BITTER ORANGES
THE REVOLT IN ROSARNO 7
th
JANUARY 2010
Banner held up by Mohammed,an immigrant from Gana, during the African laborers' manifestation in Rome. Mohammed migrated from his country asking political asylum, that was denied. To avoid to come back to Gana, he decide to go to the South,in Rosarno, where “documents are not necessary”.
Rosarno
Italian town of 14.458 inhabitants, from the 90s is theater of a strong immigration of Africans, who worked as laborers during the harvest season of the oranges. Poor condition in which they were forced to live. Ex factories without gas, light, water and roof.
No better was the condition in which they were working: • 9/12 hours per day, • 25 euros, • between 3 and 5 euros to give back to the owner of the land or to the one who found them the job. In this mixed context of illegal immigration and 'Ndrangheta, the tension between immigrants and
inhabitants became stronger in the course of the time.
12
th
December 2008
First pacific protest, after that 2 Africans were injured after an attempted robbery against them. African immigrants marched towars Rosarno City Hall to denaunce what happened. The result was the arrest of Andrea Fortugno, 24 years old guy with criminal records.
7
th
January 2010
Second protest.
Three Africans immigrats were injured, including one political refugee, with regular residence permitt. Real revolt
During the night a large group of immigrants protest violently for what happened, clashing with the police. The day after the reaction was more fierce.
After the protest degenerated into attacks on shops and cars of Rosarno's inhabitants, and this sparked a fierce reaction from the inhabitants, who, armed with sticks, they created autonomous patrols and wounded some Africans. Inhabitants also demolege cars belong to Africans immigrants, and burning the place where them use to meet. The result of the revolt counted 53 injured people:
• 18...