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Italians protest against mafia
19/11/2006 22:57 - (SA)
Rome - Thousands of judges, security officials, politicians and civilians called on Sunday on the Italian government to make combating the country's thriving mafia "a proper national priority".
The call came at the end of a three-day gathering in Rome scheduled several months ago by the anti-mafia group Libera.
It follows a wave of murders in the Naples area linked to inter-clan conflict within the Camorra mafia.
The 2 500-strong gathering rounded off their meeting by publishing a series of proposals to be taken to parliament on Monday.
They included the setting up of an independent authority tasked with finding new ways to cut off illegal funding for organised crime and with insuring that existing laws are better applied.
Organisers noted before the conference that the three main mafias of southern Italy - the Camorra, the Cosa Nostra in Sicily, and the 'Ndrangheta in Calabria - have killed 2 500 people in the past 10 years.
Speakers included national anti-mafia prosecutor Piero Grasso and Prime Minister Romano Prodi, who called on Friday for a far-reaching plan and said the struggle would depend on the "contribution of society as a whole".
Saturday's 16 roundtables included one devoted to new mafia enterprises such as toxic waste treatment and doping products for athletes, and others in more traditional areas such as racketeering.
- AFP
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