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Chapter 5 • Giuseppe De Sario, Laura Corradi, Patricia Ruiz, Enrica Capussotti
ible to interview the Kosovar Albanian and Rom residents without his permission.
It was enough for him to read our project’s presentation letter to
make a quick decision, almost immediately entrusting one of his assistants
(a young Kosovar Abanian) to help us find potential interviewees with our
translator’s help. The intervention of Don Cesare was of great importance
to the success of this project.
Brindisi: A Border City
The interviews collected in Brindisi, in August of the year 2000, were carried
out by Laura Corradi, who thus introduces the place and situation:
Brindisi is a Mediterranean city that lies just across from Albania, a border
town which shares interesting fragments of culture and history with the
people living on the other side of the Adriatic Sea. During the times of violence
in Kosovo and of bombings over Serbia, Brindisi was overwhelmed
with refugees, with unexpected social outcomes. The frontera or border
effect drew energies and resources, sparking compassion and solidarity
both in the religious and the lay communities. This is perhaps not surprising,
given that, according to a national survey, the people of Brindisi (especially
the women) think about the meaning of life and death more often
than those of any other provincial capital of Italy. The percentage of people
who admit to being concerned about these greater matters has risen more
than 10 per cent in the last decade. Previously, the area had suffered a
sharp decline in its population, mainly due to emigration. Most of those
who leave Brindisi head for the north of Italy and for other European countries.
On the other hand, the province of Brindisi has the lowest rate of
mortality, including suicide, of the entire Puglia region [Poll conducted by
Indagine Gubert]. Both the rates of employment and unemployment reflect
the standard of most of southern Italy, and wealth indices register Brindisi
as the Italian city with the smallest per capita income. The agricultural sector
of the economy is weak due to structural causes and internal competition.
As has been the national trend, the agricultural sector of the Brindisi
Province has lost ground in recent years [source: Prometeia]. Industry is
mostly concentrated in four sectors: oil, gas and chemical production
(often hazardous), the pharmaceutical industry, and aeronautics (Fiat aeroplane
parts and Agusta helicopters). Small industry is limited to clothing
manufacture, lumber, food production, and construction, while the harbour
area and tourism have been somewhat neglected [see report “Brindisi città
di frontiera”].
Even though Brindisi ranks 78th amongst all of the Italian provinces for
criminality, the extra-legal sector is perceived as strong, both in terms of
petty and organized crime. This sector offers various employment oppor-
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