Crime-hit Naples may get troops

[blackhorse]

Crime-hit Naples may get troops

The Italian justice minister, Clemente Mastella, says he is considering sending the army into Naples to deal with an upsurge of violent crime.

"Before this was a taboo for me, but now I am open to discussing it," said Mr Mastella.

The governor of Naples' Campania region, Antonio Bassolino, urged tough action against the "deadly cancer of the Camorra" - the Naples Mafia.

The officials were speaking after three murders in Naples at the weekend.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6100220.stm

[MADem]

1. There are so many bad drug addicts in those parts in the last two decades

The Camorra doesn't normally go around robbing tobacco shops or winging tourists. In fact, if you lived in a Camorra-infested neighborhood, you were generally safer than if you just lived in a regular neighborhood. This kinda sounds like junkies gone wild, stepping up from the usual B and E burglary in the dead of night when no one was home, or the par-for-the-course wallet lifting, purse snatching, or chain-around-the-neck grabbing, often done from a moped.

The officials were speaking after three murders in Naples at the weekend.

Correspondents say the number of people killed or wounded in the city in recent weeks is higher than usual.

Some Neapolitans have been taking the law into their own hands. Last week a tobacconist shot dead a robber.

The authorities are also worried about the effect on tourism - last month a Canadian was hit by a stray bullet while strolling in one of the city's squares.

Mr Mastella said an army deployment in Naples would not involve soldiers going on sensitive missions. Their presence would allow police to concentrate on fighting violent crime, La Repubblica newspaper quoted him as saying.

[blackhorse]

2. Yes, the one time I was there,

... the impression I got was one more of controlled chaos, except that those who managed the chaos were not traditional government authorities.

Cheers

BH

[MADem]

3. I lived there for years. Have many friends there still.

It's unfortunate that there's so much 'chaos' nowadays. It used to be you just had to be a bit savvy, know where you were going, keep an eye peeled, and go totally native, and you'd be OK. If you 'looked local,' and spoke the language, you could blend in without too much difficulty.

[newscott]

4. I was just there last week.

And besides the absolute chaos going around you at all times I found Neapolitans to be reasonably friendly and helpful. Espsecially the guy who helped us park our car in a no parking zone.

[MADem]

5. Was he wearing a dirty white hat, perchance?

The deal there is that you give the guy a few lire (well, it's the Euro now, but same diff) to mind your car for you...he's there to chase away small children hellbent on breaking off your antennae to play swordfight, or the punk who wants your hubcap.

Of course, if ya don't tip the guy, you could end up with a flat! I always found it worth my while in the rare event I needed to park in one of those odd spots. I drove a small local car, though, that could fit pretty much anywhere!

They're great folk, really. Salt of the earth. The upside of the culture, the emphasis on family, the food, the great weather...it's worth the hassles here and there to enjoy the place. I'd move back there if I could...