MPs, Senators, Presidents of Commissions in the last week of last January seemed to have woken up from a lethargy lasted 24 months that had prevented them from knowing that two Italian Navy Fusiliers had been handed over to the Indian Justice for judging for hypothesis of a criminal offense in India with the death penalty.
A simultaneous awakening, which in those days caused the clogging of every means of information. Proclaim the same way as when in ancient times the "young Lord" sent his messengers to reach all the corners of the fiefdom to tell the people his disdain and announce measures.
Rested and bright after long sleep, the Presidents of the Foreign Commissions of the House and Senate, the Honorable Cicchitto and Senator Casini, ready with the suitcase in hand to put themselves at the head of a delegation of parliamentarians who shortly thereafter would go in Delhi to show solidarity with the two Navy Riflemen and give evidence to India that Italy intended to guarantee justice to its soldiers and not be subjected to impositions by the Indian side.
Even the President of the Chamber Laura Boldrini in those days declared to the world "the affair concerns all of Europe" and the President Giorgio Napolitano, after so much silence, took a very precise position from Strasbourg and recalled "the two marrons were not in India fish but for an international mission. "Other parliamentarians, who suddenly discovered that those who had returned our Marò to India could have carried out an undue act by delegating to Delhi the right to judge, as explicitly stated by the President of the Defense Commission of the Senate Nicola Latorre, "there can be no trial in India because the jurisdiction is of Italian competence".
In those days the awakening finally also involves an inattentive President of the Foreign Committee of the Chamber until then silent. Chest on the outside and with a determined gaze, he claimed in those days and for the first time the right of Italy to bring the other international level; "So far the Italian governments to find a settlement of the dispute have focused on the comparison with Indian justice", "we must see if the time has come not only of the political internationalization of the case" and "but also of the judicial bringing the dispute same internationally. In the meantime, we must renew the request that the two navy riflemen return to Italy ".
Cicchitto that the 28 January taking leave of the two Marò after the visit to India admitted "Great mistakes have been made against you and we, as a political class, are responsible". "This has been a unique occasion in which we are united despite having opposing positions on everything else. We greet you by committing ourselves to do a very strong battle". Even the President of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, Pierferdinando Casini shared the statements of his colleague Cicchitto on the need for international action by starting an immediate international arbitration.
Once the Delegation of Parliamentarians has returned to Italy, the path of Arbitration takes on more and more body. Both the Presidents of the Foreign Chamber / Senate Commissions confirm this and the 14 February the same Council of Ministers accepts the proposal of the then Minister of Defense Mauro to launch the international initiative; '' The parliamentary group of the people for Italy Chamber welcomes the orientation that emerged today in the Council of Ministers, on the initiative of the Minister of Defense, Mario Mauro, tended to travel the road of international arbitration for the solution of the difficult the story of our two maro ', Salvatore Girone and Massimiliano Latorre, in India. This orientation had been repeatedly signaled in parliamentary debates and in various other forums by our group, and in particular by my colleague Domenico Rossi, as a useful way to reaffirm the principles of international law and protect our two soldiers ".
At this point the decision to resort to arbitration seems to be a consolidated act also confirmed by the words of the President of the Chamber Laura Boldrini who, after receiving the commission returned from India, launched a detailed statement.
"I welcome the fact that the delegation is composed of parliamentarians from all the groups, and your intention not to dissolve it once the mission is over", said President Boldrini. "While I think, like all of you, that it is not up to Members and Senators to comment on the merits of the judicial case, I believe that Parliament can play an important role in raising awareness of the international community, including involving colleagues from other European countries, and demanding International law is respected, and I intend to do my part by raising the issue on the occasion of meetings and exchanges with my counterparts from other European and non-European countries ". "In my opinion," added the President, "the Parliament will also have to act in the future on the normative side, so that the roles and responsibilities of the military actors involved in international anti-piracy operations are more clearly defined. in order to prevent such a situation from happening again ".
Evidently, however, the antidote that had caused the sudden parliamentary awakening had a modest effect and the drowsiness is again affecting everyone, even the new government that does not seem to want to deviate much from the line drawn by the previous ones. New Minister of Defense, New Foreign Minister, a new Premier, but no new substantial initiative except for the usual words of circumstance that guarantee commitment to the fate of Maximilian and Savior.
The international arbitration returned to the limelight as the only and decisive solution after announcing the 11 March 2013 by the then Foreign Minister Terzi, was then abandoned by Premier Monti and his successor Letta, is again returning to the "drawer of desires" ".
Today, even from Delhi, Defense Minister Roberta Pinotti reiterates that "the way to internationalization of the case is a priority in our strategy to bring them home", nevertheless the necessary acts to start it on the legal pine have not yet begun. "It is important to get justice not just for us - he told the ANSA - but for all the countries that have soldiers deployed in the world on an anti-piracy mission.
The Arbitration therefore returns to be a simple affirmation of a distant principle, however, from being objectified. The reason for this attendance is not disclosed and therefore any hypothesis could be valid.
One wonders, in fact, if one is not worried that the start of an Arbitration could impose to produce documentation "inconvenient" for someone. Something like what Tony Capuozzo mentioned when he spoke in the last episode of “Terra” of radar tracks and forgotten photographs in some drawer, and also other possible acts that could disturb economic lobbies with interests in India. The Arbitration moves away again, while words already heard in the past are returning, such as those of Deputy Minister Lapo Pistelli who yesterday hosted "A Day from Sheep", on Radio2, "" The marines are a priority commitment "," Solo - has added the deputy minister - that the Indian system is not the easy, accessible and transparent thing that we would dream of. I'm a little slow. But the percentages that come back to Italy within the year are high ”.
Old concepts that are proposed as new, perhaps relying on the short memory of the Italians or on their carelessness. Already in May last year, in fact, the same Minister told us about "Rules of engagement shared with India" for the solution of the problem, admitting de facto an assignment of Italian rights. Today, on the other hand, with an unusual approach for a Deputy Minister, he proposes the solution of the problem in percentage terms as if it were the outcome of a bet. Nothing new under the sun then and always worse for our Marò. The three-card game set by India has now also become Italian heritage, the bombastic statements and apparent decision-making have once again been overcome by lobbying interests and by "the obligation to protect someone" and the return to the past becomes more and more dominant !
The only difference is that today Italians remember and demand clarity and certainty to protect the fate of two of our fellow citizens, without discounting anyone!
Fernando Termentini
