wfn.org | Albania: Looters Damage Adventist Relief Agency Compound

["Christian B. Schäffler" <APD_Info_Schweiz@compuserve.com>]

September 15, 1998
Adventist Press Service (APD)
Christian B. Schaeffler, Editor-in-chief
Fax +41-61-261 61 18
APD@stanet.ch
CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland

ALBANIA: LOOTERS DAMAGE ADVENTIST RELIEF AGENCY 
COMPOUND 
98/SEPT/01

Tirana, Albania, 15.09.1998 [APD/ADRA]   During 
yesterday's rioting, masked gunmen looted the Adventist 
Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) warehouse in 
Tirana, Albania for the second time this year. Although the 
compound is back in the hands of ADRA personnel, it 
appears there is significant damage.

"The armed men entered the center and held a gun to the 
guard's head, then broke down the doors to all of the 
warehouse units, including the large warehouse," reports 
Sean Robinson, ADRA Albania director. "The police arrived 
several times, but each time the men had escaped, and 
returned after the police left."

Although further assessments will be made today while it is 
light, there appears to be damage to the mobile dental clinic, 
all of the new metal doors, metal gates, all of the contents 
of the warehouses, two lorries parked at the center owned 
by a German nongovernmental organization (NGO), a 
donated printing press, and the second phase of a recent 
wheat donation.

"We can be grateful that no one was injured, and that we 
were able to protect ADRA's two vehicles," Robinson adds.

In January this year, a six-hour Special Forces police 
operation, with support from the national and local 
governments, succeeded in transferring 15 squatter families 
from the compound to other accommodations. This 
approach only became necessary when all other efforts 
failed to rid the illegal settlers from ADRA's land. 

It was no more than eight months ago that ADRA Albania, 
with a US$51,000 grant from the British government, was 
finally able to recover from the severe damage caused 
by the illegal settlers. 

The 1.3 hectare site, located three kilometers from the 
center of Tirana, was leased to ADRA by the Albanian 
government early in 1994. In addition to constructing a 
7,000 square foot humanitarian warehouse, the agency also 
erected two other buildings to be used as a job training 
center and a health clinic. 

ADRA Albania was registered locally as an NGO in 1991. 
Currently, the agency is targeting involvement in the 
agriculture, health, education, and micro-enterprise 
development sectors.