Dear Prime Minister Berlusconi:

During the recent G-8 Summit your nation hosted in Genoa, Italy, activists and protesters from a myriad of backgrounds and with a multitude of interests gathered to share their concerns about globalization, trade and the perceived threats to the global environment, indigenous communities and developing nations' economies.

I share many of their concerns, and appreciate their efforts to increase the profile of the inequality and exploitation involved in globalization. Unfortunately, their protest was marred by the murder of one young activist, Carlo Giuliani, who was shot twice in the head and then apparently run over by a Carabinieri vehicle. I would like you to know that I support the investigation and prosecution of police officers who are found to be responsible for this atrocity. As this is the first death to occur at a recent, large protest accompanying an international summit, I believe that care must be taken to insure that justice is correctly administered in this case. Otherwise, doubts may arise about the existence of democracy within developed nations - a parallel theme often voiced at such protests.

Further, like many in your nation, I oppose the death penalty in practice and in theory, and feel that the events surrounding the death of Mr. Giuliani resemble too closely a death sentence meted out by over-zealous law enforcement agents.

As is too often the case in the United States, it is my hope that those responsible for this death will not be excused. Please see to it that a full investigation pursues justice in the name of Carlo Giuliani, and for the sake of freedom and democracy in our global community.


Sincerely,

Cynthia McKinney

Member of Congress (Democrat-Georgia)

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(il manifesto)