ABSTRACT: In the face of the DC's attempts to delay the parliamentary debate on the Fortuna-Baslini Bill [divorce], Marco Pannella, secretary of the LID [Lega Italiano per il Divorzio], and Roberto Cicciomessere, the organising secretary, began a hunger strike in Piazza Montecitorio (1) to push for setting the date for the vote.

As a result of this action, the parliamentary groups committed themselves to end the discussion and the voting within the week of November 24-29.

The circular with which LID secretary Marco Pannella informed the members of the decision to begin his non-violent hunger strike.

(IL DIVORZISTA No.13, November 8, 1969)

Dear Friends,

Unfortunately, as is now clear to everyone, our fears concerning the parliamentary itinerary for divorce and the inability of the parliamentary lay front to manage with a minimum of effectiveness or decency the heritage of struggle and tensions which the LID and the entire divorce movement has put into their hands - these fears are now coming true.

The debate on divorce not only has no priority status as even the Chamber [of Deputies] decided in June that it should, nor "combined" with the problems of rents or regions as we were told it would be, but in reality it is being treated as if it were a boring and irritating duty to be avoided and annulled. Furthermore it is not even a debate but a propagandistic monologue by the anti-divorce forces who, being the only ones or almost the only ones to have the word, are furnishing constant alibis to the RAI-TV and the press for passing on their propaganda and blocking ours.

There is, it is true, a commitment to hold the vote by December 21. But it is commonly thought that the threat of a new government crisis - a concrete possibility - could furnish excellent reasons for evading it. Furthermore, the more the political situation becomes complex, the less probable it is that the lay forces will begin a serious battle again. On the contrary, there are greater risks of their having second thoughts and betraying the cause. Thus what we have always affirmed begins to show up. The anti-divorce referendum is a secondary danger (which the friends of the LID who are collecting signatures against the Concordat are strongly preparing to face), while there is a real danger that the parliamentary situation may be bogged down until Andreotti is sure of a favourable vote for the anti-divorce faction.

In these circumstances, while the majority of the old leaders on the circumference of the LID are feeling very tired, there is the danger that thousands or millions of men and women will have their legs pulled or will be sacrificed to political exigencies - men and women who are really suffering, and this is not idle chatter.

We and other Radical friends undertook to emphasise the seriousness of the behaviour even of the lay parties by resigning from our positions as national directors of the LID as a sign of protest and truthfulness towards those who have always believed in our good faith and our ability to reach the desired results.

But if this assuaged our consciences, it did not solve much.

THEREFORE I INFORM YOU THAT AS OF MONDAY NOVEMBER 10 I, TOGETHER WITH MY COMRADE AND FRIEND ROBERTO CICCIOMESSERE OF THE ROME LID AND RADICAL PARTY REPRESENTATIVES, AND IN THE EXPECTATION THAT OTHER COMRADES WILL JOIN IN THIS ACTION

A HUNGER STRIKE TO THE BITTER END

which we will continue until the bill is put to the vote. I am not yet in a position to furnish details on how the strike will be carried out. I can only say for myself on the basis of past experience and precluding complications that I will be able to continue my normal activities and so I will be in Piazza Montecitorio (1) only on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. Thursday I will be in Milan for a trial. Afterwards, and beginning with the end of the first week of the hunger strike, I will move to Piazza Montecitorio permanently to start with, except at night and in case of bad weather.

To make things clear, I hope in that way to help the pro-divorce friends of the LID in their work and even to stimulate it. Whoever may be in a position to join this action is free to do so. But I hope that the large majority, all the others, will be able in this difficult moment to guarantee the necessary effort, so that the modest contribution of my hunger strike will not be in vain, by holding other demonstrations, by reinforcing the effort to collect signatures for the anti-Concordat referendum, by participating in the inscription and subscription campaign, and by bombarding with initiatives and correspondence our ineffable colleagues of the lay front in Parliament.

Also in the name of the National President's and Secretary's Offices, I thank the pro-divorce comrades of Turin, Milan and Bari, who more than others seem once again committed and who have earned our warmest thanks.

Fraternal Greetings,

(Marco Pannella)

NOTICE TO THE DELEGATIONS, TRUSTEES AND ALL ACTIVISTS

We request all those who are involved in the collection of signatures for the anti-Concordat referendum to send to central headquarters as soon as possible the forms with the signatures to facilitate the work of the secretary in preparing a new list of addresses so that they will not be swamped or dispersed.

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TRANSALATOR'S NOTES

1) Montecitorio - the seat of the Chamber of Deputies.