(I
found this old Blog I wrote in 2008. Reading it I discovered that I
never did find the answer I asked. Somehow, I had not followed up that
episode which at the time interested me a great deal. Maybe I could
still find out the ending to it. Reposting it so that it's at least
within reach so to speak, as reminder for me to dig around when time
permits.)
** Posted on 12th Nov 2008 **
Just 3 years ago, Robert Saviano was a young reporter in Naples, Italy. With no fixed job and badly paid, he followed avidly the darker side of life in Naples, corruption, black market smuggling, revenge, assassinations. Matters of the Mafia Camorra, in chaotic and permanent civil wars. They generate tremendous violence, but due to their loquacious and exaggerating characteristic they lack the decisive and solemn tone that distinguish the Sicilians. To him the Camorra offers great literary possibilities.
In 2006 Saviano's life, not yet 30 years old, changed when he published his book 'Comorra' with the 'O for the 'a', about the Camorra, which received certain interest by the Camorras themselves, who passed the book from one to another, trying to recognise themselves with the characters. The book immediately became overwhelming success and Saviano began to feel some unease. The clans felt this young man should be liquidated. From then on, Saviano had to live a totally secluded life, incognito and surrounded only by a small escort of police.
He couldn't take that life in permanent solitary hideout and left his country to come to the Basque country, where nearly everybody else seems to be in the same boat. But he couldn't avoid the fate his book brought him. One of the atrocities, a hideous crime was described how, one day, he accidentally opened a container destined for the boat moored at the port of Naples, and dozens of dead bodies fell out. He couldn't forget the image and couldn't keep quiet, but followed the trail of that container, to discover the finest and most exclusive industry of Italian fashion, that kept in slavery thousands of Chinese immigrants, who worked below ground, in infrahuman conditions, under control of the Mafia criminals.
His book 'Comorra' not only denounces his own country Italy, but the whole of Europe, it's putrefaction and corruption, the hidden roots of it's present day prosperity obtained on the pains of new found slaves, not all that different from their ancestors getting rich centuries ago, thanks to the slaves' sweat and blood; which none of them wish to admit in public.
Now we all know that Saviano has been condemned to death reported on all media everywhere, not sure about Italy. This time, it's not the others, not those who are of the different kind, not terrorists, not Muslims, but our own bad lot. The Camorra has warned that he would not see 2009. So far nobody had done anything to voice their support to the author of the book, and the Hollywood actresses are patronizing the ONG wearing exclusive and exquisite fashions without asking who had sewn them.
- Current Mood:
Contemplative
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