<nettime> Marina Petrella: words to tell my empathy

["Patrice Riemens" <patrice@xs4all.nl>]

Marina Petrella, having fled to Fance while on the run for the Italian
authorities as a member of the 'Red Brigades', was a political refugee of
sorts in France by decision of the former president of the republic,
Francois Mitterand (as he did regarding scores of other fleeing Italian
far-leftists, eg Antonio Negri). Meanwhile she was condemned in Italy to a
life sentence, on accusation of complicity to the murder of a police
officer. The current French governement, under leadership of Nicholas
Sarkozy, first as minister of the interior, and now himself president of
the republic, had rescinded this order, and threatened to extradite Ms
Petrella and deliver her to the Italian authorities. This caused Ms
Petrella, who had been living an entirely peacefull and ordinary working
life untill now, to collapse into life-threatening depression necessiting
her taking into hospital where her health was deteriorating rapidly. Now
president Sarkosy, apparently under injunction of his wife Carla Bruni and
her sister, has decided to withdraw the extradition order, under the
humaitarian clause.

Marinea Petrella had written this letter on July 19 to her counsel, Ms
Irene Terrel, and it was published in to-day's edition of the French daily
Le Monde.



Marina Petrella, former member of the Brigate Rosse

The loss of a human life is always a tragedy and the cause of
incommensurate suffering for the relatives of the deceased.

I have felt this, even as thirty years ago, I believed in and joined, like
thousands of others, a revolutionary, armed movement that wanted to change
the world. It was a harrowing decision to make.

The pain of the victims has always, always been with me. Reticence to
publicise this sentiment and my absolute rejection of any benefit that may
accrue from such a statement are the sole reasons why I did not express it
earlier. "Regret" I find a to weak word and a word that sometimes does
commit as much as it should.

For the past twenty years, by way of an active form of non-violence, I
have tried to make my actions bespeak a more authentic message than words
can. To-day, in offering my most intimate thoughts, and this with great
restraint and unlimited modesty, I would like to express my sorrow, my
profound respect, and, if it would be accepted, my empathy.

Are the odds ever so slight that I will be heard, and believed? I leave it
to my counsel persuade those to whom they are adressed of the sincerity of
these lines, harboring the boundless hope that she will succeed.


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