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Maliq Camp

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Emri Maliq Camp
Vendndodhja: Maliq
Viti i Ndërtimit: 1947
Viti i Mbylljes: 1951
Burimi i Informacionit: Kastriot Dervishi,
  • Drying the Maliq swamp was an early target of the Albanian state to reclaim land.  In the years 1945-1946, work started to open the irrigation canals. The country’s most well-known engineers headed the works. Non-fulfilment in due time of the swamp’s drying was used as a pretext to bring about the November 1946 trial, which concluded in the macabre executions of the best technicians of the time in Albania. The two leading engineers of the works: Abdyl Sharra and Kujtim Beqiri were hanged.In spring 1949, works restarted to open the canal that would transport the swamp’s water.

    Father Zef Pllumi, famous translator Pashko Gjeçi, senior official Nedin Kokona etc. worked there.

    After a break, the works restarted on 15 May 1950 with 550 people and, by the end of June, with 350 more.

    On 28 April 1950, archival documents indicate that Tasi Marko was camp commander. In the entirety of year 1950, Tasi Marko was camp commander in Maliq and Peqin.

    In the report dated 23 August 1950, it is stated regarding the situation in camps and prisons that:

    “Wives of the convicts have been raped by policemen of the Maliq Camp, who have been in contact with immoral women.”

    “This camp’s prisoners are organized in 12 work brigades, each made of 120 — 140 men. Each brigade is made of 3 companies, which in turn are divided in 3 teams. Prisoners live in wooden barracks, with a brigade per barrack. The barracks are not divided into rooms. There are two lines of bunk beds along the walls where prisoners sleep.  Each prisoner is only given a pair of work clothes made of a coat, pants and a shirt. As a rule, they worked 10 hours per day, if the latter weren’t increased by order of the brigade commander.  A break is provided three times a day. The bread ration is 500 grams, a mix of wheat and rye which was usually not properly baked and provided at lunch.  Works at the Maliq Camp were completed in 1951.”

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