3/12/97

A journalist's open letter to Vice President of the Italian cabinet Walter Veltroni

The following open letter appeared Sunday, March 9th, on the front page of la repubblica,

one of Italy's largest circulation daily newspapers.

Let's hope that this is Silvia's year

By Gianni Mura

Dear Veltroni,

I am writing to you about Silvia Baraldini in the hopes that you will honor me with a reply. Why to

you and not to Prodi or Dini? Because in your speech at the national meeting of the PDS, when you

were talking about the importance of civil rights, you mentioned, after Ustica, Silvia Baraldini's case.

Only one of the many journalists assembled at that meeting bothered to report on that part of your

speech - but that was enough for me. And I am also writing to you because, despite the attacks

against you for your buonismo and presenzialismo I have always detected in you a strong dose of

good will. Moreover, because I know you are a big soccer fan - therefore you can understand my

next sentence. Just like when you are at a soccer game, and you can sense a goal just before it

happens, I feel that this year is going to be the one which will see Silvia's return to Italy if the Italian

government is willing and able to do the right thing which has not happened until now.

But let me summarize her story, not so much for you, but for the reader. Silvia Baraldini has been in

jail for 15 years out of a 43 year sentence for her affiliation with terrorist groups. She was never

armed and she was never involved in acts of violence. She was given 20 years for having indirectly

participated in the escape from prison of Assata Shakur, a black panther leader. She received 20

more years for having planned a robbery (which never took place) based on the testimony of a

turncoat who wasn't even able to describe her physically (not even the color of her eyes), not to

mention the fact that during that time Silvia was in Zimbabwe. Lastly, she was given 3 years for

contempt of court: she refused to provide authorities with the names of her associates. These were

the years of the war in Vietnam, of the struggle for civil rights for blacks and Latinos.

The fact that she received the maximum sentence together with the conditions of her incarceration,

especially in Lexington (pyschophysical torture, sensory depravation experiments) suggest that she is

the victim of judicial hatred. Silvia never cooperated with the authorities, not even when the FBI

offered her money and her early release. She never even declared herself repentant especially

regarding acts she never committed. This is what, in reality, she is paying for: an educated, white,

middle-class woman ... who dared to take the side of the "other".

I know that this is all very complicated, dear Veltroni, but in order to understand Silvia's case all you

need to do is to go visit her once, only once, as Giovanni Falcone did and as I did during the world

cup in 1994: Danbury is an hour away from New York. All her strength, all her dignity, truly

changed me from that moment on. Even Cristina Matranga, conservative member of parliament from

il Polo, was impressed by her, as reported in il Giornale, because Baraldini's case truly goes

beyond ideologies and party divisions. The Strasbourg convention allows for the transfer of foreign

prisoners to a jail in his or her own country. Four times in the last 8 years the weak requests of the

Italian government have been denied.

I'm sure you are aware of the fact, but I will remind you, that 2 resolutions have been passed by the

European Parliament (once in 1994 and again in 1996) in support of Silvia Baraldini, as well as two

unanimous motions of the Italian parliament - the most recent occurring last December. Marathons

have been held in New York with runners wearing "I run for Silvia" T-shirts. That every March in

Italy the "corsa della donna" honors Silvia. That numerous letters have been sent to Clinton signed by

Umberto Eco and Norberto Bobbio, by Rita Levi Montalcini and by Don Ciotti. Similar appeals

have been signed by, thanks to Antonio Tabucchi and Dacia Maraini, dozens of authors including

Salmon Rushdie. That at every concert Franceso Guccini holds he performs his "Song for Silvia",

donations are collected, and thousands of postcards are sent to the US Justice Department. That

there are committees for Silvia all over Italy as well as 2 in the United States where it is difficult to

sensitize the public unless you dealing with multiple mass murders - which is clearly not Silvia's case.

There are many humanitarian issues in Silvia's case: Silvia's sister died in a plane crash over Chad,

her mother is 80 years old, lives alone in Rome, and broke her hip in December - now it is even

harder for her now to make the trip to Danbury.

Years ago Silvia was operated on (handcuffed as required by the prison rules) for a uterine tumor. A

few weeks ago, early in the morning, 15 heavily armed men escorted her to perform some medical

tests which were done with the doors of her hospital room open , (as required by prison rules), and

on the way back to the hospital a guard told her: "don't worry you don't have bone cancer".

Unfortunately that wasn't at all what they were supposed to be checking - they performed the wrong

test and she will have to go through the same procedure once again. This was the only time Silvia

ever lost control and began to argue with her captures - it was only the coincidental presence of the

Italian consul, I think, that prevented her from being placed in isolation.

I am rather well informed on this case because sometimes Silvia calls me. The last time was 20 days

ago. Apart from the previously described loss of control, her conduct has been exemplary. She is

studying, she just received her Master's in history. She works, teaching an AIDS prevention class as

well as an Italian class and an ESL class for Latino women. She asked me why Baggio is no longer

playing: during the world cup she was struck by that pony-tailed Peter Pan that always (or almost

always) scored. She asked me what this government is planning to do.

"I don't know", I told her. For the first time since she was imprisoned she is applying to the Parole

Commission, a commission made up of 3 police officials, who in less than half an hour will decide

her fate. This is taking place in July. Silvia's attorney, Liz Fink, came to Italy in February and met

twice with the Minister of Justice. She is returning at the end of March. I have heard that at the

parole meeting the government might send a highly placed representative (Conso?). But this game is

starting before then with the fifth request for Silvia's transfer. And there are numerous Italian citizens

(from the right, center and left, famous and not so famous: it makes no difference) asking our

government to play this game to win. A good government, beyond concerning itself with the obvious

governmental issues, must also breath and live other issues: freedom, dignity , human rights. At least,

that's what I think. Thank you for your attention, Veltroni, for your reply, and, I truly hope, for you

sincere commitment to this case.

Gianni Mura