The Genocide of the Cham Albanians

During the 1940s, Napoleon Zervas, leader of the Greek resistance group EDES (National Republican Greek League), carried out brutal atrocities against the Cham Albanians. In a dark chapter of World War II, Zervas's forces reportedly turned on the Chams, an ethnic Albanian community living in today's Greek part of Epirus, under the guise of "fighting Axis occupation."

What followed was a ruthless campaign of ethnic cleansing, in which thousands of Chams were massacred. Entire villages were set ablaze, men were slaughtered, women were raped and violated, and children who faced horrific violence. The terror forced a big number of Chams to flee in Albania. Many crossed the border into Albania, seeking refuge from the bloodshed, while others, stripped of everything, embarked on perilous journeys across the seas, ending up in places like the USA, where they hoped to rebuild their shattered lives.

The scars of these events have never truly healed, as the Chams were not only expelled and massacred but also silenced, their tragedy largely overlooked in post-war narratives.

Eleftheria Manda For those who know, Mr. Manda is a professor at the University of Thessaloniki (Α.Π.Θ.) and in her book titled "Cham Albanians Muslim of Epirus", she openly states that the Greek nationalist forces systematically tracked down the crowds and killed hundreds!

Not only the Chams, but the Suliotes also faced displacement and sought refuge in Albania.

Today, an estimated 100,000 to 250,000 Chams reside in Albania.

The number of Civilians dead ranged from 1,200 to 5,000+, while 475 women were raped.

In Parga, today Albanian is still spoken. Marin Mema goes and speaks to them personally.

The Cham Albanians collaborated with the Axis powers in their pursuit of reclaiming their ethnic Albanian lands. However, they had also faced persecution since the 1930s under Metaxas, fueling their desire for revenge against him.

In conclusion, the genocide of the Cham Albanians was a tragic reality.

Furthermore, Greece’s denial of Albania’s EU accession is also rooted in fears that recognition of this genocide could lead to Albania seeking reparations or other claims related to the suffering of the Cham community.