The 1995 POAKA Resolution on the SSM and its fate

From 15-18 June 1995, the 29th Congress of POAKA was held in Washington. The General Secretary of OMONIA, Dimitris Tsakas, MPs Thomas Mitsios and Kostas Makariadis, and the five released Omonia members: Thodoris Vezianis, Vangelis Papachristos, Panagiotis Martos, Iraklis Syrmos and Kostas Kyriakou took part.

The Conference of the Pan-Epirotic Federation of America, Canada

Saint Niphon of Lukovo is honored today by the Church

WHEREAS the Greeks of Northern Epirus have been relentlessly persecuted for many decades and continue to be deprived of basic educational, linguistic, religious, civil, political and cultural rights,

BECAUSE nationalist Greeks throughout Albania are being harassed and terrorized by government security forces and are being ousted from their positions in the military, judiciary and civil service, leaving them feeling weak and vulnerable and fearing for their safety.

WHEREAS this systematic persecution and discrimination against ethnic Greeks constitutes a form of ethnic cleansing, aimed at forcing them to abandon their ancestral homes to find asylum in Greece and abroad,

WHEREAS the Albanian government has not yet responded to a resolution by ethnic Greeks calling for measures to end their mistreatment – sent to Albanian President Sali Berisha more than two years ago – and because the government has proposed education bills that do not even remotely meet the needs of the Greek community,

The delegates who took part in the 29^the Congress of The Pan-Epirotic federation, held in Washington on June 18, 1995, approved the following

RESOLUTION

WE CALL albania to restore to all ethnic Greeks in the country the educational, linguistic, religious, political and cultural rights provided for in the international treaties signed by its representatives since the founding of the country in 1913, to the present day, including the right to govern their own region.

WE CALL the Albanian Government to put an end to all types of discrimination against ethnic Greeks holding positions in the public administration and to stop all their suffering – through abuse of power by the security forces or manipulation of the judiciary – and to withdraw all complaints falsely accusing Omonia leaders and Greece of spying against Albania.

WE CALL the Albanian Government to return all churches, church property, monasteries and religious treasures that it took from the Orthodox Church of Albania when the religion was abolished in 1967, and to allow the bishops and clergy who have been appointed to re-establish the church and to freely assume and carry out their duties.

WE CALL the Greek Government not to sign any agreement, including any border agreement, that does not guarantee the peace and security of the Greek community in Albania, now and in perpetuity, and does not protect all the rights of ethnic Greeks throughout Albania in accordance with international agreements.

WE CALL the Greek Government to immediately issue all necessary certificates to ethnic Greeks from Albania, for free communication and work in Greece.

WE CALL the greek Government to do everything possible to help the greeks from Northern epirus who Work In greece, so that They can return to their homes, by providing them with loans and any other financial assistance that will allow them to live in their ancestral land and maintain their greek identity.

WE CALL the governments of The uS, Canada and australia To make it clear to Tirana that their support will be based on tangible and full implementation of the basic and legitimate human rights of Ethnic greeks and all Albanians.

When the Albanian government fully restores the rights owed to ethnic Greeks, we promise that we will help Albania take its rightful place in the society of democratic states and we will do everything we can to improve the quality of life of all its citizens.

Ήταν ασφαλώς ένα Ψήφισμα δυναμικό., πολύπλευρο, που συμπεριλάμβανε τα αιτήματα της Εθνικής Ελληνικής Μειονότητας, αιτήματα καθιερωμένα στους στόχους και στο πρόγραμμα της ΟΜΟΝΟΙΑΣ. Δυστυχώς τα ψηφίσματα αυτά, απ’ όπου κι αν προέρχονταν (ασφαλώς που ακολούθησαν κι άλλα), δεν βρήκαν ανταπόκριση από τους παράγοντες στους οποίους απευθύνονταν κι αυτό διότι οι φορείς που ενέκριναν τέτοιου είδους ψηφισμάτων δεν ακολουθούσαν και δεν διεκδικούσαν την υλοποίησή τους ή ένας αόρατος σίφουνας τα παρέσυρε κι ένα διαβολικό χέρι βοηθούσε και ενθάρρυνε στην μη υλοποίησή τους.

Vangelis Papachristos – sfeva.org

Photo: Warm welcome of the 5 released from Omonia by POAKA. Among them are the Greek Ambassador to Washington, Mr. Tsilis, the Minister of Interior, Mr. P. Papadopoulos, the Consul General, N. Kanellos, the MP, G. Tryfonidis