EXHUMATION OF WW II SOLDIERS SPOTLIGHTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L TIRANA 000662 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/SCE (MBENEDICT) E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/15/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR AL GR SUBJECT: EXHUMATION OF WW II SOLDIERS SPOTLIGHTS ALBANIAN-GREEK TENSIONS REF: TIRANA 476 Classified By: Ambassador Marcie B. Ries for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Recent exhumations of Greek soldiers killed in Albania during WW II and the construction of mausoleums here for their re-interrment have sparked considerable controversy and reportedly the cancellation of the Greek Defense Minister's visit to Albania. The exhumations generated controversy when allegations surfaced that some of the remains were of Albanian villagers. The situation was inflamed further when a local Orthodox priest initially refused police access into the church where the remains were being temporarily stored. Preliminary forensic reports showed that the some of the remains were of women and children. The government of Albania has generally been cautious in its official statements, casting the issue as a dispute between private entities. However, when the forensic results are released to the public in one week, the flames may be fanned again. END SUMMARY. CANCELLATION OF VISIT SPARKS CONTROVERSY -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Rasim Hasanaj, Head of the Albanian Cults Committee, told us on May 10 that Greece's Defense Minister had canceled a long-planned visit to Albania, citing the failure of the GoA and Greece to reach a bilateral agreement regarding the exhumation and reburial of Greek soldiers. An estimated 8,000 Greek soldier were killed in Albania fighting Italians and Germans during WW II. Local media then began reporting on ongoing construction of mausoleums in Albania for the Greek soldiers and exhumations of purported graves of those soldiers. ¶3. (C) Hasanaj said that plans for the construction of mausoleums to house the remains of Greek soldiers have been on-again, off-again since the early 1990s. According to Albanian Defense Minister Mediu, Greece is seeking construction of three mausoleums, one each in the regions of Korca, Gjirokaster, and Permet -- all of which share a border with Greece. The position of the GoA is that there should be two, in part to tamp down right-wing criticism that by accepting mausoleums in all three cities the government is encouraging the perpetuation of Greek claims to "Northern Epirus." GREEK GOVERNMENT FUNDED MAUSOLEUM CONSTRUCTION -------------- - ¶4. (C) Father Andon Merdani, director of external relations for the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania, said that, despite the lack of a formal agreement, construction of one mausoleum, capable of taking in 630 new gravesites, was completed last year on the grounds of an Orthodox monastery in Permet. A second similar mausoleum is currently under construction in Korca. Merdani confirmed that the construction of the mausoleums was funded by the Greek government and was carried out under the direction of the Albanian Orthodox church. ¶5. (C) Media reports have alleged that the Orthodox church did not obtain the necessary permits for either the construction of the mausoleums or for the exhumation and reburial of human remains. Merdani said that the Orthodox church had obtained an initial permit for the construction of a church on the site, but was notably silent on the issue of a construction permit for the actual mausoleum and authorization for the exhumations. (Note: Under Albanian law, a grave site may be disturbed only with authorization from the Prosecutor's office and with a court order. End note). REMAINS INCLUDE WOMEN AND CHILDREN -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Dr. Sokrat Meksi, head of Forensic Medicine at Mother Theresa Hospital in Tirana, told us that villagers had lodged a formal complaint with police in Permet alleging that the graves of their relatives, including women and children, had been violated. The Permet regional prosecutor's office has opened a formal criminal investigation and police investigators attempted to enter an Orthodox church in the village of Kutale where the recently exhumed remains were being stored, awaiting reburial. Media reported that the local priest denied access to the police and enlisted the help of the Greek Consul in Gjirokaster, who called on authorities not to search the church. ¶7. (SBU) Merdani said that on June 7 Archbishop Yannulatos Anastasios (head of the Orthodox church in Albania, but a Greek national) visited Greek PM Karamanlis in Athens and that the graves were discussed. The following day, the church rescinded its opposition and gave access to the church. A team of investigators began a forensic analysis of the 69 sets of remains. The Albanian press widely reported a Greek government statement that the exhumations were a private initiative being carried out by the relatives of the soldiers and that the Greek government, and its consular service in Albania, had no official involvement. This helped to calm emotional outbursts in the press that have surrounded the issue. Father Merdani told us that the exhumations were funded by an association established by the relatives of the fallen soldiers. The GoG's statement did not, however, refer to GoG involvement in mausoleum funding. ¶8. (C) Meksi told us that the exhumations had been done in a slipshod manner and that many of the skeletons were not complete or contained more bones than anatomically correct. Moreover, of the 69 cadavers examined, three have been confirmed to be of children, four of women, and two of persons over the age of 60. Meksi acknowledged that most were of men between the ages of 18 and 30 and showed evidence of having been killed in battle. More detailed analysis is needed in a handful of cases. Official results will be released in two weeks. OVERZEALOUS GRAVE-DIGGERS? -------------- ¶9. (C) Meksi said he learned that villagers had been hired to perform the exhumations and were paid between 50 and 100 Euros for each skeleton exhumed. Father Merdani said that although most of the exhumations were performed under the observation of a priest, one of the gravediggers was fired for working after hours and stealing gold fillings and other valuables from the graves. ALBANIANS CLAIM AN AFFRONT TO THEIR SOVEREIGNTY -------------- -- ¶10. (SBU) Citing the failure of the Orthodox church (and its Greek national Archbishop) to obtain the necessary building permits for mausoleums, as well as the lack of official authorization to exhume human remains, some local political commentators and politicians have decried what they consider an intrusion into Albanian sovereignty. They claim that Greece has never formally recognized its border with Albania and still refers to southern Albania as "Northern Epirus." (Note: Albania and Greece have never formally ended the state of war that began when Italian troops invaded Greece from Albania in 1940. End note.) Commentators have also argued that the building of mausoleums (and schools -- see reftel) was an attempt to "Hellenize" the region. Some politicians have even called for the resignation of Archbishop Anastasios, claiming that he used the church as a proxy for carrying out Greek ambitions in Albania. ¶11. (SBU) PM Berisha told reporters on June 1 that "The exhumation is unauthorized and represents a criminal act. There is an ongoing investigation by judicial authorities and police...to determine whether the remains come from Albanian village inhabitants or Greek soldiers." He did not, however, mention the Greek Government, and has remained silent on the matter since. COMMENT: OFFICIAL RESTRAINT, PRIVATE RESENTMENT -------------- - ¶12. (C) The GoA seems to recognize that this is a hot-button issue that could not only incite ethnic tensions domestically, but potentially even complicate foreign policy objectives, including Kosovo independence and EU accession -- two issues in which the support of Greece for Albanian positions is considered vital. In a discussion with DCM, the Greek DCM downplayed the dispute, stating that it did not involve the GoG but rather a few individuals. Indeed, the GoA, and apparently the GoG as well, seem comfortable to cast the whole dispute as one between private parties rather than an issue of governmental concern -- probably a good thing since it indicates that neither government is looking to stir up nationalism for the sake of short-term political gain. Nevertheless, the potentially extra-legal manner of the exhumations and mausoleum construction, will likely exacerbate the long-standing mistrust many Albanians have for their Greek neighbors. RIES