Congress of Dibër
The Congress of Dibër was a congress held by members of Albanian committee in Debar from July 23 to July 29, 1909. The congress was chaired by Vehbi Dibra, Grand Mufti of the Sanjak of Dibra and was sponsored by the government of the Young Turks. It was held on the first anniversary of the Young Turk Revolution and was a countermeasure on the Latin script based Albanian alphabet which came out of the Congress of Manastir.
Background
In 1908, an alphabet congress in Manastir agreed to adopt a Latin character-based Albanian alphabet and the move was considered an important step for Albanian unification. Some conservative Albanian Muslims and clerics opposed the Latin alphabet and preferred an Arabic-based Albanian one because they were concerned that a Latin script undermined ties with the Muslim world. For the Ottoman government the situation was alarming because the Albanians were the largest Muslim community in the European part of the empire. The Albanian national movement was a proof that not only Christians had national feelings and Islam could not keep Ottoman Muslims united. In these circumstances the Ottoman state organised a congress in Debar in 1909 with the intention that Albanians there declare themselves as Ottomans, promise to defend its territorial sovereignty and adopt an Albanian Arabic character script.The initiative for the congress was superficially taken by an Ottoman Albanian Constitutional Committee in Debar. However the entire organization was formed by the Young Turks. Invitations were first sent to Albanians so as to give the impression that the congress was an Albanian assembly. Gradually all other nationalities of the Albanian and Macedonian vilayets, excluding the Greeks, were welcomed to send delegates. The reason of the congress was not unveiled producing suppositions. Two days before beginning of proceedings, Fahri Pasha, Wali of Manastir told consuls in Manastir that with the organization of congress was aimed at persuading Albanians to abandon independence ideals.
Proceedings
Most of the delegates were Muslim Albanians, others included 95 Christians. Some of the Young Turks present were officers dressed in civilian clothes. The Young Turks wanted, through Vehbi Dibra to force the attendees to agree with the program. Among other issues the Young Turks had prepared for discussion was the geopolitical question of Crete and military service for all subjects of the Ottoman Empire while they tried to neglect those related to Albanianism. Strong opposition toward the Young Turks came from nationally minded Albanians including Abdul Ypi who delivered a fiery speech. The differences produced clashes and the meeting was temporarily suspended. Later a committee was formed to decide on the program. The main goal of the Young Turks was to show the European and Ottoman public that Albanians were ready to protect the Constitution and did not have separatist aims. Additionally the Young Turks wanted to force acceptance of the Arabic alphabet by the Albanians.Support for the positions of the Young Turks came from many delegates. The Albanian element however took total control of the proceedings and rejected the request of the Young Turks to declare themselves Ottomans, promise to fight for the empire and write with Arabic letters. The final compromise decision of the congress was that the Albanian language should taught freely, the Albanians could write with any alphabet they wanted and elementary, secondary and commercial schools and lyćees should be opened in every part of Albania. Additional demands adopted were for justice in the courts, tax reforms, infrastructure, permission to keep their weapons, the delineations of frontiers and military service only within Albanian territory. In the end of proceedings, it was decided that other similar congresses would be held each coming year in other settlements across the European part of the Empire.