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Wednesday, September 14, 2005

Serbian or Albanian?

Serbian couple face deportation :

"Mr Burke said the government faked the documents because Serbia would not accept ethnic Albanians, like the Kolas, who fled southern Serbia during the government's ethnic cleansing program in 1999.

But the government says Mr Burke's claims are wrong, and the immigration department had in fact uncovered the true identity of the Kolas, whose real names are Venona Vata and Paulin Pali, and who are Albanians, not Serbs."

The false document saga continues and as with any detainees here, the story is emotional and astounding. Truth is far stranger and richer than fiction. This lady, Valbona Kola or Venona Vata will have her baby early in November and her husband is detained in Baxter and will not be allowed to be present at the birth. Why not? Is he a criminal? Is he a danger uto us or anyone? For whatever reason they have fled Serbia and/or Albania and there are good reasons for leaving both countries at the time they left. This woman, though, has the most beautiful, richest of opera voices and sings so superbly. She has to be known in Europe with a voice like that. She has been singing for our opera and her voice is wonderfully rich and moving. This story reminds me of ballet dancers who used to seek asylum in America. Some succeeded and some didn't. Their stories were emotional and deep. Someone has to know Valbona Kola or Venona Vata. Her voice is superb. The two of them have to have a good reason fro leaving Europe and finding their way down here which is so far away and so far away from the heart of opera. They will be deported back to Albania when the baby is born because our government believes they are from there. We have part of the story. What is the rest of it?

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