Leader may be dead after gunfight

Press, 15 January 1982, Page 6

Leader may be dead after gunfight

By DESSA TREVISAN of “The Times." through NZPA Belgrade Reports reaching Belgrade suggest that Enver Hoxha. the Communist ruler of Albania for the last 36 years, died of injuries received in a gunfight on January 5. Albania has stated officially that Mehmet Shehu, the Prime Minister, “committed suicide” on that day during a nervous crisis. But persistent rumours speak of a gun-battle between the Prime Minister and the Communist Party chief as the cause of Mr Shehu’s death. The facts may be revealed when Parliament meets in Tirana the capital, today, but in the meantime striking evidence has emerged which

indicated that Mr Hoxha may have lost the battle.

Mr Hoxha. a leader in the Stalinist mould, has idiosyneratically ruled Albania with an iron fist since the end of the war. The country has been isolated, both ideologically and politically since he had ideological quarrels first with Russia and than with China in the 1950 s and 19605.

Yugoslav travellers report that the huge portrait of Mr Hoxha made of white pebbles on a hill-top at the frontier-crossing at Bozuj, has been partly removed. The party leader’s face, which towered demonstratively over the countryside, can no longer, be identified. Yugoslavs think that it has been deliberately obliterated as the first step in removing

all trace of him. The other equally significant fact is that Albanian lorries, which transit through Yugoslavia on the way to Western Europe, no longer carry the portrait of Mr Hoxha, according to the Yugoslav custom officials, who have made a very careful scrutiny of all these vehicles. It should not necessarily be deduced from this evidence that Mr Hoxha’s opponents have taken over, but it does show that something unusual has been going on in Albania since the death of the Prime Minister.

In Belgrade it is firmly believed that Mr Hoxha was injured in a shooting affray, in which Mr Shehu met his death. The question now is whether he is still alive.

Credence is given in Bel-

grade to rumours that;re were more than a en casualties in the shojg showdown. But, whateveie truth, Yugoslavs are incltf to conclude that the dayf Mr Hoxha’s one-man f have drawn or are draw to a close. The Russians also seem have got wind of somethin going on in Albania. Only few days ago they publisher an article in "Izvestia” which was unusually friendly and conciliatory to Albania and, for the first time in many years blamed the break in relations between Moscow and Tirana on the Albanian leaders, including Mr Hoxha. Hitherto the Russians hat deliberately refrained from attacking Mr Hoxha person ally as they were still enter

taining hopes that lie might change course. But the “Izvestia” article seems to mirror Moscow hopes that the end of Mr Hoxha might herald new prospects for the Soviet Unioh. In recent days the Bulgarians have also been paying unusual attention to Albania and there was a flurry of articles, all in the conciliatory vein, suggesting that the offer of j Bulgarian friendship remains y ’or the Albanians to pick up n ’henever they may be ready ir it. Such a turn would n . early be most unwelcome , Belgrade. However bad "goslav relations with Mr d tha may have been, he n jrided a guarantee that i- -ania would not return to r- tSoviet camp.