Blood feuds in Albania leave families in isolation, poverty for generations

Hektor Pustina / AP

Children stand at the entrance to a room of their house turned into a barn in northwestern Albania, Jan 13. In 1995, their father killed a friend in a drunken rage, sparking a series of retaliatory killings that have left five people dead so far.

 

Hektor Pustina / AP

Marsela, 9, plays with her doll at her home in northwestern Albania.

Under a centuries-old Albanian code of conduct known as the Kanun that regulates many aspects of life, killings must be avenged with blood. Grieving relatives are duty-bound to target the culprit and the culprit's family. Albania's blood feuds are carried on through generations. These feuds leave entire families living in extreme isolation for years, struggling through abject poverty as nobody can leave the house to earn a living.

 

Hektor Pustina / AP

Teacher Liljana Luani, center, gives a weekly lesson to children whose family is forced to live in isolation in northwestern Albania, Jan. 18, following a murder conflict.

Discuss this post

" To each his own," If any of these people are to evolve they will have to start by escaping the primitive country and culture of Albania.

    Reply#1 - Sun Mar 3, 2013 4:05 AM EST

    Might wanna get that outlet checked out ...It is not grounded.

      Reply#2 - Mon Mar 4, 2013 12:10 PM EST

      I think that's a red coil on the rug, under the pot too - kitchenette in Albanian.

        #2.1 - Tue Mar 12, 2013 7:38 PM EDT
        Reply

        I think it is so sad that feuds can last through so many generations. It is even more sad that people feel a need to hold onto grudges. What ever happened to forgive and forget? Do they really need to be holding onto something that a family did 10, 20, or 30 years ago. This really shows the corruption in the world. I reminds me of how our economy is. If a person is foolish with their money, it usually hurts the generations that follow because they leave no inheritance, or the family is left paying back debts.

          Reply#3 - Tue Mar 5, 2013 1:50 AM EST
          You're in Easy Mode. If you prefer, you can use XHTML Mode instead.
          As a new user, you may notice a few temporary content restrictions. Click here for more info.