NATO Outmanoeuvred by Sardinian Fishermen over Weapons Testing
notes Patrizia Cocconi
Pandora DU Research Project, Italy
Every year sees Nato's “Operation Destined Glory” begin to gather in the area around Capo Teulada, Sardinia , Italy. This year, the period chosen for the live-fire practice started on September 27th and went on for about 10 days, collecting several armies from NATO and other countries which joined the peaceful exercise.
Destined Glory is, in the mind of the organisers, the remake of the landing in Normandy, as in D-Day, done with live ammunition, on a small bay not far from the city of Teulada. In other words, war is waged in a far away corner of Italy. This region of Sardinia relies mainly upon the income of tourism and activities such as agriculture and fishing. In Teulada the basic activity out of the tourist season is fishing.
During the live-fire practice, the local fishermen must stay at home, far from the sea. They cannot fish for more than two weeks (and during any time of military practice throughout the year) - and what is worse, when they are allowed to start fishing again, they have to fish in contaminated waters. The area has been used for 60 years and the waste of these “peaceful” wars has never been reclaimed at all.
These fishermen have already won a 10 year long trial to be refunded for the work and income lost during the military practice days; this money has never actually gone to these people.
This year, the fishermen declared their war without weapons on the 4th of October. The fishermen sailed with their boats from the port of Teulada and reached the bay at 8 am. In a few hours, the live-fire practice would have started.
For Ms. Mariella Cao (of association Gettiamo Le Basi - Sardinia), who summarised the event; the most touching thing was the view of the small boats of the fishermen, standing proudly in a row between the beach, where some soldiers were already landed, and the dark huge war boat standing behind and facing them.
More small boats arrived during the day; soldiers on the beach started bathing, and no shot was fired. The fishermen were about to go home when, at about 5 pm, an amphibian boat tried to break the rows of the fishermen's boats. The fishermen, touched by the terrible action, decided to stay for the whole night, and then for the whole week, until Sunday. They stood in front of the bay, facing war boats for the whole week, supplied with food and water by their own families and the people of the village - and supported by hundreds of e-mails and faxes coming from all over the world.
At the end of the week, the President of the Region, MP. came over to talk and fix an official meeting with the fishermen. Their peaceful fleet went back, hoping soon to have their official voice. Unfortunately, as soon as the fishermen went home, the live-fire practice started, just for a few days, and this was probably done so as not to lose the money the Italian state earns from this type of activity.
Some are doubtful about the outcome of the official meeting, but at least this battle was useful to let people understand that the military bases in Sardinia are not helping create new jobs; nor do they respect environmental resources, as stated some years ago. On the contrary, these bases are destroying employment and the green heart of Italy.
By Patrizia Cocconi
Pandora DU Research Project, Italy
Pandora Depleted Uranium Research Project http://www.pandoraproject.org
Photo courtesy of ALLIED FORCES SOUTHERN EUROPE Exercise Destined Glory 2002 http://www.afsouth.nato.int/exercises/destined_%20glory_%2002/destinedglory02.htm
Please also see:
Nato is a threat to Europe and must be disbanded
Our security doesn't depend on the US; we should free up our thinking
Jonathan Steele
Monday November 8, 2004
The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1345790,00.html
Capo Teulada, Sardinia: Human and Environmental Damage - Fernanda Sau-Tanas
http://www.unobserver.com/index.php?pagina=layout4.php&id=1836&blz=1
notes Patrizia Cocconi
Pandora DU Research Project, Italy
Every year sees Nato's “Operation Destined Glory” begin to gather in the area around Capo Teulada, Sardinia , Italy. This year, the period chosen for the live-fire practice started on September 27th and went on for about 10 days, collecting several armies from NATO and other countries which joined the peaceful exercise.
Destined Glory is, in the mind of the organisers, the remake of the landing in Normandy, as in D-Day, done with live ammunition, on a small bay not far from the city of Teulada. In other words, war is waged in a far away corner of Italy. This region of Sardinia relies mainly upon the income of tourism and activities such as agriculture and fishing. In Teulada the basic activity out of the tourist season is fishing.
During the live-fire practice, the local fishermen must stay at home, far from the sea. They cannot fish for more than two weeks (and during any time of military practice throughout the year) - and what is worse, when they are allowed to start fishing again, they have to fish in contaminated waters. The area has been used for 60 years and the waste of these “peaceful” wars has never been reclaimed at all.
These fishermen have already won a 10 year long trial to be refunded for the work and income lost during the military practice days; this money has never actually gone to these people.
This year, the fishermen declared their war without weapons on the 4th of October. The fishermen sailed with their boats from the port of Teulada and reached the bay at 8 am. In a few hours, the live-fire practice would have started.
For Ms. Mariella Cao (of association Gettiamo Le Basi - Sardinia), who summarised the event; the most touching thing was the view of the small boats of the fishermen, standing proudly in a row between the beach, where some soldiers were already landed, and the dark huge war boat standing behind and facing them.
More small boats arrived during the day; soldiers on the beach started bathing, and no shot was fired. The fishermen were about to go home when, at about 5 pm, an amphibian boat tried to break the rows of the fishermen's boats. The fishermen, touched by the terrible action, decided to stay for the whole night, and then for the whole week, until Sunday. They stood in front of the bay, facing war boats for the whole week, supplied with food and water by their own families and the people of the village - and supported by hundreds of e-mails and faxes coming from all over the world.
At the end of the week, the President of the Region, MP. came over to talk and fix an official meeting with the fishermen. Their peaceful fleet went back, hoping soon to have their official voice. Unfortunately, as soon as the fishermen went home, the live-fire practice started, just for a few days, and this was probably done so as not to lose the money the Italian state earns from this type of activity.
Some are doubtful about the outcome of the official meeting, but at least this battle was useful to let people understand that the military bases in Sardinia are not helping create new jobs; nor do they respect environmental resources, as stated some years ago. On the contrary, these bases are destroying employment and the green heart of Italy.
By Patrizia Cocconi
Pandora DU Research Project, Italy
Pandora Depleted Uranium Research Project http://www.pandoraproject.org
Photo courtesy of ALLIED FORCES SOUTHERN EUROPE Exercise Destined Glory 2002 http://www.afsouth.nato.int/exercises/destined_%20glory_%2002/destinedglory02.htm
Please also see:
Nato is a threat to Europe and must be disbanded
Our security doesn't depend on the US; we should free up our thinking
Jonathan Steele
Monday November 8, 2004
The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1345790,00.html
Capo Teulada, Sardinia: Human and Environmental Damage - Fernanda Sau-Tanas
http://www.unobserver.com/index.php?pagina=layout4.php&id=1836&blz=1