Petrit Latifi
In 1913, Serbia used starvation as a war method to kill Albanians via forbidding merchants to buy and sell goods in Albanian markets.
“Albania’s Desperate Struggle.
Bleak news comes daily from Albania. The brave people, who are fighting for their independence, for their religion, for their existence, and who are taking up arms to throw off the yoke of the new tyrants, have begun their life-and-death struggle. By the thousands, the sons of Malissia are streaming down from the mountains and, with joy, are following the nudge for the fatherland. Irresistible, invincible, the Albanians are running down the enemy troops and planting their young national banner on the cities on whose walls the Serbian flags were still waving yesterday
In Serbian Albania, Albanian blood flows in streams, and in Gusinje, the Montenegrin government is sending Albanians en masse. In Cetinje and Belgrade, the same goal is evidently in mind: to wipe the hated Albanian race from the face of the earth. Where lead and cannonballs are not enough, the most reprehensible and cruel weapon of extermination is used: starvation.
The Serbian government intends to apply this tried-and-tested method not only in Albania, but also in Macedonia. As reported from Elbasan, the Serbian authorities do not want to allow Macedonian merchants access to the Serbian markets. Wagon traffic from Macedonia to the Serbian territories is being stopped.
Serbia is mobilizing an entire army corps to overthrow the Albanians, or, as they say in Belgrade, to pacify them. But Serbia is fighting in enemy territory and will soon be forced to call up additional corps and reserves. For now, Serbia is only dealing with one front; however, there are signs that could be considered harbingers of unrest in Macedonia.
Caught between two fires, Serbia could find itself in a position to experience the fate of Bulgaria. What will develop from the current fighting is still uncertain. Only one thing is already certain: a war is beginning down there in the Balkans that will be unparalleled in its brutality, cruelty, atrocities, and misdeeds.
And Europe? Will Europe stand by idly? Is there really no means of preventing the inhumane slaughter? The idea of intervention exists for more than one reason; European intervention would be a requirement of humanity and, at the same time, of political wisdom. But unfortunately, the word of the Great Powers has become a blunt weapon on the ball. If Europe, or rather the great powers, are represented by men who still possess a spark of a sense of duty and self-respect, they must necessarily intervene and put a stop to the murder; because Europe, of all places, bears the blame for everything that is happening in Albania”.
Reference
Balkan Academia 