SICILIANS’ FUTURE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 63, Issue 246, 28 July 1943, Page 3

SICILIANS’ FUTURE.

IDEAL OF SELF-GOVERNMENT. MANIFESTO BY COMMITTEE. (Roc. 10.45 a.m.) LONDON. July 27. When tho Allies marched into Palermo last Friday they found tho streets placarded with a manifesto signed by “The committee for the independence of Sicily.” The manifesto, printed secretly on the day the Allies disembarked, said: “The Fascist is finished at last and people avlio in common Avith us hold ideals of liberty and democracy have come to give us help in throwing off tyranny, Avhicli is the worst in all history. 'The unify of Italy, through no fault of ours, is shattered. Sicily wants to organise itself, govern, itself and live separately.” A. correspondent for the combined British press, cabling from Palermo, comments: “However much the Allies suppress political activity nothing is going to prevent the Sicilians thinking and talking about 'the future. They do not regard themselves as a part of defeated Italy. They honestly regard themselves as a liberated people. “This Committee for Independence is an existing, organised thing Avliich many Sicilians regard as the nucleus of their political future. Tts leader is Andrea Apoilo, a iornior I ndor-Socro-tavy of War. The members of the committee are nearly all former Liberal deputies. Last January the committee communicated Avith Mr Churchill and'Mr Roosevelt. Mr Churchill s recent radio reference to Sicily’s future aroused fervour and excitement. “The committee argues that Sicily has ahvays boon ruthlessly exploited for tho benefit of Lombardy and Piedmont, the most influential provinces of united Italy. Mussolini, thov claim, had no real support among the Sicilians. consequently lie lias deliberately held down and exploited Sicily.”