Protester dies 3 weeks after immolation

TIRANA, Nov. 07 – Hundreds of people paid the last respects and took part at the funeral of Lirak Bejko, 47, a former political prisoner who died three weeks after setting himself on fire in a hunger strike protest seeking speedier government compensation.
Lirak Bejko, 47, died last Friday in a hospital in Bari, Italy, where he had been taken for specialist treatment. Bejko had burns covering about half his body and he could not survive despite careful medical attention and treatment and after two surgeries.
The hunger strike in Tirana, the Albanian capital, ended after a month because of the 21 participants’ weakened condition.
Protesters were pressing Albania’s government to honor pledges to compensate victims of the Communist regime that ruled with an iron fist from 1944 to 1990. About 100,000 Albanians were executed, imprisoned or sent to labor camps by the Communists.
The government says it has started making the payments.
The local media reported that the government had tried to assist Bejko’s family for the return of his body. But that was not accepted.
The former political persecuted also pressed hard that the farewell funeral ceremony be held at their institution headquarters close to the parliament building. There was first a delay, hesitation from the authorities. But later that was acknowledged.
The former political persecuted also turned down voices that only the president and not any political leader should be allowed to pay the last respects to Bejko.
Bejko’s wife came out to say that Albanians opened the door in funeral to everyone and it did not matter that would come, his position or political convictions.
There were also reactions from the international community.
The U.S. Embassy in Albania expressed its deep sorrow and sympathies to the family and friends of Lirak Bejko, who passed away on November 2nd. “Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this time of grief,” a statement said.
EC Ambassador Ettore Sequi said he had visited the hunger strikers “because I wanted to better understand their reasons.” He also reminded that EC Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule, directly and through his spokesperson, expressed his concern and regret for the situation. He underlined that their situation should be an immediate priority for all concerned and encouraged calm and constructive dialogue to deal with this issue. The European Commission called for dialogue between the authorities and the civil society organizations and this dialogue should take place in the framework of democratic institutions and related legislation.
That was also made Tuesday by Fule’s spokesperson in Brussels.
The EU Ambassadors and the EU Delegation in Albania also issued a statement expressing “compassion and concern following the serious incidents”. The EU called upon the parties “not to exploit this painful human situation for political ends” and “took note of the existence of the compensation plan provided for in the 2007 law and appealed for dialogue to address the individual cases which would not be resolved by this plan.”
They all called for dialogue and also urged the authorities to implement the law, compensation for them.