3/27/97

High ranking Italian government official responds to Gianni Mura's open letter

I am not forgetting Silvia Baraldini

By Walter Veltroni

The vice-president of the Italian cabinet responds to Gianni Mura's article on Silvia Baraldini

Dear Mura,

Silvia Baraldini's case is one which is of great importance to me. Not only for those humanitarian

reasons which you outline which make her case an example of the always delicate relationship

between detention and reinsertion in society, but also because I believe that a man of government

must dedicate himself fully, not only to general problems, but also to the destiny of real individuals

when their situations effect us all on an emotional level. It is true: you can judge the quality a

government by how it takes on great challenges and on the concrete results it manages to obtain.

Our task in this case, however, is more complex - or should I say - more ambitious. A true ruling

class must know how to inspire a new public spirit, communicate new reasons for solidarity, express

new conditions of civil coexistence. A good government, you wrote, breaths new life into words like

freedom, human rights, individual dignity. I could not agree more.

I spoke of Silvia Baraldini's case at the recent meeting of the PDS, as you noted in last Sunday's

Repubblica, because I have long thought that her case has to do with all of us, it demands all of our

attention, and also because I am convinced that we must, and are able, to do more than what has

already been done in the past to obtain her transfer to Italy. At the same time we are doing

everything possible to finally uncover the truth regarding the Ustica tragedy.

I'm not convinced, as you assert, that the steps taken by our government towards the American

government over the last eight years have been "weak". I know that the Prodi administration is

decisive in its intention to intervene, at opportune moments to the appropriate officials, in order to

bring about the objective of Silvia Baraldini's transfer to Italy. Minister Flick has taken this task upon

himself within parliament. I will not tire of following through with the series of planned initiatives nor

of exerting pressure so that 1997 can truly be, as you wished in your article, the year of our fellow

citizen's return.

An incisive initiative must take into account the facts as they are: the Justice Department in

Washington has four times refused (in 1990, 1992, 1993, and 1994) our request for Silvia's

transfer, based on the European convention, signed in Strasbourg, fourteen years ago. This

convention, however, gives the two states involved discretion regarding these types of transfers -

there is no obligation to approve such requests - and the Justice Department so far has shown

complete and total rigidity and firmness towards this Italian prisoner's case. This fact reflects three

elements: the seriousness of the crimes she was condemned for having committed, her conduct

during and after her trial, and the fact that her crimes were considered terrorist acts. From the trial it

is clear that she did not directly participate in the most serious crimes which the trial focused on. The

conditions of her detention have been particularly harsh, even more so for the disease she suffered,

which has become one of the strongest reasons for the campaign of public opinion in her favor and

the interest on the part of the democratic political forces in Italy.

A country such as ours, however, which suffered greatly during the years of terrorism in the

seventies, and has directly experienced the effects of terrorism on the national conscience, watches

respectfully and with friendship as one of the greatest world powers is living through a similar

nightmare. The American authorities are fearful of taking a step which might be considered

conceding a light treatment. We must insist and convince them that this is not at all the case, and that

we are requesting a humanitarian act perfectly in agreement with international conventions. This will

require a complex diplomatic effort.

The Prodi administration intends to follow three paths: first, we will formulate at the appropriate time

a fifth request to transfer Baraldini to Italy; second, contacts will be initiated with all appropriate

institutions in the US to represent fully Silvia Baraldini's situation - it is for precisely this reason that a

highly respected member of the Italian judicial branch will travel to the United States in the name of

the Italian government just before her parole hearing. The parole commission in the US is about to

reexamine, and this is a new development, the humanitarian and trial-related issues surrounding

Baraldini's case. For the first time, in July, Baraldini will appeal her punishment. There is the

possibility that she will receive from the American justice system a conditional release as an

alternative to prison, without having to enter into the merits of her original sentence and without

modifying the sentence she received. Thirdly, seeking recourse to the Council of Europe - a

procedure approved by both the European and Italian parliaments.

It is my opinion, therefore, that the Italian government has been acting in a coherent fashion, and has

demonstrated its willingness to increase its activity and force new developments in a truly complex

affair. We are measuring our steps and trying for maximum results. One point I feel is necessary to

underline, which directly touches the United States, our ally and our friend, which many times we

have admired for its struggle with civil rights, for its protection of individual liberties, for its defense of

tolerance. I think it is now time that the voices of the many individuals and movements of Italy's civil

society arrive in America. In the name of the government I can assure you that we look upon this

famous case with the same spirit in which we observe unknown cases of Italian prisoners. We want

to reduce the number of people in prison, improve living conditions in the cells and work towards

reinserting people into society. This is a particularly acute problem in our country where 43% of

prisoners are awaiting trial and where the terrible spread of A.I.D.S continues.

Our democratic conscience looks upon the prison in Danbury in the same way it looks upon

Poggioreale or Regina Coeli. True justice ascertains and sanctions the responsibilities of individuals,

but also guarantees the humanity of the punishment. This because prison is not, at least in my mind, a

place for the state to seek revenge but instead a place dedicated to the recuperation and reinsertion

of people into society. In this spirit I thank you, my dear Mura, for the content and tone of your

letter. I think it bodes well for a country the fact that journalists, intellectuals and citizens unite in

solidarity for a cause and together give life to a civil battle.