Written by: Xhemaledin SALIHU

On Friday, April 20, 2017, we received the news that in Bukuroc of Presheva, irresponsible, illegal, and unauthorized individuals or a group of individuals had excavated and dug in the ancient Necropolis in Bukuroc, Presheva. This necropolis is located south of Bukuroc, between Zhunica and Bukuroc, in the field formerly owned by Durgut Krashnica, now owned by Dila from Rahovica. In doing so, they massacred and damaged the ancient antique graves. According to Rexhep Kadriu, also known as Aga Rexhë, an amateur archaeologist from Lluçani, these graves are antique, dating from the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th centuries AD.

In this incident, they not only massacred the ancient graves of the wealthy people of that time (according to Rexhep Kadriu), but they also “plowed” Dila from Rahovica’s field.

The individual or group of individuals had no right to excavate or dig in this ancient Necropolis, as it is legally protected by the Institute for the Protection of Cultural and Historical Monuments. Excavation is permitted only to the relevant professional institutions and, in any case, only with permission from the Ministry of Culture in Belgrade.

Recently, despite reactions from the Association for Cultural Heritage and Creativity in Presheva, cultural and natural heritage — especially the Illyrian-Albanian one — continues to be massacred and damaged by irresponsible individuals, by human hands, in addition to natural causes. In this regard, the Institute for the Protection of Cultural and Historical Monuments in Nish s also not fulfilling its duty to react and pursue these illegal individuals.

These people possess amateur archaeologist licenses, but such licenses do not authorize them to excavate cultural and natural heritage sites without permission from the Ministry of Culture in Belgrade.

Thus, in the Municipality of Presheva, the values of cultural and natural heritage are endangered, especially those related to the Albanian past in this region, which is rich in such values.

This happened just two days after April 18, a date declared by world heritage organizations as the International Day of Cultural Monuments and Archaeological Sites.

The Association for Heritage and Cultural Creativity of the Presheva Valley, specifically its chairman, in an interview given to TV Aldi on the occasion of marking the World Day of Cultural and Historical Monuments, expressed regret over these macabre incidents of damaging cultural and historical values.

He appealed to the citizens of the Municipality of Presheva to take care of and protect these values of cultural and natural heritage that are being damaged by human hands. These values are our Illyrian-Albanian heritage and must be protected as the apple of our eye, because through them we prove our autochthony in these lands.

In the Municipality of Presheva, there have been many similar cases. During the construction of the Intershped building, and at the Benzina petrol pump on the left side of the highway toward Kumanovo, an ancient necropolis was damaged. The skeletons of the deceased can still be seen with the naked eye, emerging beside the road.

There have been other cases as well. One example is the reconstruction and renovation of the old mosque in Rahovica. During the painting works, two inscriptions — Quranic verses or hadiths in the Albanian language — were erased. When the chairman of the Association, Xhemaledin Salihu, reacted to the chairman of the Local Community of Rahovica, the response was that if funding is secured, they would demolish the entire mosque and build a new one. Even when it was pointed out that those inscriptions prove the autochthony of the Albanian mosque, the reply was: “We will build another one.”

The chairman of the Association for Heritage also reacted to the chairman of the Islamic Community in Presheva, Mr. Fikret Limani, who replied that they are not being asked. He even mentioned that construction of a new mosque in Zhunica had begun, while the old one was demolished without consultation or permission from the Islamic Community. When reminded that the Islamic Community is responsible for the mosques, the same dismissive attitude was shown.

The case of the massacre and damage to the ancient graves in Bukuroc, Presheva, will be reported to the police and the Institute for the Protection of Cultural and Historical Monuments in Nish.

On that day, the chairman of the Association for Heritage, board member Rexhep Kadriu, and photographer Bardh Mehmeti visited the site. With their own eyes and through photographs, they confirmed that the ancient necropolis had been illegally damaged by irresponsible individuals who were searching for material gain — gold or coins from that period.

THEREFORE, THE ASSOCIATION FOR CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE APPEALS TO THE CITIZENS OF THE MUNICIPALITIES OF PRESHEVA, BUJANOVAC, AND MEDVEDJA: IN SUCH CASES, PLEASE INFORM THE ASSOCIATION, THE POLICE, OR THE INSTITUTE FOR THE PROTECTION OF MONUMENTS IN NISH.

THE ASSOCIATION FOR HERITAGE, IN ORDER TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE CULTURAL AND NATURAL VALUES, PLANS TO PLACE WARNING SIGNS AND APPEALS AT ALL ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES, CULTURAL, HISTORICAL, AND NATURAL MONUMENTS SO THAT THESE VALUES ARE NOT MASSACRED AND DAMAGED.

Time and nature mercilessly damage the values of cultural and natural heritage, but the Association appeals to the citizens of the Presheva Valley that the human hand should not damage them as well.

The photo album proves the massacre and damage to the ancient Necropolis.