Country of Jokes: death of a democracy

I have to interrupt my usually calm blogging on science and other topics to bring you this news: a democracy is dying. While I wish the best to the newest republic in the world, I have to announce that, in the heart of Europe, one of the youngest democracies, celebrating its anniversary today, is as close to death as it has ever been since its inception.

In these days, in Italy, we are seeing things that have not occurred probably since the times of Mussolini. You must think I am exaggerating - Italians are passionate people who tend to complain a lot and exaggerate things, right? Think again. I am not asking you to believe me, either. I am asking you to watch this with your own eyes. And you do not need to understand the language at all, to see what I am talking about.

You might have heard about the Italian garbage emergency. No? Too engrossed in the American campaign, uh? OK, no problem, I will give you a blitzkrieg-style introduction to what is going on.

Not so long ago, Berlusconi came to power for the third time. Immediately, he tried to pass a law (fortunately he did not succeed) to protect his televisions, one of which is illegally taking over frequencies that should belong to another broadcaster. At this time, the garbage scandal, exploded under the now defunct Prodi government, reached such gravity that immediate action was required to address the issue. So he moved to try and solve a crisis avoiding all the most reasonable solutions, and continuing on the road taken by his predecessors: instead of implementing a recycling program immediately, he gave one man (the "commissary") power to handle the whole issue, and promised to open more dumps, as well as have the police and the army defend these sites in case people opposed this move.

People surely opposed it, as they always have. One of the sites will be an old cave in Chiaiano, a Naples neighbourhood. A place where there are hospitals, about 250,000 inhabitants, and where a solar power plant was supposed to be built. They happen to have old caves made of porous materials, materials which will not be able to protect underground waters used for drinking and agriculture.

So the people of Chiaiano decided to protest. They did this peacefully. Some pushing here and there, but the protest was peaceful. You do not believe me? In the videos below the fold, look at the raised hands, at the police charging unarmed men and women, throwing tear gas at them, and even beating up journalists.

In this area, more and more towns are starting to adopt recycling. Reusing and reducing are the only ways out of this crisis, a crisis created by governments (national, regional and provincial) as well as businesses (Impregilo, among these, deserves a special note) which have profited from the misery of a region infested by criminality, and blessed with the most fertile lands in the country...and some of the highest tumor loads, because of all the illegal (and legal) garbage dumping.

Look at how our democracy is dying, with the armed forces are taking over the streets, citizens being ignored AND punished for speaking up, and all decency and rationality being thrown out of the window. In the meantime, our media are becoming more and more censored, so that now you are forced to find information on the internet. In the current climate of desperation, people are unable to find jobs (the unemployment rate is sky-high, inflation at 3.6%, and 40% of degree holders unable to find a job two years after graduating), xenophobia and environmental degrade are raging, and I expect that the attacks to our young democracy will become worse and worse in the months to come.

The silent dictatorship of the powerful, the criminal and the corrupt is growing stronger, and this birthday feels like a morning bell for the so-called Second Republic. Watch the videos below the fold.

The actual charge - here it comes. Some of the protesters are shouting "murderers" at the police (they expect the dump will bring increased cancer incidence to the town. They are not wrong).

[If you cannot see the video, you can watch it here.]

Here, Euronews reports on the clashes in Chiaiano.

[If you cannot see this video, watch it here.]

Here, a national news broadcast reports on, and condemns, the beating of a reporter in Chiaiano.

[If you cannot see the video, watch it here.]

A slideshow of the protest..and the beating.

[If you cannot see this video, you can watch it here.]

Check out the related videos for more.


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