Transcript Juridical and political aspects regarding the minority of the Makedon-Armâns in Albania and how they enjoy all the rights granted by the European and.

Juridical and political aspects
regarding the minority of the
Makedon-Armâns in Albania and
how they enjoy all the rights granted
by the European and international
norms
Yiani Mantsu
Makedon Armân Council
Yiani Mantsu-Conference on
Minorities, Tirana, 13-14 Febr. 2013
Makedon-Armâns
no other European people known under so many names:
 “Aromân”- Romania (taken ever: Aromanian, Aroumain,
Aromune, Arumano, Arumeno, etc.)
 Vlach (Vlleh / “Çoban”) – Albania
 Vlach (Helino-Vlach) – Greece
 Vlasi – R. of Macedonia
 Cincar (Zinzar) – Serbia and Bulgaria
 Mazedo-Romanen – Germany
 Armân / Makedon-Armân – self definition = identifies
their native space, the ancient Macedonia
Yiani Mantsu-Conference on Minorities,
Tirana, 13-14 Febr. 2013
The continuity thesis about their
origins
(supported by the most historians and linguistic scientists – excepting the Romanian
linguistic scientists )
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descends directly from the Romanized population of ancient
Macedonia (including Thessaly and Epirus)
 168 BC / 148 BC – Romanizing process - 275 years before
Dacia (present Romania) was occupied by the Romans
 the ancient Macedonia (including Thessaly and Epirus), is
the birth area of Makedon-Armân Language > 1,5 mill. p.
 The first document of Makedon-Armân language are the
words “Torna, torna, fratre!” (Turn back, turn back, brother),
dating 587 / Byzantium, chronicle of the monk Theophanes)
Yiani Mantsu-Conference on Minorities,
Tirana, 13-14 Febr. 2013
The cultural movement of
Moschopolis
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Moschopolis: 60.000 to 70.000 inhabitants, most of them
Makedon-Armâns (Johann Thunmann: “everyone in the city spoke
Armân, many also spoke Greek, the language used for commerce”)
the birthplace of the Makedon-Armân enlightenment
the movement was an initial beginning of the European
spirit in the Balkans
Moschopolis gave birth to a multicultural movement
in 1813, in Vienna was published by Michael Bojadjchi –
the first Modern Grammar in the Balkans – Armân,Greek
and German language – an “official document of a
language of a European people”
Yiani Mantsu-Conference on Minorities,
Tirana, 13-14 Febr. 2013
Yiani Mantsu-Conference on Minorities,
Tirana, 13-14 Febr. 2013
The critical moment in their
history
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the second Balkan War (1912) and Bucharest Treaty 1913
the establishment of the national states at the beginning of 20-th
century
the lifestyle of the Makedon-Armâns was totally disturbed by the
political and social changes in the Balkans
a lot of residual effects in contemporary politics, especially
concerning the Makedon-Armân people
the “Armân” subject was always a controversial subject between
Greece and Romania
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Greek Academy: the Armâns = part of the Greek people
Romanian Academy: the Armâns = part of the Romanian people
the truth: neither Greek nor Romanian = different from any other Balkan
people, with deep roots in the Ancient Macedonia
Yiani Mantsu-Conference on Minorities,
Tirana, 13-14 Febr. 2013
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Council of Europe and
the Reccomendation 1333 /97
the most imp. achievement for the Armâns in their modern history
the Council of Europe encouraged the Balkan states to support their
language in the fields of education, religion and the media
have supported the adoption of this Recommendation and therefore,
implicitly, recognized the existence of the Armân people
Albanian authorities did not make any steps to implement the
Recommendation to prevent the imminent disappearance of Armân
language and culture
merely supporting the activities of some folk groups does not mean
supporting as Rec. provided:
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education in their mother tongue, religious services in their mother tongue, newspapers,
magazines, radio and television programmes in their mother tongue
associations are not able to cover the fundamental needs in the
various fields of the language and culture
Yiani Mantsu-Conference on Minorities,
Tirana, 13-14 Febr. 2013
Makedon-Armân Council
www.makedonarman-council.org
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Makedon-Armân communities from Balkan countries and diaspora
established in October 2005 the Makedon-Armân Council
to assure coordination, collaboration and fulfillment of all initiatives
contributing to the preservation and promotion of their language,
traditions and cultural values
organized a lot of events in the Balkan countries where the Armâns
live:
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Great Assembly in Moschopolis / Voskopoje (Albania), in 2010
Great Assembly in Krushevo / Republic of Macedonia, in 2012
a lot of cultural activities (in Albania, Greece, Romania, R. of Macedonia)
attended international congresses, conferences, seminars and forums on
minority issues (UNO Geneva, London University, Fryske Akademy
Leeuwarden / Netherlands, Lorient (Bretagne) / France, etc)
Yiani Mantsu-Conference on Minorities,
Tirana, 13-14 Febr. 2013
Salient juridical and political
issues regarding the
Makedon-Armâns in Albania
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Albanian State-Reports submitted to FCNM:
 the minority of Armâns / Aromanians was described as a
“livestock nomadic population”(?)
 discriminating treatment, or an attempt to marginalization
 practiced transhumant pastoralism, which has nothing to do
with nomadism
Analysis of all submitted Albanian State-Reports, focused on three
salient juridical and political aspects regarding the Armân minority:
 national or linguistic minority
 minority language education
 census on minorities
Yiani Mantsu-Conference on Minorities,
Tirana, 13-14 Febr. 2013
National or linguistic minority
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Albanian authorities make a strict difference between national
minorities and linguistic minorities = reason for discriminating or
marginalization of a non-recognized linguistic minority as a national
minority
This classification leads implicitly to a different treatment in
enjoying of certain rights by persons belonging each of these
linguistic minorities
The refuse is based on the assumption that they have no
“motherland” or “kin-state”
In Albania, the Makedon-Armâns represent in fact a traditional
national minority, an autochthonous minority = an issue which has to
be re-examined and be taken into consideration by the Albanian
authorities
Yiani Mantsu-Conference on Minorities,
Tirana, 13-14 Febr. 2013
Minority language education
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the change in the political systems in Southeastern-Europe and HR
changes in Europe - brought the freedom of assertion and promotion
of the identity of each people
every Armân living in Albania is naturally bilingual and exercises
dual ethno-cultural identity
education in their own language within the public system and
within the Monday-through-Friday educational time = an
immediate solution
lack of support to their language in the fields of education,
religion and the media (Radio, TV, etc.)
lack of reaction to the several requests for dialogue-meetings made
by Makedon-Armân Council
Albanian authorities opens a “free line” for Romanian authorities:
the recognition of the status of Romanian minority to the Armâns
from Albania(?)
Yiani Mantsu-Conference on Minorities,
Tirana, 13-14 Febr. 2013
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Census on minorities
census on minorities enables the persons belonging to national or
ethnic minorities to assert their ethnic identity
a fair census on minorities is an essential right in any democracy
statistical data on minorities is also a determinant factor for design of
policies in the relation to national and ethnic-linguistic minorities
the percentage of national minorities (including ethnic-linguistic
minorities) = 1,4 % :
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the media has not paid enough attention to inform the minorities
information tools (newspapers and radio-television operators) not available
information on census in their own language, were missing
responsible authorities on census on minorities did not cooperate with minority
associations
State Committee for Minorities not enough involved
preparation of persons belonging to minotity groups to be self involved in census
activities, was missing
the result of census could be best supplemented by rigorous
studies on minorities
Yiani Mantsu-Conference on Minorities,
Tirana, 13-14 Febr. 2013
Conclusions
 A clear State-minority policy is necessary, more than even
 Submitted State-Reports to FCNM do not contain enough
substance and do mostly not reflect the real existing
problems of the national or ethnic-linguistic minorities
 Makedon-Armâns, represent in fact an autochthonous
minority an issue which has to be re-examined and be
taken into consideration by the Albanian authorities
 fair-mindedness to all minorities, independently from their
minority status, are to be expected from Albanian
authorities
Yiani Mantsu-Conference on Minorities,
Tirana, 13-14 Febr. 2013
THANK YOU
FOR YOUR ATTENTION!
Yiani Mantsu-Conference on Minorities,
Tirana, 13-14 Febr. 2013