1875, was the son of a patriotic family with national traditions from Klina e Eperme e Skenderaj, this family came from Lugu i Barani. His father, Meta (Hysen’s son), was killed in 1877 near Nis, in the war with the armed forces of the prince of Serbia, Milan Obrenović. Meta left four sons and one daughter: Smajli, Ibrahimi, Sadriu, Hyseni, Fazliu and daughter Hamidja.

Smajli and Ibrahimi were soldiers of the king of Turkey, where they died there. Meanwhile, in October 1912, two other brothers of Fazliu, Sadriu and Hyseni, were also killed as freedom fighters in the fighting with the Serbian forces. In this way, the created circumstances of the time had activated the whole family in defense of national interests. Even Fazliu, from a young age, rode a horse and defended his homeland.

Left without father and brothers, he had no time for youthful games and joys. Early on, he raised his arms to his generation and stood out as a worthy activist for the issue of the formation and consolidation of the Albanian state and the inclusion of all Albanian lands within the borders of one Albania, a path followed by his father and his brothers, who also sacrificed themselves for this ideal.

Joining the Kacak movement for Albanian freedom.

Even Fazli Berani’s activity was always connected with the active issue of the nation and he started his activity inclined by family tradition and closely related to that group of patriots who were active at that time such as: Hasan Prishtina, Hoxhe Kadri Prishtina, Bajram Curri, Shaqir Smaka, Azem and Shote Galica, Kamer Loshi, Dan Deroci, Emin Lati, Mursel Ahmeti-Delia, etc.

In the first decade of the century The Albanian National Movement marked an all-round growth and the activity of Fazli Berani in Kosovo was more active than ever. This is evidenced by his worthy activity in the Movement of the beginning of the 20th century, otherwise known in the Albanian historiography so far under the name “Kaçak Movement”. Fazli Berani ranks among the main personalities of the Head of the Movement Squad (Kaçak movement), despite the great contradictions and divergences that appear in this movement, regarding its establishment and its first leaders.(1)

His name is listed as a representative of the head of the fighting group together with Shaqir Smaka, Fekë Bajram and Imer Binakun(2) as well as “first adviser of Azem Bejte – gang leader”(3) and the most authoritative man in the Movement, as a wise man, wise, far-sighted, generous and visionary in voice. In different periods of time, he stood out as an active leader in numerous battles against the Turkish, Serbian, Austro-Hungarian, Bulgarian army, as well as against the Albanian collaborators who were put in Serbian service and who at that time were known by the name of Hafi.

In 1910, Fazli Berani, with the experience of the military tradition, worked for the preparation of the great uprising of Kosovo as well as for the implementation of the decision of the Verrat e Lluge Assembly (on the edge of Bistrica e Deçan), as well as being active for the reconciliation of blood and the connection of faith. And when the troops of Shefqet Turgut Pasha crossed the gorge of Kaçanik, he was among the many fighters who had set up the giant ambush of the Gorge of Carraleves and in 1912 he also participated in the general anti-Ottoman uprising of 1912 as well as among the 12 thousand fighters of The Dukagjin Plain that surrounded Pristina(4).

Likewise, Fazli Berani was present during many bloody battles against the Serbian army, where he distinguished himself as a warrior and well versed in military strategy. The gang under his leadership fought in the villages: Klinë, Çubrel, Kërninë, Radishevë, Kotorr, Broboniq, Prekaz, Gradicë, Qyqavicë, Gjurgjevik, etc. In the fall of 1913, when the gendarmerie and the Serbian army surrounded the house of Shaqir Smaka*, in the village of Kastriot, and demanded that he surrender, a request which was rejected, Fazliu(5) was also present.

Also, in the siege that was made by the Serbian forces in the village of Çubrel, in which case the tower of Latif Smajli* was surrounded, Fazli Berani was present together with his friends Shaqir Smaka and Azem Bejta and after an armed fight that took place with Serbian gendarmes, the encirclement of the Serbian occupying forces(6).

Meanwhile, along side fighters like Xhemë Terrnafci, Mehmet Delinë, etc, on in January 1920, they fought a war with the invading Serbian forces in the village of Gradicë. The Serb forces had surrounded Azem Bejten(7). Berani being close Azem Bejta as an adviser, leader and one of the most authoritative personalities in the movement, Fazli Berani, upon hearing about the murder of Azem Bejte’s family by the Serbian gendarmeries, became very upset.

National Defense of Kosovo program

Fazli Berani, as a bright figure of the Movement, participated as a delegate from Drenica in the work of the Committee for the National Defense of Kosovo. 9 Fazliu as a representative embraced the decisions made by this Committee headed by Hoxhë Kadriu, to come to the aid of the insurgents. Kosovars through the 10-point Program, in which the main issues of the general uprising of Kosovo in 1919 stand out:

1. No insurgent dares to harm the people of the country except those who stand with arms in hand against the Albanian goal.
2. No insurgent dares to burn the house, destroy churches and other things. Booty is yasak (forbidden) of rebellion.
3. No insurgent dares to desecrate the bodies of the enemy’s slain, nor strip those enemies who die or are wounded or taken prisoners.
4. The most lively action is against the army, the gendarmerie, against the enemy’s committees that oppose with weapons in hand even though the enemy did cruelty to Albanians without real weapons, I, II, III, IV, they have to refrain completely and strictly.
5. A traitor who opposes the war alongside the enemy or is already against the Albanian goal, should be killed without trial and without a deadline, whoever he is. But, a traitor without a weapon in his hand has to be tried before the trial of the uprising (after) and has to be punished according to documents and not by fairy tales.
6. The most enforced and not the most liberated of a Serbian village, the streets of the country, as well as the bazaar, are guarded with people, the loyalty of the uprising follows the enemy without a deadline and not a single day passes through the city and through the village.
7. There is no need for it to be shed, neither the blood of our people nor the blood of the enemy. But where there is a need, an insurgent does not dare to spare his own blood.
8. Airplanes, consulates and what belongs to these have to be guarded with the most loyal and trustworthy people.
9. The killed Albanians will not be added until a foreign commission arrives. The atrocities committed by the enemy have to be noted and to prove it to Europe and America.(10)

After the approval of this program, Fazli Berani was the leader of the groups of freedom fighters who were connected with the Committee “National Defense of Kosovo”(11). Meanwhile, after 1918, Fazli Berani became one of the main leaders of the insurgent groups of Drenica, which also fought under the direction of the Committee “National Defense of Kosovo”(13), against the policy of the Serbo-Croatian Kingdom of Slovenia.

In the uprising action on May 6, 1919, which began by attacking Devič as the administrative center of the Drenica district, in a direct confrontation against the enemy forces, where nearly 1000 fighters participated, Fazli Berani stood out for his rare bravery. Meanwhile, in the middle of May, on the Dukagjin Plain, the groups of Albanian insurgent squads met against the Serbian monarchists, Azem and Shote Galica together with Fazli Beran, Mursel Ahmet, etc., led the Drenica Headquarters(13).

In November 1920, when Azem Bejta with fifteen friends left for Shkodër, Fazli Beran was appointed as the main responsible for housing other comrades of the war and the protection of the people, together with Dan Deroci and Luta Gllanasellen. Even Azemi, upon leaving for Shkodër, ordered: “if we don’t fix something, I’ll come to you, and if not, you come there, the group you are.”

And after Azemi did not return, a group of 50 people left for Albania led by Fazli Berani, who went to Shkodër and met with Azemi and other friends14. Likewise, Fazliu was a “companion of Shote Galica and her brother Meti”(15), who with many comrades went and settled in Shkodër. In the spring of 1922, the group of fighters of Azem Bejte, Fazli Berani, Xhemë Terrnafci, Mehmet Delia, etc., crossed the neutral zone of Junik and met with leaders of other factions, such as Mehmet Konjuhi, Kerin and Sadri Bardhi, Sadik Ramen, etc., and took refuge in the towers of Batusha, and in June the gendarmerie and the Serbian army began attacking them with military arsenal (balls)(16).

Fazli Berani was also noted for his contribution to the formulation and presentation of the demands that the representatives of the insurgents presented to the envoys of the Yugoslav authorities in the talks of October 1921 in Mitrovica. Even in the talks that were held in a shed in the village of Polac in 1923, with the Serbian side consisting of 12 people and headed by Mihailo Ceroviqi, Fazliu participated along with Azem Bejte, Shaban Mangjolli, Bajram Terrnafci, etc.(17)

Demands from the Albanians to the Yugoslav-serb authorities

Fazliu always defended the view that “peace in the Albanian territories in Yugoslavia could only be achieved with the cessation of the chauvinistic policy towards the Albanian population and with the recognition of its legal right to self-determination”(18). In the talks held by Azem Bejte and some other leaders in Mitrovica with Mihajo Ceroviqi, Gig Bozheviqi, etc. in order to establish some kind of agreement and peace with the insurgents, as a participant Fazliu also submitted the following requests to the Serbian side:

1. To recognize the right of the Albanian people of Kosovo to join Albania. Killings, burnings and looting against Albanians should be stopped immediately.
2. To stop the looting of Albanian lands, the arrival of Serbian and Montenegrin colonists and the expulsion of Albanians abroad.
3. To stop the army’s punitive operations against Albanians under the pretext of taking weapons and chasing gangs.
4. Allow the opening of Albanian schools. The Albanian language should be the official language and foreign employees should be replaced by Albanian employees.
5. To stop the imprisonment and deportation of the families of the fighters of the gangs and those who support the gangs. The pursuit of Albanian gangs should be prohibited and all those who are pursued should be protected by the gang(19).
   
   Likewise, Fazli Berani together with Bajram Deline of Terrnafci, with the consent of the squad and Azem Bejte, went to Ceroviqi for talks once again, but it was not possible to conclude any kind of agreement(20). The prefect of the Zveçan district informed Belgrade that these two collaborators of Azem Galica surrendered, however, they returned to the squad on the same day, which shows that this report was not correct(21)
   
   Fazli Berani also stood out in the political developments of the Albanian State with his activity. He was a supporter of the liberal-democratic position and during the days of the opposition’s triumph in June 1924, he fought under the command of Bajram Curri in Krume, Bicaj, Kalana e Dode, Peshkopi, etc.22. Meanwhile, after the murder of Azem Bejta in 1924 in Kosovo, he continued the combat actions at the head of the fighters of Drenica together with Mehmet Delina and Shote Galica until the end of 192623, as well as accompanying the wounded Shota from Kosovo to Fushë-Kruja.
   
   In October 1926, Fazliu was forced to leave Kosovo and settled in Derven, Kruja area, where he stayed until April 1941, when the Serbo-Croatian Kingdom of Slovenia was destroyed by Nazi Germany. Fazli Berani returned to Kosovo like many other patriots and enthusiastically welcomed the invasion of Yugoslavia, where Albanians had been discriminated against in that artificial creation of Versailles. During the Second World War he sympathized with the anti-fascist movement.
   
   He was elected chairman of the Drenica Province commission for reconciliation of various family disputes, blood feuds, etc. At the end of the War, some rulers of the time offered him land and luxury villas in Drenica and Pristina, which he refused and settled in his birthplace, at the northern edge of the Berani neighborhood, at the foot of the forest.
   
   Until his death in 1954, he was respected by the people of Drenica and beyond with epithets such as: father Fazli, aga, assemblyman, popular judge and reconciler of many bloods. Likewise, in popular poetry, he was very distinguished from popular creators, his contemporaries and comrades-in-arms. For his patriotic and national activity, Fazli Berani was decorated by the former President of the Republic of Albania, Sali Berisha, with the “Order for Patriotic Activity of the First Class”(24)

References

1 Sabit Syla, Vështrim mbi Lëvizjen Nacionalçlirimtare të Drenicës, revista, “E Djathta Shqiptare në Mbrojtje të Shqipërisë Etnike-(7), Prizren-Ferizaj”, 2009, f. 503

2 Islam Dobra, Krerë dhe prijës të Lëvizjes Kombëtare nga Drenica, prej gjysmes se shekullit XIX deri pas Luftës së Dytë Botërore,Prishtinë,1996, f. 161

 3 Limon Rushiti, Kujtime për Lëvizjen Kaçake, Prishtinë, 2003, f. 52

4 Marenglen Verli, Nga Kosova për Kosovën, Profile biografike personalitetesh dhe luftëtarësh të shquar, vëll. i parë, Tiranë, 2006, f. 206-207

* Shaqir Smaka ishte një ndër  themeluesit e Lëvizjes Kaçake në Drenicën veriore., madje në disa studime historike, emri i tij përmendet edhe si kryekomandant i çetave luftarake para Azem Bejtë-Galicës në Lëvizjen Nacionalçlirimtare.

5 Islam Dobra, Vepër e cituar…, f. 158

* Gruaja e Fazli Beranit-Raza, ishte vajza e Latif Smajlit të Çubrelit.

6 Islam Dobra, Vepër e cituar …, f. 164

7 Bedri Tahiri, Azem Bejtë Galica, Prishtinë, 2005, f. 86

8 Limon Rushiti, Vepër e cituar…, f. 172

9 Demir Ahmetaj, Lëvizja Kombëtare-Kaçake në Drenicen Veriore nën udhëheqjen e Shaqir Smakes dhe Azem Bejtes, Prishtinë, 1996, f 88; 111

10 Limon Rushiti, Lëvizja kaçake në Kosovë 1918-1928, Prishtinë, 1981, f. 94-95

11 Jetish Kadishani, Sadik Rama-Gjurgjeviku (1872-1944), Prishtinë, 2003, f. 414

12 Marenglen Verli…, Vepër e cituar, f. 207-208

13 Jetish Kadishani…, Vepër e cituar, f. 169

14 Limon Rushiti, Vepër e cituar…, f. 173

15 Bedri Tahiri, Vepër e cituar…, f. 94

16 Fazli Hajrizi, Halit Ahmeti-ndërlidhës i Lëvizjes Kombëtare për çlirim në Podgur, Drenicë dhe Shalë të Bajgores, revista, E Djathta Shqiptare në Mbrojtje të Shqipërisë etnike-(6), Prizren-Istog (Burim), 2007, f. 392

17 Xheladin Shala, Aktiviteti i Shotë Galicës në vitet 1918-1924, vepra, “Shotë Galica heroinë e kombit”, Instituti i Historisë-Prishtinë, 2003, f. 179

18 Marenglen Verli, Vepër e cituar…, f. 208

19 Ajet Haxhiu, Shote dhe Azem Galica, Tiranë 1976, f. 89-90

20 Bedri Tahiri, Vepër e cituar…, f.102

21 Nezir Qitaku, Drenica në shekuj, Ulqin 2007, f. 225

22 Marenglen Verli, Vepër e cituar…, f. 208

23 Demir Ahmeti, Vepër e cituar…, f. 105

24 Dekreti Nr. 435, dt. 26. 01. 1993.