Region in northwestern Greece adjacent to Albania in the Epirus region of the Balkans. Known to the Greeks as Thesprotia.
It is an area of outstanding natural beauty but also a possible site for future conflict.
It is claimed by Albanian nationalists as part of a putative Greater Albania (also including Kosovo and western Macedonia). Many of the residents of Chameria describe themselves as Albanian and claim that the area has been Albanian since ancient times.
The cities of Chameria include Igoumenitsa, Parga, Paramithia, Filiata and Margariti.
Greece acquired the area following a carve up of the Balkans by the Great Powers in 1913 (-alex). Germany granted Chameria and Kosovo to Albania for assistance in occupying Greece. When Germany was defeated, Greece took retribution against the Muslim Chams.
On June 27th, 1944, it is alleged that Napoleon Zervas the leader of a right wing militia force in occupied Greece (-alex again), oversaw the murder of 1400 Albanian Chams in the town of Paramithia. Many other atrocities are said to have occured resulting in many thousands of Chams fleeing to Albania. Many Greeks claim that the Chams collaborated with the occupying German forces during the war.
The Greek goverment attempted to 'Hellenize' the region, banning the use of the Albanian language in public. However, a KLA style resistance movement has emerged and a political body known as the League of Chameria has been founded.
Sources:
www.albania.com