TIRANA, May 10 – Manà«z habitants protested this week against burying a member of the Iranian opposition group known as Mujahedin e Khalq (MEK), living in Albania, in the village’s cemetery.
Located nearby Durrà«s and lately home to the MEK group members that Iran consider terrorist, locals say the Manà«z cemetery is too small for everyone.
“The problem is that 5.000 people live in this area, while the cemetery’s surface is 4.000 square meters. The population report has increased in the last years and there’s only about 60 spots left in this cemetery, not enough for them too. I have my mother and relatives here, why would I have to bury them in another village’s cemetery?” Kujtim Tila, Kamez citizen and protest representative, said.
The issue came up after an Iranian woman belonging to the MEK group passed away, and the Durrà«s Municipality allowed her burial to the Manà«z cemetery.
The Manà«z local government administrator, however, said an alternative should be found in the future.
“We have communicated with MEK representatives concerning this and have decided they will buy a piece of land to have their own cemetery in the future and leave the Manà«z cemetery to the locals” Manzà« administrator Muharrem Sula said.
A MEK representative also said the Iranian woman’s burial was a temporary solution and that they would reburry the deceased once they owned their own burial land.
The MEK group has been offered accommodation in Albania under a deal with the United States despite Iran’s consideration of them as terrorist. The group was also part of the US’ list of terrorist groups for several years, until it was removed in 2012 .
In this context, more than 3,000 Mujahideen were offered shelter in Albania, straining the country’s relations with Iran slightly, but also raising concern and confusion among locals.
