Albanian American Organization Chameria

Note: This page is about the organization established in the USA, for the other Cham Albanian association, with center in Albania, see National Political Association "Çamëria"

Albanian American Organization Chameria (A.A.O.C) (Albanian: Organizata Shqiptaro-Amerikane Çamëria) is a Non Governmental Organization, based in Chicago, Illinois, USA, which works and conducts research for the rights of and the issues of Cham Albanians who are American citizens.

Chams in USA

After the occupation of Ioannina in 1913 and due to the heavy pressures from the Agrarian Reforms in the 1920s imposed, many Cham Albanians left Chameria after the occupation of Epirus. They were also subsequently expelled from Greece beginning in 1944 and ending in Spring of 1945, by forcefully being sent to Albania. Additionally, many Chams were persecuted by the Albanian Communist regime as well.[1] forcing them to leave. The majority of Cham Albanians that left Albania and Greece, migrated to the United States.[2] The first wave of Cham immigrants were mainly concentrated in Hartford, CT, where they created the Chameria Society, Chicago, as well as Boston and New York.[3] They managed to retain their tradition and language,[2] and published the first Cham Albanian newspaper, in 1966, named "Chameria - motherland" (Albanian: Çamëria - Vatra amtare), edited by Bilal Xhaferri.[3]

Cham Albanians in the United States are the fourth most numerous population of Chams, after Albania, Turkey and Greece,[2] Since the Cham League was founded in the early 1970s. It describes as its mission: The Albanian American Organization Chameria (AAOC) is a non-profit organization. Its purpose is to achieve an optimal and effective solution to the Cham Albanian human rights issues and the strengthening of friendship ties between the American and the Cham Albanian people. Its activities will rely on the advantage of being citizens of the USA, a powerful and democratic country, which will support the resolution of the Cham issue. Our Mission: To promote and preserve the cultural, historic and ethnic heritage of Albanian Americans from the region of Chameria who also seek justice via the American democratic standards of citizenship for the condemnation of the Chameria genocide and their return and resettlement in Chameria. history, culture, language, and other cultural aspects of the Cham people.[4]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Vickers, Miranda. The Cham Issue - Albanian National & Property Claims in Greece. Paper prepared for the British MoD, Defence Academy, 2002.ISBN 1-903584-76-0
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Vickers, Miranda. The Cham Issue - Where to Now? Paper prepared for the British MoD, Defence Academy, 2002.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Sali Bollati, president of Chameria association, interview on newspaper "Illyria", June 2005
  4. ↑ AAOC mission (http://www.blogger.com/profile/04277583063115840630)