In San Paolo Belsito, in the province of Naples, on 11 June 2004, Antonio Graziano and his nephew Francesco, both with no criminal record, were killed by the Camorra; both were innocent victims of a cross-party vendetta between two rival clans, the Cava and the Grazianos, who ran supermarkets in the province of Avellino.
What penalized them was their surname, which linked them to a family involved in the struggle for territorial hegemony, although they were strangers to all the criminal dynamics. Francesco left behind his wife, Costanza, and two small children.
The National Coordination of Teachers of the Human Rights subject recalls, through the words of the student Giuseppe Carchivi, class III section C of the scientific high school "Filolao" of Crotone, remembers them to underline that many times the degree of kinship does not necessarily mean a system in which one does not recognize oneself and far from one's own values.
On the morning of June 11, 2004, while on their daily way to work at their supermarket in Nola, Antonio Graziano, 58, and his nephew Francesco Graziano, 32, were brutally murdered in a Camorra-style ambush. Antonio was an emigrant who, after making his fortune in South America, had returned home in the mid-XNUMXs to start a business.
He was the owner of a well-known supermarket in Nola, highly appreciated for the quality of its products and the service offered to customers. His life, like that of his nephew Francesco, was dedicated to honest work and far from any criminal involvement.
Every morning, Antonio and Francesco traveled the same route to their supermarket, and for years, their journey had never presented any problems, but that June morning would be different.
Despite law enforcement warnings that they could be targets of a cross-party vendetta, both were adamant that they had nothing to do with the city's criminal underworld.
Antonio and Francesco simply considered themselves honest workers, immersed in the daily routine of their commitment. Unfortunately, their beliefs were not enough to protect them, in fact, while they were crossing San Paolo Bel Sito, their car was blocked in a narrow space, from which it was practically impossible to escape.
The attack, carried out by members of a local Camorra family, was brutal and ruthless: Antonio was shot while still in the car. Francesco, desperately trying to save himself, managed to open the car door and attempted to flee, but was shot several times in the back, also falling victim to the criminal violence.
The news of double murder The community was shocked. The comments of solidarity and condolences were countless, but one in particular stood out for its emotional intensity: that of Francesco Graziano, Antonio's son: "They were two great, honest workers. I miss you, cousin. I miss you, dad. A wound still open, waiting for justice to be served.
All those involved in this serious double homicide must pay with life imprisonment. I mention this because it concerns me personally, but it applies to all bloody crimes without distinction, especially those involving honest people.
The story of Antonio and Francesco Graziano remains a symbol of the fight against Camorra violence and a warning of the need to protect and remember those who, even if extraneous to criminal dynamics, become victims of a war they did not choose to fight.”
The National Coordination of Teachers of the Human Rights subject notes how the project “#inostristudentiraccontanoimartiridellalegality” is spreading among the younger generations faces, stories, episodes that are truly extraordinary for their educational value.
Prof. Romano Pesavento
President of CNDDU
EDITORIAL TEAM
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