Escape from Kosovo

Phil introduced his friend Abban who has been living in Canada for nearly a year and who is experiencing many new things - boat rides, soccer and now public speaking.

He said he came from a small village of 500 and the war started about 50 k's from where he lived when he was in his third year of High School.  He carried a message from his father who, when he heard his son would be speaking, said to say thanks to Canada for its support during that awful time.  Hundreds of thousands were displaced and many are now living in Canada and he is sure that without the NATO interventions the results would have been way worse.

They didn't know much about it at first but woke up one morning to see refugees fleeing through the village and tanks shelling them.  They were all displaced to the mountains for a couple of months and some started slowly to return to their homes to find them all burned out.  Most were brick though so the walls still stood.  There was a renewed offensive the next spring and over 300, 000 were displaced and many thousands were killed, including Albanians.  He and members of his family walked away, travelling at night in a frightened group but they were mostly lucky.  His immediate family survived, though several cousins died.  One 93 year old relative was doused in gasoline but somehow the bastards didn't light the match and he lived.

The area was liberated by NATO troops and rebuilding, with the help of international aid, began.  He volunteered at a local primary school and he was teaching the kids english while improving his own.  The economy is rural and dependent on the land and the animals so when these are destroyed growth comes slowly.

He moved to Canada to be with his wife.  He declared it an honour to be here in a country that respects differences.  He is grateful for the chance at a new life that has been given to him and the 6,000 or so from his home country that have been able to come here.  He wished us all a happy Canada Day.