kerkko.fi

 

Defying the Mafia
Fed up with extortion and violent crime, ordinary citizens in Italy are rising up against organized crime. A new citizens group called Addiopizzo has organized resistance to the protection rackets.

According to a University of Palermo study, around 80% of businesses in Palermo still pay for protection. The racket in Sicily alone brings the Mafia at least a billion euros annually. Attacks on resisters continue.

In Partinico, a town near Palermo, Pino Maniaci runs a small TV station, Telejato. He has declared war on the local Mafia. "We are a little fire that we hope will become a big fire," Mr Maniaci said.

The government has, however, weakened the anti-Mafia campaign. "We have Berlusconi. That is our problem," Maniaci said. "We cannot destroy the Mafia because of its connection with politics."

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/people-places/In-Sicily-Defying-the-Mafia.html

Filed under: Addiopizzo Berlusconi Italy Mafia Sicily Telejato
11
To Posterous, Love Metalab
statistics for vBulletin