SABATO MUSICALE

Today is the festa della Liberazione.

Gruppo popolare e solisti dell'Oltrepo Pavese - Bella ciao

THE ITALY WE LOVE

It is good to be able to end the week on a positive note and to be able to say , "Well done, Italy."

I'm sure that many of you, like me, were in tears when you saw the arrival of Meriam Ibrahim and her family in Rome yesterday. What a moment that must have been for Meriam, after having been imprisoned, forced to give birth in chains and threatened not once, but twice with execution.

Of course there has been an international campaign to free her and many countries have played their part but Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Lapo Pistelli was instrumental in securing permission for Meriam to leave Sudan this time. He accompanied the family on their flight to Rome on an Italian government plane and it gladdened the heart to see him carrying 18-month-old Martin down the steps as Meriam carried baby Maya. Prime Minister Renzi made time to be there, as did his wife and Italy's Foreign Minister, Federica Mogherini. An airport policeman gave Meriam's husband a reassuring pat on the shoulder and other officials played with Martin. Then, as the world has seen, the family were taken to meet Pope Francis.

This is the Italy we all love - not the Italy that talks about harsher and harsher immigration laws, that taxes the entrepreneurs it so desperately needs out of existence or the Italy of the 7,850 amendments. Yesterday we saw the kind, compassionate, humane country that can move mountains when it wants to.

To Italy I would like to suggest that we see more of the same and to Meriam and her family I wish a safe onward journey to the United States and a happy life, free of chains at last.

Corriere della Sera - l'arrivo di Meriam a Roma

"THE LADY" IN ROME

Yesterday a heroine of mine and, I am sure, of many readers of this blog, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, arrived in Rome for a series of meetings as part of her European tour.  "The lady", as she is often called, is a heroine here, too and I would like to add my voice to the many that have welcomed her to Italy.

Aung San Suu Kyi first travelled to the Campidoglio where she received, 19 years late, the scroll that makes her an honorary citizen of Rome. This honour was awarded to her in 1994 but, as she was under house arrest at the time, she was unable to accept it in person. At last, yesterday, it was presented to her by Mayor of Rome Ignazio Marino and one of his predecessors, Francesco Rutelli. In her acceptance speeech, Aung San Suu Kyi remembered visiting Rome as a student 40 years ago, when she had been very impressed by the friendliness of the people. She had enjoyed the gelato, too! Mr Marino told her that Rome would always be with her and that the world needs people like her. 

"The lady" also received the Rome Peace Prize and Roberto Baggio, who had accepted it on her behalf in 2007, was visibly moved.  He said that Aung San Suu Kyi's battles for freedom had not only changed the destiny of her own people, but also the everyday lives of others.

This morning Prime Minister Letta received Aung San Suu Kyi at the Palazzo Chigi and assured her of his full support in her work to advance Burma's transition to democracy, particularly with regard to the constitutional reforms that will be necessary.  Mr Letta thanked "the lady" for her tireless fight for democracy and freedom and invited her to Expo 2015 as food security, one of the themes of the festival, is of interest to her. She accepted the invitation with pleasure.

Later "the lady" discussed human rights and religious freedom in a private audience with Pope Francis and afterwards met President Napolitano, Foreign Minister Emma Bonino, President of the Senate Pietro Grasso and Laura Boldrini, President of the Chamber of Deputies.

The Eternal City loves you, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Please come again soon!

SABATO MUSICALE

For oppressed women everywhere.  Thank you for the reminder, jams.

The Weavers - Hay una mujer desaparecida

THREE TYPES OF DEMONSTRATIONS - PART 1

Three very different types of demonstrations have taken place in Italy over the past few days and the pictures from one of these, of course, went round the world.

What did not go round the world - at least, not at first - was the information that those who caused Saturday's unprecedented violence in Rome were not marching in the main body of the demonstration, which consisted of peaceful protestors [gli indignati] who wished, along with demonstrators of the "Occupy" movement in other countries, to make their feelings about bankers and inept governments known. The demonstration was ruined by a highly organised group of masked and hooded individuals who have become known in Italy as the black bloc.  Estimates of the numbers involved vary but it is probable that around 3,000 black bloc individuals sabotaged the protest of up to 200,000 citizens who wanted only to assert their right to a future.

The BBC initially reported the violence without making any distinction between the two groups of demonstators but it is important that the distinction be made, for demonstrators in the main body not only applauded the police but handed them their photos and videos of the violent group.  As Italy recovers from the shock of what happened and counts the cost - an estimated €1.5 million worth of damage done to public property alone and 135 injured, 105 of whom were police or other public order officials - it emerges that the black bloc had organised their activities with military precision and that we are looking at a very sinister phenomenon indeed.

"How", asked a panel member on a political talk show on Monday night, "can such a relatively small group wreak such havoc during a demonstration that was intended to be peaceful?"  This is the question that most Italians have been asking themselves and the answer, when it came from a fellow panel member, was clear:  "In a democracy, easily."

And this is now precisely Italy's dilemma:  How, in a democracy, do you control demonstrations?  Not everyone, it must be said, is praising the police, who have been criticised from some quarters for not guaranteeing citizens' right to demonstrate peacefully.  But if they are to do this, reason politicians from all sides, their powers must be increased. Therefore among new measures being proposed as I write are:  the possible arrest of people who attend demonstrations in suspicious clothing or disguise, police powers to arrest in flagranza differita [on photographic or video evidence up to 48 hours after the fact] and, most controversially, a proposal to charge the organisers of demonstrations a deposit in case of damage to public property.  The Mayor of Rome has already banned demonstrations in the city centre for one month and this ban may be extended.

Now, clearly, you are in trouble, in a democracy, when you start telling people what they can wear, as countries who have tried to ban, or have banned, the veil have found out and, whilst we may all agree that attending a demonstration in an almost military disguise is extreme, who is going to judge what is acceptable and unacceptable?  In Britain, would going to a demonstration in a David Cameron mask be outlawed under a similar measure?  As for the proposed deposit, who is going to decide how much should be paid, what would be the criteria and to whom would the payment be made?  If no damage is done, I would not like to bet on the ease of reclaim of such a deposit given Italy's bureaucratic procedures, not to mention the fact that Italy would be the only country in the world to charge participants prior to a demonstration.

Two weeks ago, as reported on this blog, the online community fought a battle - not over yet but seemingly successful - to save the independence and neutrality of Wikipedia Italia.  This campaign was conducted purely online, first by the users of Wikipedia Italia themselves and then by their supporters.  So the question, it seems to me, is whether there is a new way of demonstrating.  No one in the West can now say that they do not have ways in which to make their voice heard via technological media.  And if there are enough voices, they quickly reach the mainstream media:  Three weeks ago, it was hard to find any mainstream media coverage of the "Occupy" movement at all and some of us wondered whether there had been a planned media blackout.  Now, thanks to blogs, twitter and other information and social networks, the movement is making headlines everywhere.

The right to go in piazza, as the Italians say, to demonstrate peacefully should be safeguarded everywhere but I think it now goes hand in hand with a new, online way of demonstrating which can involve everyone.  In these ways  we can change the world.

Tomorrow I will write about two other demonstrations which have taken place in Italy over the past week.

WIKIPEDIA ITALIA UPDATE

News of the Wikipedia Italia  blackout of October 4th, 5th and 6th travelled around the world - slowly, at first, but then it gathered speed and thousands joined the protests.

Italy's politicians, for once, were quick to react, realising, perhaps, that they risked becoming an international laughing stock and that this time it would not be only their Prime Minister who would be the target of the world's satirists.

For those of you who are not familiar with the background to the story, I'll explain as briefly and clearly as I can:  The Intercettazioni  or "Wiretapping Bill", popularly known as the Bavaglio or "Gagging Bill" that is currently being proposed in Italy would make it more difficult for the investigators of criminal cases to tap phones and use the recordings as evidence. "But that seems a good thing", I hear you say, "as it may protect privacy".  Ah, but this is Italy and among the investigations that could turn on such evidence are some that may involve a certain high-profile politician.  Are you with me?

The proposed legislation would also introduce much stricter rules regarding when and how journalists could report such evidence and this week a government amendment, under which journalists who report "irrelevant" tapped conversations could be jailed for up to three years, caused the resignation of Giulia Bongiorno, the lawyer who was overseeing the Bill's passage through Parliament.    If you are wondering where you have heard this lawyer's name before, it is because she is also famous as the appeal hearing lawyer of Raffaele Sollecito.

As if this were not enough, the Bill also contained a section, referred to as comma 29, under which anyone writing on the web in Italy would have to retract and "correct" any statement they had made which offended anyone at all or face a hefty fine and the closure of their site.  Therefore the clause was given the nickname ammazza blog ["the kill-blog"].  The neutrality and independence of websites such as Wikipedia Italia would also be threatened by the clause and for this reason the site's users staged the blackout protest.

We had to wait until late last night for an amendment to be proposed but when it came all who love knowledge and freedom of speech in Italy breathed a collective sigh of relief.  Under this amendment the "retraction and correction" requirement would not apply to sites such as Wikipedia or to ordinary blogs.  However, it would still apply to registered newspapers and periodicals online so press freedom is far from guaranteed.

The amendment has to be debated in Parliament from next Wednesday so, although Wikipedia Italia has been back up from today, the following statement appears at the top of its pages:

"Sono stati proposti degli emendamenti, ma le modifiche al disegno di legge non sono ancora state approvate in via definitiva. Non sappiamo, quindi, se sia ormai scongiurata l'approvazione della norma nella sua formulazione originaria, approvazione che vanificherebbe gran parte del lavoro fatto su Wikipedia".

"Amendments have been proposed but the changes to the Bill have not yet been definitively approved.  Therefore we do not yet know if approval of the law in its original form has been avoided.   If it has not, such approval would nullify much of the work done on Wikipedia."
[My translation.]

Jimmy Wales, the co-founder of Wikipedia said, in this interview for the International Festival of Journalism,

"The Italian community has stood up for the fundamental human right of free expression. This affects everyone. All governments are on notice: we’re here, the citizens of the world, and you can’t silence us any more."

As a blogger and a lover of freedom I would like to take this opportunity to thank Wikipedia for its wonderful work and the users of Wikipedia Italia for bringing the world's attention to what has been going on here.

FREEDOM FOR THE LADY

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was freed "unconditionally" today. I do not wish to mar the celebrations of this day but I cannot help fearing that she will be rearrested in a replay of  the "90 days" series of arrests that we saw in apartheid South Africa.  No one is more aware of this danger than Aung San Suu Kyi herself.  Let us hope, however, that "unconditionally" means exactly that and that this brave lady is allowed to speak freely from now on.  

The world now needs to focus on the campaign to free the remaining 2,020 political prisoners in Myanmar. 

Of the Burmese tradition of releasing a caged bird on New Year's Day, Aung San Suu Kyi has written:

"I could not help wondering how much value there could be to a gesture of liberation that does not truly guarantee freedom."

- Letters from Burma, 1995.

14 YEARS, 238 DAYS

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is 65 today and she spends her birthday in detention.  Myanmar's  Democracy leader has, in fact, spent 14 years and 238 days in detention because the odious ruling junta fears her.  Like all bullies, they fear one who fights them with words of reason more than they fear violence. This is what The Lady herself has to say about fear:

"Within a system which denies the existence of basic human rights, fear tends to be the order of the day. Fear of imprisonment, fear of torture, fear of death, fear of losing friends, family, property or means of livelihood, fear of poverty, fear of isolation, fear of failure. A most insidious form of fear is that which masquerades as common sense or even wisdom, condemning as foolish, reckless, insignificant or futile the small, daily acts of courage which help to preserve man's self-respect and inherent human dignity. It is not easy for a people conditioned by fear under the iron rule of the principle that might is right to free themselves from the enervating miasma of fear. Yet even under the most crushing state machinery courage rises up again and again, for fear is not the natural state of civilized man. "
- Freedom from Fear, 1991

Please visit this site to find out how you can take action to help Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners in Myanmar [Burma].

Thank you.

No sabato musicale this week.  Instead, this is for The Lady:

BUON ANNO A TUTTI

Simi and I wish the world peace in 2010.

Luciano Pavarotti & Stevie Wonder - Peace Wanted Just to Be Free

FOR THE SAKE OF DEMOCRACY

I am very late tonight and it is because I have spent most of the afternoon and evening finding out more about this, to which I was alerted by this twitter friend. The situation has both upset and appalled me: upset me because brute force has been used against peaceable women and appalled me because it is happening in the 21st century; appalled me, also, because feminist groups in the west have apparently paid little attention to the case.

To sum up the relevant events as briefly as I can, the journalist Lubna Ahmed Hussein was arrested in a Khartoum restaurant in July, along with 12 other women, including non-Muslims, who were "indecently" attired in trousers. Some of the women were prosecuted immediately , lashed and fined. Lubna insisted on calling a lawyer and wants her case to go to full trial. Later she resigned her UN status, which would have given her immunity from prosecution. She feels that she is fighting for all Sudanese women. If convicted, Lubna could be flogged 40 times. Her trial today was adjourned. I understand that only the French Govenment has condemned the initial floggings.

Lubna's "indecent" or "disrespectful" attire was this:

As I understand it, this is perfectly acceptable female attire to most Muslims. But even if it were not, men cannot dictate to women what they may and may not wear and I don't care whether the man in question is The Pope, a Muslim cleric, a fashion designer or Joe Bloggs down the road. Interestingly, the US Embassy to the Holy See seems to think the Vatican has a "no pants" rule for women, whereas the Vatican itself claims it doesn't!

When men impose dress rules upon women and mix these up with their own ideals of "purity", or of a "woman's place", using "religion" or political doctrine to justify them, nothing but unhappiness for both sexes can ensue.

What is the first thing an extreme right-wing faction does after taking power by violent means? It gains control of the media. And what is the second thing? It attempts to control its nation's women. Women are told in no uncertain terms that they cannot wear trousers [Chile], that their place is in the home [Mussolini, Franco] and from there it becomes clear that they have no rights. Dictators fear the power of words and they also fear women.

Why? Long before 9/11 and its consequences I read a book called The Harem Within by Fatima Mernissi. Much of this book consists of charming tales of the author's childhood in 1940s Fez but always she is questioning the concept of the harem and wondering why it is the men, not the women, who walk freely. In a footnote she explains that "domestic" harems were really extended families who continued the tradition of secluding women. She writes:

"What defines a harem is not polygamy, but the men's desire to seclude their wives."

Be secluded or completely cover yourself: women have to be hidden in some way and all this, the men would have us believe, is done to "protect" women. Think about it for a minute: how can a state defend polygamy and claim to be protecting women? Mernissi writes:

"The fundamentalist press's defence of polygamy and divorce is in fact an attack against the right of women to participate in the law-making process. "

[Bear with me, reader - I'm getting there!]

And:

"But that historical heritage [that of early Islam's anti-slavery stance] did not influence the position of some of the conservative Arab leaders who resisted the slavery ban by camouflaging it as an attack on the 'umma', the Muslim community, which is exactly what they are doing today with women's rights. They know too well that they cannot promote democracy without liberating women. Their resistance to women's rights is in fact a rejection of democratic principles and human rights." [My italics.]

I have thought that that was the key since I first read it in 1994. Therefore it is for democracy and for human rights that I ask you, today, to support Lubna Ahmed Hussein. There is a campaign on facebook and advice on other measures you can take here.

Finally, do take a few minutes to listen to this interview with Lubna. I am quite proud that it was a BBC woman journalist who asked the $64,000 question!

Thank you.

POSITIVE DAY - POST 2: AUNG SAN SUU KYI

It is not easy to remain positive when we imagine the likely outcome of the trial of Burma's pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, but we must, for it is her Buddhist faith and the power of positive thought that have carried her through her ordeal thus far.

"The Lady" as she is often called, has been under house arrest for 14 years and is currently being held in the notorious Insein Prison. She faces a possible prison sentence of 5 years which would conveniently prevent her from being able to take part in her country's 2010 elections. A trial verdict was expected today [31st July] but has now been delayed until 11th August.

We who love freedom can take action now by signing the letter to Président Sarkozy here, for France remains the strongest objector to EU sanctions against Burma. We can also keep ourselves updated regarding the situation via the Burma Campaign UK , the US Campaign for Burma and other campaigns in our various countries.

Aung San Suu Kyi herself has something to say about positive friendship:

"According to the teachings of Buddhism, a good friend ..... does not forsake you in times of want and does not condemn you when you are ruined. With such friends, one can travel the roughest road and not be defeated by hardship. Indeed, the rougher the path, the greater the delight in the company of kalyanamitta, good and noble friends who stand by us in times of adversity."

- Aung San Suu Kyi, Letters from Burma [1996].

Let us be good and positive friends to "The Lady" at this time.

Thank you.

PLEASE SPARE A THOUGHT FOR "THE LADY" TODAY

"The man stripped of all props except that of his spirit is sounding not only the depths he is capable of plumbing, but also testing the heights that he can scale."

-Aung San Suu Kyi, Letters from Burma.

Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma's pro-democracy leader, is 64 today. She will spend her birthday in detention, on trumped-up charges, in the infamous Insein Prison. The UN has ruled her detention illegal and there are serious concerns for her health.

In my opinion Aung San Suu Kyi's greatest act of courage was her refusal to fly to London to see her husband, Michael Aris, when he was dying of cancer there. She knew that she would not have been allowed back into Burma to fight for her people.

Aung San Suu Kyi believes in freedom so let those of us who have our freedom show that we believe in her on this day: please leave your message of support for Aung San Suu Kyi here .

Thank you.

Image: US Department of State