After Kosovo, Chameria?
In Northern Epirus, next to the Greek borders in other words, have their headquarters the Cham guerillas, organized in the patterns of the 'Kosovo Liberational Army' (KLA).
(Nikos Doukas, E-Grammes) Friday, January 25, 2008
In Northern Epirus, next to the Greek borders in other words, have their headquarters the Cham guerillas, organized in the patterns of the 'Kosovo Liberational Army' (KLA). Their force consists of 5,000 men, armed with light equipment, pillaged from the camps of the Albanian army in the 1996 riots, and ready for 'action' (sabotage and guerilla war) in Greece, immediately after the expected unification of Kosovo and Albania, with the ultimate goal of the liberation of Chameria.
The Albanians call Chameria the area of Epirus which includes the cities of Igoumenitsa, Parga, Paramithia, Filiata and Margariti, that is the Greek province of Thesprotia. In this area lived before the Second World War 25,000 Muslim Albanians, the so-called Chams. During the German occupation, Thesprotia as well as Kosovo, were conceded by Germany to Albania and the Chams, wearing German uniforms, committed unheard-of massacres against the Greeks of Thesprotia. After the war, they escaped to Albania to avoid punishment. Today they seem ready to repeat the 'feats' of the Second World War.
The Chams have founded in Albania the "League of Chameria", an unofficial parliament with 100 members. This League joined the 'union of under-represented people' of the U.N. in 1995, an action which was not even challenged by the Greek government. In Albania the Chams have a special influence just like the Kosovars. They are both considered representatives of the 'occupied' lands (Kosovo, Chameria). It is worth mentioning that on 30 June 1994 the Albanian parliament established unanimously 27 June as the day of the Chams 'genocide' (escape to Albania).
Besides Thesprotia, Albanian aspirations exist, along with any others, for the Western Thrace. The Albanian foreign minister Paskal Milo is probably the only Albanian academic who concerns himself with the Muslim minority of Western Thrace. In the past, he criticized Greece for applying a 'cleansing' policy against the minority. It should be noted that he has done 'research' on the issue by visiting Western Thrace.
At the same time "Omonoia", the union of the Northern Epirotes in Albania, is in a state of dissolution. Following the advice of the Greek government for "peace" and "cooperation" the Northern Epirotes joined the Albanian parties and as a result the Hellenism of Northern Epirus is no longer represented politically.
