Times have changed, but our past must not be forgotten. The foundations of the towers of the village of Ponoshec were sprinkled with new blood three times.
By Jaha Sadrija
In the village of Ponoshec, located 13 km northwest of Gjakova, 6 km from the Kosovo-Albania border, at the foot of the Albanian Alps, songs and tears flowed together.
The 11th anniversary of the 16 martyrs and martyrs of the KLA was commemorated, the 10th anniversary of freedom, the 1st anniversary of independence, as well as the martyrs and martyrs of 1914 and 1941-45.
Homage and wreaths of flowers were placed on the graves of 131 martyrs and martyrs of this village who fell from the Serbo-Montenegrin occupying forces.
Everything that is left to disappear in silence, that dissolves in smoke, that falls into a vortex, is for us a punishment. Such awareness, pushing us forward, gives a special color to our lives, whitens the bloody past of the Albanian people in general, and of the village of Ponoshec in particular.
Times have changed, but the past must not be forgotten.
The tragic dimensions of the village of Ponoshec, in a centuries-old past, with tragic crimes by the Serbo-Montenegrin invaders, is a tragedy of great proportions.
The fundamental criterion of this writing is the bitter historical reality, to survive in this village, since 1914 and onwards. The foundations of the towers of the village of Ponoshec, were three times sprinkled with new blood.
In 1914, which is known as the Vesovic period, in one day in this village, 94 men were shot by the Montenegrin Chetniks. Even today, in the center of the village, there is a collective grave of 94 martyrs.
Later in 1941-45, after the German occupation, the dark Serbo-Montenegrin forces, in treachery in the middle of the village, within a few hours shot 23 more innocent men from this village:
Zeqë Syla
Selim Kastrai
Bajram Sadrija
Smajl Kurti
Shaban Dula
Ramadan Duqi
Haxhi Imeri
IIsuf Ahmeti
Ukë Ademi
Isuf Imeri
Selmon Bekaj
Demush Sadrija
Hamez Ademi
Avdyl Sejdija
Selmon Isufi
Sadik Ademi
Adem Islami
Isen Rama
Ukë Ademi
Metë Sadiku
Zeqir Ademi
Demush Sadrija
Ramë Zeqa
Mustafa Sejfija
Selmon Isufi
Tafë Alija
Musli Rexha
Ibish Zeqaj
This is the second serious incident involving mass murder, which, in addition to causing pain, prevented the village of Ponoshec from growing with new families.
At the end of the last century, the Serbo-Malaysian occupiers were blinded by the light of the new days that were to come.
They forgot that the time to enslave other peoples had passed, an era with a new wind was blowing, the wind of democracy and the right to self-determination.
Military, paramilitary and Chetnik troops, sent by the leaders of Belgrade in 1998, declared war on Kosovo. As a result of this tragedy that had begun, the KLA was born as the sole defender of the innocent Albanian population of Kosovo.
Days passed and life in Kosovo became increasingly difficult. The KLA forces, sworn “Here is freedom, here is death“, pointed their rifles at the Serbian forces, first in Drenica, to continue in Gllogjan, in Dukagjin and throughout Kosovo.
In April 1998, in the village of Smolicë, a Logistics Headquarters was established, to continue each village with Local Headquarters.
The war had begun, on May 3, 1998, the KLA forces in the village of Ponoshec declared frontal war on the Serbian police. Several wounded policemen and a damaged car were the balance of this day.
The inhabitants of the village of Ponoshec after 12 hours of fighting, helped by the Morina headquarters, managed to withdraw to the village of Popoc, without damage in terms of human factor.
This was the merit of the soldiers of Ponoshec, and especially of the commander “Hoxha” Riza Aliaj, and the Commander “Bardhec” Gazmend Imerit. Everything was going in favor of the KLA war in the village of Ponoshec until May 12, the day when 12 members of the KLA from this village fell martyrs, never to die. Added to this tragedy are 10 wounded, 2 martyrs, 2 missing, 17 prisoners and more than 30 orphaned children.
Sinan Rexha 1977 Adem Bajrami 1956
Gazmend Imeri 1976 Sadri Neziri 1948
Gëzim Duqi 1975 Avdyl Duqi 1937
Hajdar Ademi 1974 Bajram Zymberi
1962 Mehmet Dula 1972 Elez Imeri
1940 Kasim Uka 1970 Ramë Neziri 1912
Pëllumb Ademaj 1966
Murat Dula 1964
Ramiz Rexha 1962
Shefqet Rexha 1962
Life in this village was dim these days, on which the rays of the sun of freedom have not yet dried the fresh blood of the martyrs and the wounded.
Family members, villagers, fellow fighters and students of the village school had gathered to commemorate the fallen of freedom.
A memorial gathering was held in the school yard as a sign of honor and remembrance of the fallen fighters. The chairman of the Gjakova Municipality, Dr. Pal Lekaj, participated in this gathering, who, among other things, expressed himself in front of those present with these words:
“The heavy weight of crime by the savage Serbo-Montenegrin regime on the one hand, and on the other hand the fresh blood of the martyrs are not allowing us to break away from the past”.
On this day, the students of the village school performed a cultural and artistic program, with songs and recitals dedicated to the martyrs of this village, according to the agenda built by the village’s KO, homage was paid and wreaths were laid at the cemeteries of the martyrs and martyrs of the three centuries-old shootings.
Glory to the martyrs and martyrs of the village of Ponoshec.
Glory to the martyrs and martyrs of the entire Albanian nation.
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