WORLD SOCIAL SUMMIT 2008
'WSS: Rutelli, the fears of citizens must not be aggravated'

"It is impossible to live without fears": said Senator Francesco Rutelli, who held a speech on the fight against the international traffic of human beings at the World Social Summit organized by Fondazione Roma in collaboration with Censis.

"Western society builds itself on the sacred nature of human life" explained the Senator, who added: "For this reason, institutions work to guarantee safety".

Rutelli talked about the need to distinguish between the reality of facts and the way they are perceived by people. "Italy lived this last year, giving lots of value to fear" he continued, warning the people present to pay attention to the danger to exalt these aspects. Rutelli indeed stated: "A society that exalts fear is a short-sighted society which runs the risk to remain trapped". With regards to the datum presented yesterday by Giuseppe Roma, General Director of Censis, on the strong perception of fear by the citizens of the Capital city and on the increasingly pessimistic view of people, the former mayor of Rome admitted: "It is true, citizens perceive greater insecurity in their city, but we must distinguish between perception and reality".

Senator Rutelli also discussed the fight against the traffic of human beings, one of the main aspects of clandestine immigration. "Clandestine immigration does not only have an individual motive, but it is also the result of a criminal traffic".

The Senator also launched an accusation to governments, admitting that scarce attention is given to the roots of immigration phenomena.

Rutelli then addressed the public encouraging responsible behaviours in the choice of tourist destinations, mentioning the abduction of five Italian tourists in Egypt. "An Egyptian tour operator was stating in some of his catalogues to bring in dangerous places people who fear to go out at night " told the democratic Senator, who added: "more rigorous instructions must be given to citizens that wander in dangerous areas, thus relieving the community to pay the consequences".

Francesco Rutelli concluded his speech stating: "Fears arose because they are real, but they must not be exalted by governments and media as the risk is to be trapped"