Cham Issue during the Peace Conference in Paris 1919

Blerina Sadiku

doi:10.5901/mjss.2016.v7n4p676

Abstract

Chameria was a region inhabited predominantly by Albanians. In 1913, its major part was annexed by Greece, after the Conference of London. Since then, Chams' rights were oppressed; therefore they sought for a solution at the Peace Conference in Paris 1919, which opened officially in January 18, 1919, holding a strong believe that justice would have been made in this international political forum. This article aims to show the efforts for the solution of the Cham issue at the Peace Conference in Paris 1919, and its perspective. The analysis of the qualitative data of this matter will explain the underlying reasons of the Cham issue's position at the Peace Conference' agenda. The weakness of the Albanian state after the Great War, the geopolitical interests of its neighbouring countries, and the International political background were not in favour of this minority's issue, despite the many efforts played especially by the Albanian Diaspora in the United States of America, the promoter of principles of peace and liberty. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2016.v7n4p676

Highlights

The Albanians of Chameria were denied the basic human rights after the annexation of the region by Greece
As soon as the beginning of the Conference, Albanians were organized in associations, and official governmental representation [even though the latter was arguable] in order to present their national issue in front of this international political forum
Their petition was focused in some main points: restoration of Albania with its ethnic borders, correcting the existing borders established after the Conference of London 1913, the establishment of an international commission to evaluate the damages made by foreign military forces, like Greeks to Albania; and U.S.A. invited for a mandate in Albania at least for one year, after which the population would have held a plebiscite while being free to decide for their future, different from the situation in which they were living, under the jurisdiction of their neighbour countries

Summary

Introduction

This commission, after few debates among its members, heard both the parties, the Greek and later the Albanian These delegations presented their arguments with statistical data, and many other protests followed during all the sessions of the Conference. Albanians in this congress did not receive a minimum support for their ethnic population living abroad the national borders established in December 1913, and the entire country risked dissolution, being considered as a territory to be distributed between the victorious parties of the Great War, while Albania had maintained a neutral position. These facts, among others, explain the indifference of the Great Powers towards the Cham issue

Literature Review

Methodological Aspects and Research Questions

Cham Issue during the Peace Conference in Paris 1919

Concluding Remarks