ABSTRACT: The dangers that remain - The reasons for the end of the demonstration - The results obtained - Homogeneity between methods and objectives, means and ends - The behaviour of the press and of the RAI - 20.000 signatures from Bari to Rome against the Concordat - The final document of the "public hunger strike" for divorce; the 24-day demonstration which surely contributed to eliminate the last, dangerous tendencies to compromise which the lay parties had shown throughout the summer, to the detriment of the Fortuna bill. The text of the press conference held by the National Secretary of the LID (1) on behalf and at the request of the participants of the hunger strike on 2 September in Corsia Agonale, Piazza Navona".

(RADICAL NEWS N.95 of 5 September 1970)

We believe there is a consistent risk of not attaining the passage of the bill on divorce. The very need for our action proves to what extent the major political forces, and major traditional organizations, have continued to view this important popular campaign for the acquisition of a reform - which implies a choice in the direction of civilization as well as vast human and social consequences - as something that lies outside of their responsibilities. Today we would be glad if the LID's role, but especially its quasi exclusive responsibility in conducting the struggle outside of Parliament, had not been so sensationally confirmed. We hope all democrats, in these crucial weeks, will realize this and draw the necessary consequences. In this sense we address a fraternal, pressing appeal.

We have decided to close our demonstration first of all because more urgent, necessary and effective forms of commitment and precise deadlines have emerged for the LID: the promotion and coordination of the anticlerical and pro-divorce activities for 20 September; the creation of a network of "committees of control" on the whole territory, meant to react with maximum immediacy and severity to the usual, illegitimate and anticonstitutional interference of part of the clergy, in the exercise of its functions, which should occur in this period; the prosecution of the signature collection for the referendum to abrogate the Concordat; the need to facilitate a continuous contact with the parliamentarians on the part of the pro-divorce, lay electors; all this calls for a militant commitment, which makes it impossible for us to continue our "public hunger strike". Secondly, we have to acknowledge the success of our action, even if it has missed its initial objective, i.e. reaching a vote before the autumn. We must n

onetheless acknowledge the following results:

a) - a deadline has been decided - 9 October - for the vote of the project, instead of a simple postponement of the debate without guaranties on its development and on its conclusion;

b) - the compulsory commitment has been confirmed for all pro-divorce groups of the Senate, not to accept amendments which - as proven by authoritative and numerous press inquiries - had progressively been endorsed by several specific lay sectors;

c) - the creation of a "committee of guarantors" for the commitments taken and for the unitarian and organized conduction of the debate and vote in the Senate in these weeks and days;

d) - a series of meetings, of necessary clarifications, requested by the LID, with the representatives of the lay groups of the Senate, which has proven that a new atmosphere of co-operation and confidence is gradually replacing the atmosphere of mistrust and uninterest (and no one could rule out that this was caused by political reasons) which existed before our action;

e) - the lack of a positive reaction to our request to guarantee the deadline of 9 October even in the event of a crisis, has been motivated, for the moment, with an interpretation of the Constitution which we continue not to agree on; however, this frank explanation has made it possible to find unanimous guaranties on the part of the lay parties on the fact that this possibility would be opposed "unconditionally" and, from a political standpoint, with resolution, both by the lay forces in the government and by the forces of the opposition. Moreover, a month has elapsed since our request; there are but a few weeks left which make a new "Vatican crisis" - justified in any case- more unlikely;

f) - lastly - and perhaps this is most important point - for the first time since its creation, the LID has enjoyed a daily, direct, extremely widespread communication with the lay and democratic masses of the country, thanks to the attention which the press has given to our demonstration and to our requests and analyses of the situation. The potential to carry out struggles has thus been greatly enhanced, as necessary in a decisive moment.

Thus, we believe we have done a good job. By no means an extraordinary one, except for the customs and the mentality of a country where it seems that violence or power are the necessary means to affirm one's ideas. In conclusion, apart from any abstract doctrine, we believe a direct, nonviolent, collective action was the most homogeneous with regard to our objective and ideals; and that the worse the situation we were trying to change, the more indignant we were for the series of procrastinations, obstructionisms, undue interferences, weakness which have been degrading the parliamentary role and debate, the less it was legitimate for us to indulge emotionality and violence. We have shown that all this is not only morally and civilly worthy, but that it is also possible and effective.

We thank the Italian press, for having understood also this aspect of our action, and of having given such a positive reaction. We prefer not to answer the few papers and a well-defined and powerful party papers, which have, on the contrary, applied a strict censorships as much as they could against us and against their readers; their behaviour is in itself an eloquent demonstration of weakness, of bad conscience, of democratic and professional malpractice.

As regards the RAI, we repeat that there can be no adequate commiseration for its political serfdom, for its antidemocratic and disinformative function, for the omissive zeal in its clerical obedience.

From Bari, Rome and Pescara, a thanking also to the thousands of citizens who have expressed their sympathy from all over Italy, and to the 20.000 who have signed the request for a referendum to abrogate the Concordat.

Translator's notes

(1) LID: Italian League for Divorce