By Luiza Hoxhaj
For a long time, I was among those who viewed the use of the term “Cham community” with some reservation. It seemed to me that this phrase created an unnecessary division within our nation, as if the Chams were a separate group, rather than an inseparable part of the Albanian identity. But the more I encountered the history, the documents, and the human reality of this part of our nation, the more I realized I was wrong.
I am writing this article to publicly acknowledge that: the use of the term “Cham community” is not only not exclusionary, but is in fact necessary to understand and represent a unique historical experience that deserves respect and recognition.
Chameria is a historical Albanian region, inhabited for centuries by Albanians who shared the same language, customs, beliefs, and national sensitivities. After the London Conference in 1913, this region remained outside the borders of the Albanian state. Later, history took a painful turn: after World War II, the Albanians of Chameria were forcibly expelled from Greece, violently and without the right to return. They lost not only their lands and homes, but also the right to return to their ancestral lands.
They were violently uprooted from their birthplace, leaving behind the graves of their ancestors, their memories, their language, and the songs that had echoed in that land for centuries. Thousands of families were forced to abandon everything they had built over generations and start a new life elsewhere—within their own nation, but as if they were foreigners.
For years, their voices were silenced, their tragedy ignored, and the injustice they suffered was covered in official forgetfulness on the international stage. And yet, they did not lose their dignity. They kept alive their memory, their culture, and their right not to disappear from history.
These people, violently displaced, resettled in Albania, where they built new lives—without ever forgetting their origin, their pain, and their denied rights. Precisely for this reason, today we use the phrase “Cham community” – not to separate them from the nation, but to recognize a unique historical experience, to articulate an unresolved issue, and to give voice to a collective memory that is neither provincial nor divisive, but deeply national.
What is a "community"?
A community is a group of people who come together based on common factors such as language, culture, history, traditions, and shared sensitivities. This special connection can be social, cultural, or even ethnic in nature. When we talk about the Cham community, it is not about a population separate from the Albanian nation, but rather a part of it that has undergone a unique history. Its connection with Albania and with Albanians worldwide is deep and unbroken. The Cham community is a rich reflection of the internal diversity of our nation, and its right to be recognized and respected is a right that belongs to every civilized group.
Just as we speak about the “Arbëresh community in Italy” or the “Albanian community in Preshevë,” we understand that the term “community” in this case does not imply exclusion from the nation, but rather a special experience within it that deserves representation and respect.
Today, the Cham community is represented through associations, organizations, and various voices that keep alive the demand for justice, return, and compensation for the injustice done. This is an effort that should be seen as part of a national commitment, not as an issue of a separate region.
In the end, the Chams are Albanians. No more, no less. But they are Albanians who have gone through a collective tragedy that should not be forgotten. And in this sense, the term “community” does not divide them, but represents them with dignity.
Yes, I was wrong. And it is an honor for us as citizens of this country that, when we realize that a word carries more weight than we thought, we use it responsibly, without fear and without prejudice.
In this context, it is natural to ask: is the term “Cham community” the most appropriate? Some may think that this word has an exclusionary or divisive connotation, but in reality, in modern public and academic discourse, the word community is used to describe a group of people with a shared experience, collective memory, and identity ties.
However, depending on the context, terms such as “Cham population,” “Cham ethnocultural group,” or “heirs of Çameri” could be just as accurate – and in some cases, even more inclusive. They not only underline the Albanian identity of this population but also their shared historical experience and their right to preserve their identity and memory.
The issue is not just about the term, but about preserving dignity and addressing this historical wound with respect, justice, and linguistic sensitivity. Because, at the end of the day, no nation becomes stronger by forgetting the suffering of its parts. It becomes stronger by acknowledging, accepting, and representing those parts with dignity.
Nessun commento:
Posta un commento