THE ROLE OF THE ALBANIAN DIASPORA (IN THE U.S.) ON THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE OF ALBANIA

Abstract

The fall of the Albanian League of Prizren and the very difficult economic situation forced hundreds and thousands of Albanians to flee outside the borders of Albania and even further than that, outside the borders of the Ottoman Empire. Most of them migrated to Romania, Bulgaria, Egypt, Russia and the USA, countries where the former old colonies of Albanians could be found. Taking into consideration the difficult and severe conditions of Albania, in the context of the national development movement and the implementation of its platform for the development of the Albanian education and culture, an important role at the time was played by the Albanian Diaspora. Its role had already escalated to the creation, joining and unification of societies and clubs. Such was the case of the creation of the Federation “Panshqiptare Vatra†in the United States. The activities of its representatives in the countries where the federation was active were legal and in favourable political conditions. Their political goals were quite clear and the two main objectives were the liberation from slavery and the preservation of the territorial entirety of the Albanian lands. The political activity of the Diaspora developed within so called societies or cultural clubs, which was clearly expressed in their statutes. This political activity was obvious in the press of time, according to which this was happening in order to make use (in favour of the Albanian movements) of the available legal means, as well as to avoid any possible obstacles that could come out from the governmental authorities under the pressure of the Ottoman government to the authorities where these societies and clubs were operating. The contemporary actor of these societies, Visar Dodoni later on wrote: In that time the primary objective of the Albanian desires was the birth of the Albanian literature; but the goal that was hidden behind these wishes was the national freedom...