ITALY: CALABRIA: ONE WOMAN'S CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE MAFIA

Описание: (5 Jan 1996) Italian/Nat

An elderly Italian aristocrat waging a solo campaign against the Mafia has accused the government of faintheartedness in dealing with organised crime.

Baroness Teresa Cordopatri's family have been to court to fight the Mafia, whom she accuses of trying to take over family land in Calabria.

Five years ago a gunman shot her brother dead on her front doorstep, and many local townspeople have turned against her.

Baroness Teresa Cordopatri's family has been resisting the Mafia ('ndrangheta) taking over their land in the Calabrian countryside for over 30 years.

Her brother was shot dead outside their front door in July 1991. However his killer got only six years, the judge citing his youth being the reason for the leniency of the sentence.

But the baroness is convinced more sinister elements, such as the Mafia's influence over the judiciary, were involved.

Since that day she has been in and out of court fighting for justice.

She cannot go anywhere without at least six armed police escorts as she has already been shot at eight times by the Mafia.

The baroness and her family used to live on the farm they still work, but the house was burned down. She blames the Mafia.

SOUNDBITE: Italian

"As for the quality of my life, it is unlivable., I am not free to go out, I live isolated from relatives and friends who have abandoned me, the only ones left are my cousin and nephew. I only go out with police escorts, I go out very little so that I won't be a bother to them, and because when I go out with the police escort clearly you limit going out to the bare necessities. I don't have peace of mind because I have had eight attacks and they are always there ready. All it takes is a little lack of attention or lightness on my part or who is near me. They keep trying and they will keep on trying."

SUPER CAPTION: Baroness Teresa Cordopatri dei Capece

She can get only the odd person to work her land or pick her olives because of Mafia reprisals and so at 63 she is out doing most of it herself together with her cousin Angelica.

The local hairdressing salon and the dry cleaners have informed the baroness that they no longer require her custom. She used to run an antiques shop too, but she stopped that when two Mafiosi turned up asking if they made coffins.

But she says she is not afraid of anything and refuses to back down in the face of the Mafia's numerous threats.

The baroness accuses the government of running scared of the Mafia and failing to protect its victims.

SOUNDBITE: Italian

"The Mafia is a big embarrassment for the government and a total absence of justice, honest people have to fight the Mafia by themselves because they are not helped by anyone, starting with the government."

SUPER CAPTION: Baroness Teresa Cordopatri dei Capece

The baroness's cousin says the family is caught between public fear on the one hand and lack of confidence in the government on the other.

SOUNDBITE: Italian

"People are afraid of (Mafia) revenge, but they are also afraid of being associated with a Mafia related event. This means on the one hand they are afraid, and on the other they have little confidence in the government."

SUPER CAPTION: Angelica Rago Gallizzi - Baroness' cousin.

In the nearby town people are scared to talk to outsiders.

SOUNDBITE: Italian

Question: Do you know anything about the Baroness?
I don't know.
Question: What?
I don't know.

SUPER CAPTION: Voxpop.


But beneath the wide Calabrian skies her battle looks an increasingly solitary one.

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