KAPIDAN LLESH GJON MARKU MBROJTËS I TRASHËGIMISË SHEKULLORE TË NDERIT BESËS E BURRNISË

Mos të na shajn kto Male tjera
Se Mirdita kjo e mjera
Se Mirdita kjo e shkreta
Strukë ndër ferra e ndër kepa
Me pushkë ndorë i ka shkue jeta
E kanë njoftë Sulltana e Mbreta
Me Gjon Markun për sa të jet jeta.

(Këng popullore Mirditase)

Shpeshherë tradita jonë popullore ka folur dhe treguar në menyrë reale për ngjarjet që kanë ndodhur brënda kombit tonë. Kjo traditë popullore e trashëguar brez pas brezi ka lënë gjurmë të pashlyshme në orjentimin e drejt kombëtar. Dhe pikërisht këto vargje të këngës popullore Mirditase,“Mos të na shajnë kto male tjera/Se Mirdita kjo e mjera/Se Mirdita kjo e Shkreta/Strukë ndër ferra e ndër kepa/Me pushkë n‘dorë i ka shkue jeta/E kanë njoftë sulltana e mbreta/Me Gjon Markun për sa të jet jeta/, tregon shumë qartë se, sa ishte rrënjosur thellë në palcën dhe gjenin kombëtar tradita shekullore, traditë e cila ishte udhëhequr nga Dera zëmadhe e Kapidanëve të Mirditës,që nga Pal Dukagjini e deri në ditët e sotme. Vazhdues i kësaj tradite shekullore për ta mbrojtur nderin e nëpërkëmbur kombëtar është dhe djali i tretë i Kapidan Gjon Marka Gjonit, Kapidan Llesh Gjon Marku. Kapidan Llesh Gjon Marku ra heroikisht në moshën 28 vjeçare, por edhepse i ri ai për një vit e tre muaj pas rënjës heroike të Kapidan Mark Gjon Markut, e udhëheqi luftën për Shqipërinë Etnike, të bashkuar dhe Demokratike.

Kapidan Sander (Llesh) Gjon Marku (Gjomarkaj) was the third son of Kapidan Gjon Markagjoni. He was born on March 13, 1919 in Orosh, Mirdite. He attended primary school in Mirdite. From there he continued his education in the state high school. In 1937, along with his brother Kapidan Ndue he went to Technical College in Vienna, followed by the University of Florence in Italy, where he studied law.

From 1943 he lived near his brother, Kapidan Mark, in Tirana, to strengthen his social and political experience. In Shkodra he established a wide circle of friends with the youth of the city, where he was welcomed and respected. His friends had noted his character, generous behavior, and mutual respect for everyone. He was wise and energetic, mature in his expression but reasonable, careful to dress as he was recognized by all. In Mirdite he loved to wander through the meadows as a free bird.

He was a very attractive and charismatic young man who attracted the attention of people around him and everyone enjoyed his presence. He had a good laugh and amiable personality, he attracted attention at events and was immensely liked. He was a true Mirditori. Llesh was always near his brother Kapidan Mark. While in Tirana he met numerous noted political figures and established himself as a well spoken individual, able to discuss almost all issues with social and political strength.

In 1944 Kapidan Mark moved to the mountains to set up national resistance against the invading communists. Llesh joined him, deciding without difficulty to defend against Enver Hoxha. After the death of his brother and loss of the movement’s great leader in 1946, Llesh initially tried to keep up the anti-communist uprising. The uprising was approaching, and an unprecedent terror against the population was waiting in the districts of Shkodra. In Mirdita communist security found a document signed by Llesh Gjon Marku revealing the general plan of the uprising. Llesh spent the winter of 1945-1946 in the mountainous Mirdita, where he fought against all reprisals and managed to keep the communists from entering. In June of 1946, because the guerrillas wanted to stage the “National League of the Mountain” Llesh went to Lac, 40 miles from Tirana. A vicious ground attack took place. Kapidan Llesh was not betrayed by the brave owner of the house where he had been staying and he was able to take up arms and leave. A whole battalion of soldiers and officers quickly formed in pursuit of Kapidan Lesh. On the night of August 9, 1947, these forces in cooperation with a member of National Council of Geziqit in Mirdita surrounded the camp. Kapidan Llesh worried that he was unable to escape prosecution and knew they sought to capture the vibrant leader of the “League of the Mountain.” Called “traitor” and asking for his surrender, Llesh responded with gunfire. After several hours of fighting the unseen spirit of the brave leader fell in the field of honor. Another big loss overwhelms the Markagjoni family with the death of the brave, young patriot and anti-communist Albanian nationalist.

Kapidan Llesh fell on the altar of freedom protecting ethnic Albania. He was one of the torches of freedom which saw the Albanians oriented toward the beautiful lady that is the West. Mirdita has been the center of ethnic Albania for over 500 years, the country has been singled out, and time and time again over the centuries people have raised their weapons for freedom, both young and old, children and women, falling into the hands of the Asian rulers and later against the communist regime. It is time that these patriots of ethnic Albania, of all ethnic Albanian lands be given their due credit “Hero of the Nation”. A place of faith and honor should be made for the nation’s heroes like Kapidan Mark and Kapidan Llesh Gjon Marku, along with many other fighters who were sacrificed for Mirtida of Albania.

Albanians sacrificed for the chance at establishing a country with western cultures and values and while ethnic Albanians have fled, it is now time to return to their country and follow the samples before them, of Kapidan Mark and Kapidan Llesh Gjon Marku (Gjomarkaj), who passed on  the century old heritage of honor, faith and valor. These values enriched by genuine national trends with modern western values, values which were studied at universities in western countries.

Kapidan Llesh was never married.