Letter for the questionnaire about the phenomenon of blood feuds

Author: admin 1 June 2015

Dear Candidate,

hereby Operazione Colomba, the Nonviolent Peace Corps of the Association Comunità Papa Giovanni XXIII – Komuniteti Papa Xhovani XXIII, is to submit a questionnaire concerning the phenomenon of blood feuds, with particular reference to its prevention in the area in which you are a candidate in the next mayoral elections.

Operazione Colomba has been working in Albania since 2010 to promote the overcoming of the phenomenon of blood feuds. To accomplish this goal, the volunteers of Operazione Colomba realize  nonviolent strategies such as: paths of forgiveness and reconciliation between families in conflict; the awareness of civil society through events and campaigns about nonviolent conflict management for the dissemination of a culture based on the respect for human rights; awareness of national and international institutions so that effective measures are taken to fight the phenomenon.

Every year Operazione Colomba organizes national campaigns against this phenomenon in order to unite and focus the efforts made by civil society and national institutions in fighting it. The strong participation of citizens and their representatives in events such as the campaign “5000 Signatures for Life – 5000 Firma për jetën” of 2013 and the peace march “A crowd moves for peace, against blood feud – Një popull lëviz për paqen, Kundër gjakmarrjes” of 2014, have shown a real desire to change this practice that still destroys fundamental human rights, including first and foremost the Right to Live.

This year, on the occasion of the mayoral elections, Operazione Colomba decided to ask all the candidates of every political party, in each constituency in Albania, a few questions on the topic of the phenomenon of blood feuds to urge the future representatives to act a real commitment in order to eradicate this practice, as expressed by a large part of the Albanian citizenship on the mentioned above events.

Through these questions, you will have the opportunity to demonstrate to civil society your active interest in fighting and curbing this phenomenon which, in different parts of Albania, is cause of death, of pain, of violence, of fear and risk for the citizens you are a candidate for.

The answers to these questions will be published on the website of Operazione Colomba  that can be consulted by all interested persons.

Thank you for your cooperation and we are available for any clarification.

Thanks for the attention.