“Otranto”, protest in front of the Italian consulate
14/11/2011 00:00
Linda Rama: Between Family, Work and Albania’s Future 18/08 14:30
“14 years of tragedy, after a premeditated crime. We want justice for
the Otranto victims”. This was the appeal of the Otranto victims’
relatives, who organized a protest in front of the Italian Consulate in
Vlore.
The two main points of the relatives’ requests were justice and indemnification. They confirmed that if the Italian government will not take measures, their protests will escalate in Rome and Brussels.
The family members of the Otranto tragedy victims commemorate each year their lost relatives and ask for justice.
On 28 March 1997, 81 persons, women and children included, lost their lives at the Otranto Channel, while 24 others disappeared during their efforts to illegally enter the neighboring country. The ship that was carrying them, “Kateri i Rades”, was hit by the Italian “Sibila”. A few months earlier, the Lecce Court sentenced to two years and four months to prison the Ship Commander of “Sibila”, Fabricio Laudadio, and with three years and 10 months the captain of the Albanian ship, Namik Xhaferri.
The Ship of the Otranto tragedy will not be destroyed. Although the Lecce Court had decided to destroy it, due to the lack of interest by the Albanian Court, other news say that the Ship will be used as a memorial at the Italian town of Otranto.
This decision was taken after a request of Klodiana Cuka, director of the Integra Onlus Foundation and expert of European Immigration matters. Cuka sent a letter to the Otranto Mayor, who gave a positive response. All that remains now is to collect the necessary funds for turning the ship into a monument.
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