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| The '''Chamerian issue''' is a dispute between ] and ] over the violent expulsion of |
The '''Chamerian issue''' is a dispute between ] and ] over the violent expulsion of Moslem Albanians from ] Northern ], during the end of ]. | ||
| ==Region== | ==Region== | ||
| ] (or ''Çamëria'') is the ]n name for a region which was once part of ] and which |
] (or ''Çamëria'') is the ]n name for a region which was once part of ] and which since 1913 has been contained mostly within the ] province of ]. The name is derived from the same ancient ]n root as the name of the Thyamis (or ''Kalamas'') river, which runs through the center of the region. The region extends from Butrint on the coast of the southwest tip of Albania, north to ], southward to ] in Greece, and eastward as far as the ] mountains. | ||
| ''See the article on ] for more information.'' | ''See the article on ] for more information.'' | ||
| ==The Massacre== | ==The Massacre== | ||
| While the ] resulted in Albanian independence, they also resulted in an expansion of the territory of ] by about 64%. The newly drawn borders left as many as 100,000 ] in what was now recognized as Greece, but left even more Greeks still within the borders of the new Albanian nation. | |||
| Although the roughly 40,000 Christians of the region were more easily assimilated into Greek culture, the Muslims in the northern part of the territory were less easily accepted. This problem was exacerbated at the time of ]. Italy captured Albania in ], and in ] Greece fell as Italian forces invaded from Albania, and Germans through Yugoslavia. Germans recruited Muslim civilians in Greece, Yugoslavia and Albania to assist in the occupation; those forces were responsible for a number of atrocities against ] and ] in Epirus, including the percecution of the Jews of ]. Due to a belief that Muslim Albanians had cooperated with the ] and the ] occupation, as well as the perception that the they were more likely to side with the ]s in the ], the Chams came under attack in 1944 as the Germans and their allies began to lose control to the anti-Nazi militias. | |||
| Following the defeat of Ottoman forces in the region and the ] of ], an international boundary commission awarded the North of the territory of ] to ], and the South to ]. The newly drawn borders, which left consistent minorities on both sides of the border, left almost all Chameria in what was now recognized as Greece, except for a few ] villages assigned to Albania. Considerable numbers of Chams were forced to leave, and other were expelled to ] under the ] in ].<ref>Ibid.</ref> | |||
| Beginning on ]], and continuing through ] ], ] troops launched a series of attacks on Muslim villages in Epirus, killing several thousand (according to Albanian claims), and causing most remaining Muslims to flee to Albania. The issue remains a point of friction between the two nations. Greek ]es mention no ] presence in Epirus since ]; they do not include linguistic data. | |||
| Muslims were subjected to severe pression, that increased under the rule of ]. Tensions exacerbated at the time of ]. Italy captured Albania in ], and in ] Greece fell as Italian forces invaded from Albania, and Germans through ]. Italians recruited Muslim civilians to assist in the occupation. A minority of Chams were responsible of atrocities against ], but the majority were only passive collaborators, distrusting both Italians and Greeks. As the Germans and their allies began to lose ground to the anti-Nazi militias in 1944, and started retiring in Albania, many hundreds of Chams followed them.<ref>M. Mazower (ed.), ''After the War Was Over; Reconstructing the Family, Nation, State in Greece, 1943-1960'', (2000), p. 25; M. Vickers, ibid.</ref> | |||
| ⚫ | A large number of the predominantly Muslim refugees settled in villages of southern Albania, where today they number over 100,000. | ||
| Beginning on ]], and continuing through March ], ] resistance fighters operating under British orders in an attempt to estabilish a mono-ethnic border, launched a series of attacks on Muslim villages in Epirus, killing 5,000 Chams and causing 35,000 to flee to Albania or Turkey.<ref>M. Mazower (ed.), ibid.; M. Vickers, ibid.</ref> | |||
| The issue remains a point of friction between the two nations. Greek ]es mention no ] presence in Epirus since ]; they do not include linguistic data. | |||
| ⚫ | A large number of the predominantly Muslim refugees settled in villages of southern Albania, where today they number |
||
| ==Notes== | |||
| <div class="references-small"><references/></div> | |||
| ==See also== | ==See also== | ||
Revision as of 20:54, 21 June 2006
The Chamerian issue is a dispute between Greece and Albania over the violent expulsion of Moslem Albanians from German-Occupied Northern Greece, during the end of World War II.
Region
Chameria (or Çamëria) is the Albanian name for a region which was once part of ancient Greece and which since 1913 has been contained mostly within the Greek province of Epirus. The name is derived from the same ancient Illyrian root as the name of the Thyamis (or Kalamas) river, which runs through the center of the region. The region extends from Butrint on the coast of the southwest tip of Albania, north to Lake Prespa, southward to Preveza in Greece, and eastward as far as the Pindus mountains.
See the article on Epirus (region) for more information.
The Massacre
While the Balkan Wars resulted in Albanian independence, they also resulted in an expansion of the territory of Greece by about 64%. The newly drawn borders left as many as 100,000 Chams in what was now recognized as Greece, but left even more Greeks still within the borders of the new Albanian nation.
Although the roughly 40,000 Christians of the region were more easily assimilated into Greek culture, the Muslims in the northern part of the territory were less easily accepted. This problem was exacerbated at the time of World War II. Italy captured Albania in 1939, and in 1940 Greece fell as Italian forces invaded from Albania, and Germans through Yugoslavia. Germans recruited Muslim civilians in Greece, Yugoslavia and Albania to assist in the occupation; those forces were responsible for a number of atrocities against Greeks and Jews in Epirus, including the percecution of the Jews of Ioannina. Due to a belief that Muslim Albanians had cooperated with the invasion of Greece and the Nazi occupation, as well as the perception that the they were more likely to side with the Communists in the Greek Civil War, the Chams came under attack in 1944 as the Germans and their allies began to lose control to the anti-Nazi militias.
Beginning on June 271944, and continuing through March 1945, EDES troops launched a series of attacks on Muslim villages in Epirus, killing several thousand (according to Albanian claims), and causing most remaining Muslims to flee to Albania. The issue remains a point of friction between the two nations. Greek censuses mention no Muslim presence in Epirus since 1951; they do not include linguistic data.
A large number of the predominantly Muslim refugees settled in villages of southern Albania, where today they number over 100,000.
See also
External links
- Epirus Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia
- Epirus UNRV.com
- Greek Civil War globalsecurity.org
- SOUTHERN ALBANIA, NORTHERN EPIRUS: Survey of a Disputed Ethnological Boundary farsarotul.org
- The Cham Issue - Albanian National & Property Claims in Greece Conflict Studies Resolution Centre - pdf
- Pan-Albanianism: How Big a Threat to Balkan Stability? International Crisis Group - pdf p.24-25