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Thursday, November 20, 2008

Roberto Saviano and the other Mafia.

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Francesco Pischetola / AFP/Getty Images
(In the center of the picture is Roberto Saviano: the author of 'Gomorrah' the book, while he's escorted by policemen and bodyguards.)

One day while I was having a rather animated conversation with friends of mine, on the matter of the Mafia and Camorra's criminal activities. At the conclusion of it, I came to realize that the Camorra compared to the Mafia was all by itself, a different kind of beast.

While less famous than its Sicilian counterpart, progressively the Camorra is getting more powerful and notoriety, than the Mafia.

The reason of it?




The Camorra is of a more bloody thirsty animal than the Mafia itself.

The Mafia in its own way has (or at least had it), a code of honor. The "mafiusi" were bound to this code, and if they didn't respected this unwritten code, then they were likely to be severally punished. And the penalty was of course, death. This unwritten code was: to never kill young people, women, or priests.

And even though wasn't in their code of honor, they tried very hard to not kill any police officer, for the obvious reason that if they did kill one of them, afterwards the knew, that the all police system were highly motivated to catch the police officer's assassins.

The Camorra has none of those codes. When the Camorra is in pursue of money and power doesn't respect anyone, it is more brutal and merciless than the Sicilian Mafia.

By now, I have seen every other day in the news of the Italian TVs, how true is it!

The Camorristi had killed, maimed, and punished in the streets of Naples, youngsters, women, and any other innocent standby, indiscriminately.

In comparison the Mafia tried to conceal anyways they could their bloody busyness. Indeed, the Mafia is more of a secret criminal society which likes to keep their filthy affairs very obscured.

In the other hand, the Camorra doesn't care much of hiding it!

Among Mafia, Ndrangheta, Stidda (that's just for naming a few of the many souther Italian criminal organizations), and now the Camorra which are trying to cannibalize whatever of productive, good, and honest are left in the southern regions of the Italian's societies by keeping those same societies, in a terrifying stranglehold of fears and retaliations.

Roberto Saviano: who is this guy?

Roberto Saviano is a regular guy, who had the guts to write the "Gamorra's book" (in English: Gomorrah) a "non-fiction novel" about the Neapolitan mafia, the Camorra, to denounce its undermining on a society efforts for a better future.

After Saviano published his book, he had to be relocated from Naples and given 24-hour armed police protection.

Recently Saviano was in Los Angeles (California), for the presentation of the movie, Gamorrah (which by the way, it has a chance to win an Oscar). During this visit, he had a brief interview with an American journalist which asked him if was regretting to had written the book, Gomorrah.

Roberto Saviano's Gomorrah trailer:



Roberto Saviano had answered to the journalist that he wasn't regretting to had written it, but his life had changed a lot since he did write the book.

In an other interview with an Italian newspaper he said: "Right now I don't see why I should keep living like this, as a prisoner of myself, my book, my success. I want a life, that's all," he told La Repubblica.

A police informer reportedly told police that the Camorra planned to kill Saviano, "before Christmas".

Right now, he needs a round-the-clock protection because hes life was threaten by the, "Casalesi" to be ended by the end of this year.

The Casalesi are the most sanguinary of all the
Neapolitan's Camorra clans.

Even tough, I never wrote any book about Mafia (maybe in a far future I will - I never know ), a part of my life was for sometime in the same position in which he's right now.

I admire his choice of writing that book, and the courage to stand for what he believes. To the contrary of what he did, I simple left my Sicily when I came to realize that I couldn't take anymore.....
In those moments, I was so deeply disgusted and discouraged that nothing would be ever changed, that I had resorted to simply given up on my dreams and leave my Sicily for good.....

Takes a lot courage to fight the Mafia, particularly when standing alone.

I personally know both reality: the Sicilian realities, because I lived for a long time
there, and the Neapolitan reality, because I was there many times and I had a lot of Neapolitan friends.

Saviano has right now a lot support, but I don't believe that would be it enough to prevent his life to be prematurely terminated. I wish him luck, a lot of luck. Because, he's going to really need it.
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Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Naples garbage crisis.

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Naples, while drowning in his own garbage waste, more than a San Gennaro needs a San Giuliani, for solving his woes.


These days, news are coming out from Italy regarding the Naples garbage crisis. After reviewing them, I thought there was not much to be proud of, as Italian. An Italy's third largest city such as Naples, been drowning under mountains of garbage, while Italian authorities badly managing this emergency, it really shocked me. Also these news been ironically commented by other European nations, that also angered me. Naples has been in a state of emergency over waste disposal, a business in which the Camorra (the local mafia) has been involved, for nearly 14 years. Tensions over garbage spreading through the all of Italy when, some regions has been asked to help solving the crisis by allowing the disposal of their landfills, in response they showed their unwillingness toward that request. Prodi (the prime minister of Italy) this week appointed a former national police chief as "trash tsar" and gave him four months to solve the crisis, to clean up waste disposal in the Naples region, and take it out of the hands of he local mafia. The prime minister has been criticized by some politicians, and citizens as like, because his proposals for solving the Naples' crisis.


Now, wtf it's wrong with the Italians, they should help each others instead of bickering on the matter. Regarding some politicians, and parties (in particular-the regionalist Northern League party said it was ready to put up roadblocks to stop rubbish coming north,) instead to criticized they should shut f... up, and work together in resolving the situation, not criticizing each other policies. The all leadership of Naples, and some of Italy as well, are a disgrace to the entire Italy, for not having handled the crisis in time. Fourteen years later, and about $3 billions of public money, Naples is still searching for the solutions. I have a sense of deep disgust for the all matter, which has greatly embarrassed me, and the entire worldwide Italian communities.



Naples' citizens, in time of crisis they invoke the help of their patron saint (Naples protector's Saint is San Gennaro). Today, in this crisis more than a San Gennaro the Napolitans need San Giuliani. San Giuliani, or better Rudi Giuliani the former mayor of New York.





Rudolph William Louis, (that's the complete name) during his administration, crime rates dropped in New York City. In his first term as mayor, Giuliani, adopted an aggressive enforcement-deterrent strategy. This involved crackdowns on relatively minor offenses such as graffiti, turnstile jumping, and aggressive "squeegee men", on the theory that this would send a message that order would be maintained. I must say I didn't like much Giuliani because his policies, I believe he was more like a dictator in the function of a mayor, his though politics versus a part of New York city residents had raised some concerns among many citizens. After he, finished his term another major was elected, that was Michael Bloomberg which tried to follow Giuliani footsteps, meaning though management while running New York City's affairs. I didn't like him either, but today my view on their performances has changed, these days I came to realize maybe these mayors had not much choices while running a city such as New York. A mayor has to be resolute in his decisions don't wave under exterior pressures, once made his decisions go for it. A mayor of a big city can't make anybody happy, he has to work for the good of the entire community, not for the singles one. You can criticize how a mayor runs a city while he's in charge, but not step in his final decision.


Like the Italian politicians, and in the particular the Naples' case, where they can't take, or won't take any decision, because they are afraid of some citizens' response. These politicians rather than acting, they are reacting to external pressure. Maybe a mayor such as Giuliani, with his though methods would had solved already the Naples' crisis, acting even as "trash tsar" if the situation was required. He was undeterred by any critics while he was running as mayor. He had to overcome obstructions from any party, organizations, or common citizens, to make the right/wrong decision, and latter finally, put in action his proposals for solving a crisis. His administration wasn't stopped in it's tracks, like the Napolitan's administration had while trying to solve the issue by other parties, or organizations as well. The aftermaths of their incapacity to act as politicians combined with personal interests, are today results of this garbage crisis. Till these days, their unfitness for action in the face of crisis, has been worst than not reacting (even badly) at all.

In conclusion:

I hope now some Saint, or for the mere fact any Saint put some decency, and common sense in those Italian politicians, and finally do their jobs the way that was suppose to be done already, with determination, and resolution by making the right decisions for the Napolitans', and Italians' good.

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Many Think Mafia Involved in Naples Trash Crisis.


Author Roberto Saviano says he thinks the Camorra, a mafia organization, is involved in creating the garbage crisis in Naples.

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Some related videos:



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From reuters.com:

Naples rubbish.

Jan. 08 - Italy vows "radical" fix to Naples garbage crisis

A tense standoff between Italian police and locals in Naples who were blocking access to a garbage dump ended peacefully on Monday when the government said it would announce a "radical" solution to a waste emergency.

Robin Pomeroy reports from Naples.



Naples residents under siege

Jan. 8 - Some Naples residents feel abandoned by the government after a night of clashes between protestors and police over waste disposal.

People in Naples have had no choice but to dump household waste on ever growing piles in the streets. Italian media reported that some 110,000 tonnes of garbage had accumulated in the Campania region, of which Naples is the capital. Prime Minister Romano Prodi has promised a radical solution to the crisis and is due to hold an emergency meeting with his ministers.

Stefanie McIntyre reports.
# Roberta Massi, Resident
# Giovanni Russi, Resident






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