After the war, it changed its premises — and someone now seems to have tried to change its patriotic identity as well.
The “Xhevdet Doda” Gymnasium recently hosted a lecture on the Specialist Chambers, the institution currently trying four former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). It is precisely because of its support for this army that the high school was among the most vocal in all of Kosovo during the 1998–99 war.
Organized roundtables, writings in school magazines and headlines about the KLA war culminated in visits to combat zones and even New Year celebrations with fighters.
Former principal of “Xhevdet Doda” Gymnasium, Binak Ulaj, has described the wartime period as one of the school’s brightest, highlighting the dedication and readiness of students to support the Kosovo Liberation Army.
According to him, students contributed both through participation in combat zones and by taking part in demonstrations.
“I will never forget the students’ dedication, their discipline and their readiness — especially their readiness to support the war of the Kosovo Liberation Army. Some of the students went to combat zones. There were students who asked me for advice on whether to go or not, and there were cases when I did not want any of them to go, but they did not listen, because they were determined. That should be appreciated. Even those students who did not go to combat zones contributed in central Pristina, through their stance and participation in all demonstrations in support of the KLA. Special mention should be made of the school magazine titled ‘Gjimnazisti’, which published writings from the war zones brought by the students themselves, as well as the KLA oath and so on,” Ulaj said.
This contribution is also well remembered by one of the most active students of those actions, Arianit Hoti. He recounts how in September 1998, at a time when the war had spread across Kosovo, students of “Xhevdet Doda” took the initiative to become a voice for the Kosovo Liberation Army.
“We, a group of young people, committed ourselves fully to serving the liberation war through organizing that roundtable and through writings in support of the KLA. We would go to the war zones to produce those writings — some of the students, myself, Bujar Sadiku, Kushtrim Berisha and others. In addition to this engagement, part of us also served the liberation war not only in one zone but in several. Therefore, our support was not only moral; we also visited them several times, celebrated New Year with them, and brought them the ‘Gjimnazisti’ magazine and the students’ magazine ‘Bota e Re’, with which we cooperated at the time. We were also engaged in supporting the student movement and the demonstrations from 1997 onward, which continued in 1998 and turned into demonstrations in support of the liberation war…”
Both are now outraged that the school which once stood out for its support of the liberators is now being used against them.
Ulaj believes that holding a lecture on the Specialist Chambers without coordination with educational institutions, the municipal directorate and parents was a misguided step.
“I did not feel good about such a lecture being organized without first coordinating with educational institutions, the municipal education directorate and parents. Why? Because the Specialist Chambers were imposed on us. It is not a Kosovo court; nothing about it is Kosovar except the name. The judges are not from Kosovo, the location is not in Kosovo, and so on. So, in my opinion, what would be said to the students? Would they be told the truth or not? Would they be told that this court was imposed on us by international factors? It seems to me it was a misguided step, because if students are not told the truth about the Specialist Chambers, then we are deceiving them,” Ulaj said.
Former student Bytyçi says that 28 years later there is an attempt to erase the school’s history.
“This is incomprehensible at a time when not only ‘Xhevdet Doda’ Gymnasium, but all schools should preserve collective memory by recalling and valuing the liberation war and its achievements — freedom and Kosovo’s independence. With or without awareness, they are placing themselves in a war against history. While yesterday we were serving the liberation war, serving history, and believed that only the continuation of the war and a more active policy could free us from Serbia — and history proved us right. Now, 28 years later, in the same school, one places oneself, with or without awareness, in the service of the devil. But history cannot be rewritten. It is the history of the liberation war that resulted in international support, NATO bombings, and the victory of freedom and independence,” he said.
The former principal believes disciplinary measures should be taken against those who approved the holding of the lecture on the Specialist Chambers.
“The school principal should first have known what the purpose of this lecture was — its weight and what it reflects. If someone is trying to convince us that this court was created by our will or by Kosovo’s institutions, that does not stand. Coordination and consultation with the Directorate of Education should have taken place, as well as consultation with the Student Council,” Ulaj said.
Since Monday, KosovaPress has attempted to obtain a statement from the school’s principal, Isak Bregaj, but this has not been possible.
Last week, students of “Xhevdet Doda” Gymnasium attended a lecture on the Hague-based Specialist Chambers. The holding of this lecture sparked strong reactions against it, as it was organized without the knowledge of the Pristina Directorate of Education.
Meanwhile, the school’s management stated that the green light for the lecture had been given by the school’s governing council.
The “Youth Initiative for Human Rights in Kosovo (YIHR)”, which organized the lecture on the Specialist Chambers at “Xhevdet Doda” Gymnasium in Pristina, acknowledged that the lecture was held in cooperation with officials from the Specialist Chambers.
In its reaction, the organization said the activity was carried out with the permission of the educational institution.
Meanwhile, the Mayor of Pristina, Përparim Rama, expressing his indignation, announced disciplinary measures for all those who allowed the holding of such a lecture.
