Petrit Latifi
In 1940, the paper Alpenzeitung published an article originally published in 1913 in the Albanian paper “Tomori” writing on Greek atrocities in Chamëria since 1913. Among many atrocities, one was the Greek murder of 72 Albanian nobles in 1913.
Albanian: Në vitin 1940, gazeta Alpenzeitung botoi një artikull të botuar fillimisht në vitin 1913 në gazetën shqipe “Tomori”, ku shkruante për mizoritë greke në Çamëri që nga viti 1913. Midis shumë mizorive, njëra prej tyre ishte vrasja greke e 72 fisnikëve shqiptarë në vitin 1913.
Greek: Το 1940, η εφημερίδα Alpenzeitung δημοσίευσε ένα άρθρο που δημοσιεύτηκε αρχικά το 1913 στην αλβανική εφημερίδα “Tomori”, γράφοντας για τις θηριωδίες των Ελλήνων στην Τσαμουριά από το 1913. Μεταξύ των πολλών θηριωδιών, μία ήταν η δολοφονία 72 Αλβανών ευγενών από Έλληνες το 1913.
“The Albanian Sheet “Tomori” recalls the events of 1913, when an unjust treaty awarded the Cameria to Greece:
“The Hellenic troops underlined this undeserved success by destroying ten villages, which were set on fire and completely devastated. Their heroic deed, however, was surpassed by the Greek authorities; under the pretext of seeking agreement on the administration of the occupied territories, they summoned 72 Albanian Notables at Selieri and murdered them treacherously, in order to get rid of countless eyewitnesses at once, who would certainly have protested against the established regime of terror and denationalization. “
Violent Greek assimilation
“Teachers, gendarmes, and even Orthodox priests rushed to the unfortunate Albanian population and forced them to hastily learn a certain number of Greek words, in order to then pretend to the international border demarcation commission that the Ciamura were Greek and its inhabitants Greeks, while the presence of the Orthodox priests was intended to prove that many of the inhabitants could preserve their ethnicity and their hope for justice. The Ciamurotes have persevered and have not bowed to the yoke. The hour of reckoning has approached for the Greeks.”
Forced recruitment of Albanians
“The newspaper also reports on another serious incident that occurred in recent days: two young Albanian farmers, who were avoiding their land near the border at Konispoli, were taken to Giannina by suddenly appearing Greek gendarmes, where they were hand-decorated in Greek uniforms and put into the army.
24 hours later, the two young men managed to escape from the barracks and cross the border. They immediately reported to the relevant financial guard command and reported their adventure, which is reminiscent of the times when Koryarenschisje hunted for loot and plunder.”
Greek chauvinists forced the Albanians of Chameria to wave Greek flags
“The Ciamurotes were forced to confront the foreign Romans with a large Greek flag, singing the Greek anthem, and the hymn “Heldas.” Anyone who refused to obey had to face imprisonment, confiscation of property, countless tortures, and, in the case of Orthodox Christians, even excommunication.”
Greek atrocities in the regions of Kolonia, Ruhpellejh, Sestovik, Leifornifu in 1913
“At the same time, the Greeks unleashed their fury in the areas of southern Albania they had to abandon. The memory of their deeds still arouses great indignation among Albanians today. In the district of Colonia, they devastated 49 villages, in Ruhpellejh 15, and in Sestoviku 18; in the small town of Leifornifu alone, which then had over 15,000 inhabitants but today barely 1,500, 400 houses were set on fire.
In the southern district of Bermeti, 50 destroyed villages were counted, and in the district of Zepeleni, 43. Around 80 Rolabels from Hormova were locked in a mosque and burned alive. In Etropari, 50 villages were destroyed.”
“One must ask, writes Tomori, whether a people that has stained itself with such misdeeds can and should still be counted among the community of civilized nations. The Greeks have always lived on the undeserved inherited credit of their ancient ancestors, of whom they proved themselves completely unworthy, while one must be filled with admiration how the population, burdened with such heavy burdens, has been able to preserve its citizenship and its hope for justice over all these long years. The Chiamurotes have persevered and have not bowed to the yoke. The hour of reckoning has approached for the Greeks”.
Reference
Balkan Academia 