Article regarding Greeks in Southern Albania

[Prokomenos]

This is a good article I suggest you all read it.
Its old but its still good..

Southern Albania

How many people know the existence of a Greek minority in Southern Albania, who have much less rights than the ones that have Albanian minority in Kosovo????

Who cares about them???? NATO anyway doesn't care!!! Why NATO cares only for Kosovo???

While Kosovars have Albanian University in Kosovo, Greeks of Southern Albania are not allowed to learn greek after 4th year of elementary school!

While Kosovars had autonomy in Kosovo, Greeks of Southern Albania live in a state of terror and uncertainty!

Who cares about them???? NATO anyway doesn't care!!! Why NATO cares only for Kosovo???



For over three millennia the southern region of what is modern day Albania has been inhabited by Greeks. Despite major upheavals and invasions the Greeks of Albania have maintained their identity and culture. After 1453, the Greek population of southern Albania had to live under severe restrictions imposed by the Ottoman administration.

The harshness of the Turkish occupation included oppressive taxation, including a child tax that forced parents to give up one of their children to the Ottoman Empire, and the occasional genocide. But the Ottomans, despite their cruelty toward the people they conquered, at least permitted the Greek population a degree of local autonomy and religious freedom.

Remarkably the present, non-communist and "democratic" regime of Albania, refuses to even allow the Greek minority the rights they had enjoyed during the Ottoman period. These rights have been enshrined in international conventions such as the Protocol of Corfu (18 May 1914) which established Northern Erirus in southern Albania as an autonomous province.


In 1915 the Treaty of London (26 April) not only accepted autonomy for Northern Epirus but also stipulated the transfer of this region to Greece. Although this agreement was a result of war-time conditions and the intend of the treaty was not fulfilled, it did afford recognition to the Greek claim to Northern Epirus and at the very least international acknowledgement of an historic Greek presence and identification with this region. After the First World War the Council of the League of Nations and in 1945 the Security Council of the United Nations have reiterated the guarantees afforded to the Greek minority by the Protocol of Corfu.


The communist regime of Enver Hodjia ignored all these agreements and conventions and proceeded to make every effort to extinguish the Greek identity and language of the Hellenic minority. Religious freedom, customs and tradition that had been practiced for centuries were not only prohibited but those caught speaking Greek or even conducting a Christian funeral faced harsh prison sentences and physical torture.

Greek Orthodox priest were either executed, imprisoned and for a lucky few exile was the penalty for practicing their religion. Greek Orthodox churches were destroyed or converted into secular facilities. This included churches and monasteries that dated back to the Mediaeval period. All this was supposed to end with the collapse of communism in Albania.


Unfortunately, the new "democratic" regime of Albania has failed to respect the civil, human, and international rights of the Greek minority. The Greek population is subject to political discrimination and police intimidation. Attacks on persons and property are either tolerated or ignored by the Albanian authorities. The Albanian Government is reluctant to permit the admission of Greek Orthodox priests and when it does it finds a pretext in order to expel them.


At the same time the Albanian Government refuses to recognize the property rights of the Greek minority and offers every obstacle to hinder and delay the construction of Churches, Greek schools, and the restoration of Greek Orthodox cemeteries. Indeed, Albanian discrimination is not only confined to religious, cultural, and linguist persecution but the government refuses to allow the existence of political parties established by the Greek minority.


Presently NATO bombs Serbia for having given rights to Albanian minority, and the same rights are not given to greek minority in Albania. NATO is bombing Serbs for other reasons, and the independent (if any) journalists have to find out the real reasons.

Bibliography

Hellenic Studies Centre at Dawson College for the Hellenic canadian Congr

[Psaltis]

Albanians are probably one of the most violent people that exist. This article does not suprise me at all.

[Greece4Ever]

America goes and bombs the Serbian people who were defending their lands from Albanians. Meanwhile never mind the treatment of Greeks and Serbs who live in Albania. The USA had other reasons for the attack on Serbia.

[AgriosEllinas]

If they are having their rights violated why dont they leave their and go back to Greece? Why stay where you are not wanted.

[Prokomenos]

Originally Posted by AgriosEllinas
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If they are having their rights violated why dont they leave their and go back to Greece? Why stay where you are not wanted.

What do you think if you have been living somewhere for generations you can just pack up and leave? Its that easy?
I think you are very arrogant and you need to think a little before you post. Im keeping my eye on you. I dont have a problem with your views but I dont like responses like these.

[Megale]

You try telling people who've lived in an area for generations to leave. Greeks in Albania probably outdate the Albanians there as the Serbs outdate the Albos in Kosovo.

[Μακεδόνας]

It is true Greeks have been living in Albania for centuries. They are being persecuted because Albania is islam.