ALBANIAN AMERICAN ORGANIZATION CHAMERIA

ChameriaOrganization@gmail.com

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.

Chameria is the southernmost part of Albania. In 1913, its largest part was occupied by Greece, leaving
a small territory within today’s Albanian border. Ever since 1913, the rights of the Albanian Cham
minority in Greece imparted and dictated by the international and European legislative bodies were
denied and suppressed. The eventual pressure on the Albanian element in Greece lead to the harsh
genocide of the years 1944-1945 and the violent expulsion of over 30,000 ethnic Albanian Chams to
Albania.

Our Mission:

The mission of AAOC shall be 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.

How AAOC originated:

An important movement that inspired the AAOC is that of the Cham League, which was established in
1974 in Chicago, Illinois by various Albanian-American activists of Chameria. Its publishing organ
was ‘Eagle's Wing’ a cultural, literary and social magazine published in Albanian and English. The
Albanian dissident writer Bilal Xhaferri was the founder, editor and director of this magazine.

‘Eagle's Wing’ was a free democratic-thinking tribune. Through this magazine, Albanian national
problems were treated, especially the Cham issue, the Kosovo problem and problems of Albanian
communities around the world. Bilal Xhaferri was able to communicate through "Eagle's Wing" with
many Albanian intellectuals in the USA, Europe, Canada, Australia, Turkey and elsewhere, with
newspapers and other Albanian magazines of the Albanian Diaspora, and with other organs of the
international press. The magazine was characterized by a freedom-loving and anti-totalitarian spirit.
Because of his beliefs, Bilal’s life was put in danger by Albanian secret police activities. The magazine
stopped being published with Bilal Xhaferri's death after the publication of 39 total editions in 1986.
Today, many Albanian American activists of Chameria continue to carry the same democracy-lit torch
that Bilal Xhaferri carried for the just resolution of the Kosova and Chameria issues. They are
campaigning and working to stop the abuse of human rights by the government of Greece. The basic
right of return entails the recognition and implementation of the right of American Cham people to
return to their homes in Greece.

The essential right of property includes the recognition and implementation of the right of Chams
expelled from Greece who have not been allowed to reclaim and enjoy their homes, commercial
buildings and real estate property in Northwestern Greece.

Main Positions:

1. The Greek government should recognize and issue a public apology regarding the brutal
Genocide conducted by Napoleon Zervas in 1944.
2. Cham Albanians should enjoy basic human rights that originate from international treaties and
conventions to which Greece is a signatory party.
3. Albanian Americans of Cham descent should enjoy the same rights as every U.S. citizen.
4. Albanians of Greece should be allowed to open Albanian schools in Greece.
5. Cham Albanians should be allowed to register and reclaim their properties in Greece without
any government impediments.

What we do:

The cultural heritage of Chameria, a valuable asset for the world will be showcased and promoted in
international academic forums and cultural festivals across the United States. Special focus will be on
the research, conservation and propagation of the rich history, culture, language, traditions, folklore,
and other cultural aspects of the Cham Albanian people which are currently under disappearance. Funds
will be raised for the cultural institutions that expose the culture and history of Chameria and donations
will be used for natural disaster relief of the region. Funds will also be raised as needed to further the
above goals of AAOC.