The centre of Rome was brought to a standstill yesterday as survivors of the Abruzzo earthquake demonstrated against the slow reconstruction of their ruined cities. The earthquake, which struck on 6th April 2009, killed 308 people and left up to 60,000 homeless.
About 5,000 people took part in the protest and two men were injured when some demonstrators clashed with police as they broke through a barrier close to Premier Silvio Berlusconi’s private residence in Rome.
“We came here to collectively ask for help and we are being beaten”, said the Mayor of L’Aquila, Massimo Cialente.
One man, speaking through a megaphone and standing on top of a van, dared Mr Berlusconi to come out and meet the demonstrators. He did not, but when Democratic Party leader Pier Luigi Bersani left the Parliament building to show solidarity with them, their anger turned on him as well, for they feel that the opposition has done little to help them.
The demonstrators say that the rehousing programme is not working and many people are still waiting to be offered new homes. They have not been allowed to go back to what remains of their previous homes because the areas are still dangerous. They say that the clearing up and rebuilding of their cities is progressing far too slowly. In fact, they feel abandoned after some initial high-profile visits to the area by dignitaries and the much-publicised, fast building of some new houses in the immediate aftermath of the quake. .
All this is a blow for Mr Berlusconi, who has often pointed to the government’s quick response to the disaster.
