From: "Curtis Price" <cansv-AT-igc.apc.org>
Date:          Mon, 3 Mar 1997 20:42:19 +0000
Subject:       (Fwd) [66] CLASHES REPORTED IN SOUTHERN PORT OF VLORA, AT LEAS


------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
Date:          Fri, 28 Feb 1997 22:55:41 -0500
From:          NewsHound-AT-sjmercury.com (NewsHound)

Subject:       [66] CLASHES REPORTED IN SOUTHERN PORT OF VLORA, AT LEAST ONE DEAD

Selected by your NewsHound profile entitled "RIOTS". The selectivity score was 
66 out of 100.

Clashes reported in southern port of Vlora, at least one dead
By COLLEEN BARRY

Associated Press Writer

TIRANA, Albania (AP) -- Clashes broke out in the southern port of Vlora late 
Friday when a gang of men reportedly tried to break up a week-old hunger strike 
intended to force the government to resign. At least one person was killed.

The demonstrators pummeled the men with rocks and bottles, and shots were fired,
 said Stavri Marko, a reporter for the independent Gazeta Shqiptare. It appeared
 people on both sides were armed.

Police confirmed one death. Hospital officials said three people were killed and
 12 injured.

The men did not identify themselves, but said they intended to bust up the 
hunger strike. People in the crowd said they were driving a vehicle with Tirana 
license plates, Marko said.

Vlora has been a flashpoint of the nationwide unrest that began in January when 
the first of a slew of high-risk investment schemes collapsed. With the hunger 
strike in its second week, tensions have grown significantly in recent days.

The government alleges that the hunger strike is illegal, and has filed a 
complaint with a Tirana court.

The hunger strikers are demanding that the ruling Democratic Party resign to 
take responsibility for the pyramid schemes. Nearly every Albanian family 
deposited money in the fraudulent funds, which pay out generous interest rates 
until deposits dry up.

The strikers have been backed in recent days by student boycotts throughout the 
country, increasing pressure on a government mindful that student protests 
forced the last communist leader to allow multiparty elections.

A group of 46 students in the town of Gjirocastra, near the Greek border, began 
their own hunger strike on Thursday in solidarity with the Vlora students.

Three weeks ago, the daily protests turned violent. Three people died when 
police and demonstrators battled each other.

Peace was restored after the police chief was replaced with a trusted Vlora 
native. However, the city has been on alert since rumors spread two nights ago 
that riot police were on their way to break up the hunger strike. The government
 denied having deployed the forces.

But the rumor was enough to send tens of thousands of residents to the 
university to shield the students.

AP-WS-02-28-97 2118EST



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