link:
http://www.aprileonline.info/1087/centanni-di-veleno
text:
April, daily newspaper for the left - December 15 2006
hundred years of poison: the case in the valley of ACNA Bormida told in the book by Alessandro Hellmann, which uses Creative Commons licenses
Emanuele Martorelli
The subtitle of the book could not be exhaustive, "the last civil war Italian". The war started between the people of Cengio (on the border between Piedmont and Liguria) and then that spread throughout the valley Bormida to stop the slaughter perpetrated against the river itself with the birth by adult (Associated National Chemical Company) and has seen numerous victims among the employees. The story begins long ago, would be served by way 'of fairy tale.
Pessano In 1882 Mr. Joseph is granted for a factory in the town of dynamite Cengio (the dynamite Barbieri), which means (among other things): gunpowder, nitroglycerin and sewage. The river changes color, Bormida of water since it will not be the same again. In 1906 the Italian Society of Explosive Products (PETS) detects the factory and build new facilities. Then comes the war and the peasants rush because the surrounding area, though poorly paid, working conditions, to say the least precarious, factory work is the future. " And the country, though rarely plays, calls. In 1931, the Acna was sold to Montecatini and then stay with the acronym means "National Colors and Related Companies." Everything changes except the color of the river and the health of the valley and its inhabitants, decimated by cancer (but for different health inspections is all in accordance with the Company and for doctors to blame poor nutrition). The continuous and spontaneous protests that arise between the residents of Bormida seem to be ignored by politicians in office, but it is not the case: the political move because the threads of the situation is absent on paper, and indeed will create internal cracks to the inhabitants: the farmers Acne can be found on the workers, in turn, supported by unions but opposed by environmental groups, Liguria and Piedmont are divided. The State is merely an attempt to stifle any protest by the rowdy protesters Company. The protest, however, will find a huge megaphone in an association created between its citizens (the 'Association for the Rebirth of the Valley Bormida) behest of Renzo Fontana, journalist of the original in that area. After numerous battles, internal divisions between workers, peasants and trade unions, the war is won by the Association in January 1999, when it is finally confirmed the closure of the factory.
The book, published under license from Creative Commons, has passed the milestone of two thousand copies sold. Alessandro Hellmann (www.alessandrohellmann.com) depicts an ironic and poignant story, and without morality leads the reader through a story (and a civil war that deaf has little) and an absurd one hundred years long, with simple language Direct. Against the backdrop of social change and political change without being able to Italy that never change. From the book the author has drawn from the monologue "The river stolen." A courageous and indispensable for a country that still suffers from memory lapses.
AUTHOR INTERVIEW
EM: How did you come to the case Acna?
AH: My interest in the case Acna was born in '98 after reading an article very good chance of Aldo Grasso: his way of mixing news, personal memories and emotions caught me, as I captured this grotesque and touching story, which I then had the opportunity to rebuild and extend along the valley far and wide, collecting the testimonies of those who lived and consulting for over a hundred years documents, articles, books, recordings, diaries and other material of any kind. A story that touched me deeply, I do not have a personal connection to any areas where it is held, and I immediately felt my. A history of violence against man and against nature, and full of incredible episodes in which, writes Nicola panels in the appendix, we would even have to laugh a lot, except that there is nothing to laugh about. Nothing to laugh because in the middle is the drama of who found himself having to choose between right to work and right to health, when a criminal collusion between political and industrial power has put these two inalienable rights of each against each other, in the middle there the drama of who this choice has not even had, in the middle of Valbormida there are people, there is a need to rediscover the ability to mobilize and indignation at the oppression, blackmail and denial of rights more elementary in the middle is a river humiliated, wine phenol, the abandoned countryside. In between is "anxious that the entity is called the cost of development."
EM: Did you find strength in the reconstruction and you've got to struggle with divisions within the public or, after some time, the verdict on the affair was made uniform?
AH: The "civil war" between Liguria and Piedmont was a war between the poor, especially was a war between the victims, which has left many wounds still open. At the end of a presentation in Savona, for example, we still had to deal with complaints from those who, after some time, believed that the Acna should not be closed. On the other hand, during another presentation in Valbormida, environmentalist Bruno Bruno is the former mayor of Cengio Sergio Gamba shook hands for the first time after years of struggle on the opposite barricades. I believe that dialogue between Liguria and Piedmont is crucial to ensure that remediation of the site is completed as efficiently as possible. The division, now as before, plays into the hands of political and economic powers involved in the affair.
EM: Why did you choose the Creative Commons license?
AH: Because in this case more than ever, what matters is the story and the ability to reach as many people as possible, not only those who lived it but also - and above all - who does not know, because it is a story who can teach a lot. With Marcello Baraghini we were immediately attuned to this point and we decided to give priority to the free circulation of experiences and ideas.
