ITALY: SICILY: "ITALIAN GANDHI" STAGES HUNGER-STRIKE IN ROCCAMENA, NEAR PALERMO, TO ENCOURAGE DAM BUILDING

Record ID: 342039

  • Title: ITALY: SICILY: "ITALIAN GANDHI" STAGES HUNGER-STRIKE IN ROCCAMENA, NEAR PALERMO, TO ENCOURAGE DAM BUILDING
  • Date: 8th March 1965
  • Summary: 1. TGV VILLAGERS AT PROTEST MEETING 0.05 2. SCU PAN. DEMONSTRATORS SEATED WITH BANNER 0.10 3. SCU PAN. DITTO 0.23 4. CU SIGNOR DOLCI 0.27 5. LV DEMONSTRATORS 0.43 6. CU PAN. BLACK BANNERS ACROSS DESERTED STREETS 0.49 7. SCU PAN. SIGN 'CARABINIERI' PAN TO FLAGS OVER DESERTED STREET 1.00 Initials RM/V/MR/PC Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 23rd March 1965 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ROCCAMENA, NEAR PALERMO, SICILY, ITALY
  • Country: Italy
  • Reuters ID: LVAE2YHSUSQNVKLELTLZU3KVCUDR
  • Story Text: A PUBLIC "HUNGER STRIKE" GOING ON IN THE VILLAGE OF ROCCAMENA, NEAR PALERMO IN CENTRAL SICILY, WILL BE JOINED TONIGHT (MONDAY) BY FIVE MAYORS FROM NEARBY VILLAGES.THE CENTRAL FIGURE IN THE FAST IS THE ITALIAN SOCIAL REFORMER AND WRITER, DANILO DOLCI, WHO IS PRESSING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN IRRIGATION DAM IN THE AREA.

    SIGNOR DOLCI, KNOWN BY SOME AS "THE ITALIAN GANDHI", BEGAN THE HUNGER STRIKE YESTERDAY WITH 30 FOLLOWERS.IN THE COMING WEEK, VILLAGERS WILL TAKE TURNS TO SPEND 48 HOURS FASTING IN THE SQUARE WITH SIGNOR DOLCI, WHO HAS BEEN CAMPAIGNING FOR YEARS TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS FOR THE SICILIAN POOR.

    THE ROCCAMENA VILLAGERS SAY THAT THE WATERS OF THE BELICE RIVER ARE RUNNING INTO THE SEA INSTEAD OF BEING DAMMED FOR IRRIGATION AND THUS PROVIDING A NEW LIFE TO THE COMMUNITY AND WORK OF THE UNEMPLOYED.THEY SAY A DAM WAS FIRST PROMISED BY THE AUTHORITIES 30 YEARS AGO.

    BLACK-EDGED POSTER ON WALLS AND SLOGANS ON BANNERS BETWEEN THE BALCONIES PROCLAIM: "WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH WORDS, WE WANT FACTS", AND "WITHOUT WATER WE DIE."
    SIGNOR DOLCI FIRST STAGED A HUNGER STRIKE OVER THE DAM IN 1963.AFTER THE FAT HAD BEEN IN PROGRESS FOR 10 DAYS, THE AUTHORITIES PROMISED TO GO AHEAD ON THE DAM - BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO SIGN OF ANY CONSTRUCTION SINCE.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register