Report on Epirus

The Kingdom of Epirus

Prepared By the Government of Epirus in Exile

Introduction

This introductory report is intended to give only the basic information about Epirus, her people and the Government in Exile.

Report

In 1908 the pre-eminent Albanian nationalist, Ismael Kemal Bey, requested Greek troops to advance north to the town of Vlora. Greek Prime Minister Theotokis complied with the request and the boarder, set by this action, was later ratified by the Ambassadorial Conference and the International Control Committee.

In 1912, 482 years of Ottoman rule came to an end in the region and Epirotean forces liberated most of what would later be termed North Epirus. The Epirotean boarder was set as a line north of the towns of Himara, Tepeleni and Pogrodets.

In 1913, the Protocol of Florence ceded, to Albania, all of Epirus north of the districts of Delvine and Konitsa. This unjust action of the "Great Powers" which was justified as providing the Albanian state with "..adequate territorial dominion..." was the source of all future upheavals in the region. Epiroteans reacted violently to the situation. Almost entirely Eastern Orthodox Christians, Epiroteans feared leaving one oppressive Moslem government (the Ottoman Empire), for another (Albania).

In February 1914, Epirus announced their armed struggle for independence. The Epirotean forces, such as the Sacred Band, had tremendous success in the field and would have, most likely, taken most of what is today Albania. In order to prevent defeat, and save the newly established Albanian state, Albania petitioned the Great Powers to mediate the issue.

On May 5, 1914 the Corfu Protocol, written by the International Control Committee (England, France, Germany, Austria, Russia and Italy), was unconditionally accepted by the government of Albania. In this document, Epirus is declared an Autonomous Area, within the Albanian state. Typical of Albanian diplomatic history, the Protocol was never put into effect.

Later "back room" diplomacy such as the secret London Agreement of 1915 used Epirus as a bargaining piece, traded back and forth between the Great Powers. During this time, the Epiroteans suffered cruel persecutions at the hand of the Albanian government. The closing of schools teaching in any language other than Albanian, closing all ethnic and cultural agencies and even forcing the creation of a self-governing Albanian Orthodox Church, controlled by the Moslem state. Albania’s stated goal during those dark years, was to completely obliterate all ethnic, religious and cultural diversity.

During the second world war, Epiroteans again see the opportunity for liberation and in 1942 the MABH, the Front for the Liberation of North Epirus was formed. The MABH acted as guerrilla resistance fighters, fending off the Fascists in the areas of Delvino, Propolis, Zagora, Himara, Vourkos and Riza. The toll to Epiroteans – more than 2,500 dead and 250 villages destroyed throughout Epirus. The executions of Epirotean resistance fighters and destruction of homes and entire villages took place with the full cooperation of the Balli Competar (Albanian National Front).

In 1943, joint Albanian and Greek communist partisan operations eliminated most of the leadership of the Epirotean nation, and with the official recognition, in 1945, of the regime of Enver Hoxa, the dream of Epirotean independence began to fade.

In 1946 a movement to cede most of North Epirus to Greece was tabled by the Council of the Four Foreign Ministers (England, France, USA and the USSR). It was decided that the matter of North Epirus would be discussed after solving the "German and Austrian" issues. Both of these issues were resolved in 1990.

From 1946 to 1989, Albania in general and Epirus in particular were subjected to the most oppressive and brutal dictatorship known. A policy of Albinazation in Epirus was enacted which even regulated the naming of children! In 1967, Albania closed all religious institutions and began slaughtering Orthodox bishops, priests, monks and nuns as well as laymen who were known or suspected of harboring any religious practices. A simple act such as making the sign of the cross could carry a 15-20 year prison term…or worse! The slaughter of church officials was so complete, that in 1989 there was no infrastructure to rebuild the church and the Albanian government refused to allow Orthodox clergymen appointed by lawful authority into the country. The fact that Christian sectarians and Moslem clerics easily pass into the country is proof of the intentional repression of the Epirotean people.

The churches of Epirus were liquidated and the buildings themselves, many of which were centuries old, were demolished or turned into gambling clubs, coffee houses, warehouses, etc.

With the collapse of the Albanian Communist regime in 1989, everyone believed that, at last, a wave of democracy and progress would bring new conditions and rights to Epiroteans. Unfortunately, ten years later things are worse than ever. Terrorization of Epiroteans by the Secret Police still continues. The murder of Epiroteans is commonplace as is demonstrated by the case of the police killings of Seran Sadiku who was beaten to death in July 1992 in Korce. Agim Shatipi, shot to death by a policeman in February 1992 in Gjirokaster. The number of police beatings and holding hostages for bribes are too numerous to mention. Any Epirotean who tries to be politically or economically active becomes an easy target.

In 1998, HRH Prince Alexander, well known for his efforts in the Eastern Orthodox Church, was approached by members of the Epirotean Patriotic Organization and was asked to lead the movement for a referendum on independence. After discussing the possibility, HRH declined the offer since elements of the EPO would not disavow a stated dedication to independence "even at the cost of blood". Later, that same year, the EPO agreed to dissolve and dedicate themselves to a peaceful process of change in Epirus. Since that time, the EPO has reorganized and has become the political arm of the Government in Exile.

In 1999, the formation of a Government in Exile began and is still being built today. This government has gone to great lengths to be inclusive of all the minorities in Epirus. While this inclusiveness has made the government unpopular with some groups who are inclined to see union with Greece, it has the support of the vast majority of Epiroteans of Vlach, Roma and Slavic descent. This population which is numbered between 300,000 and 600,000 people represents about 70% of Epirus. This majority decreases daily however, with the exodus of Epiroteans and the settlement, by the Albanian Government, of Kosovar Albanians in Epirus.

It is now known, that the Government of Albania has begun moving KLA troops and KLA trained terrorist groups into Epirus in an attempt to remove all non-Albanian Epiroteans from the region in order to establish a "Greater Albania"

for this reason, our cause is urgent. To preserve our homeland we must act now.