Peasant protest in Sicily

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32459, 20 November 1970, Page 13

Peasant protest in Sicily

(N.Z.PA.-Reuter—Copyright) TRAPANI (Sicily), Nov. 19. About 10,000 peasants from Western Sicily today demonstrated to demand reconstruction of their homes, wrecked by an earthquake nearly three years ago.

They attended a mass rally in the town of Salaparuta, in the centre of the earthquake area—where more than 300 people were killed and nearly 100,000 made homeless in January, 1968. A general strike paralysed all activity in the area except the postal service. The strike was called to protest at delays in the reconstruction of damaged homes, at unemployment and at the lack of public services in the 15 towns and villages stricken by the disaster. Clashes broke out in major cities throughout the country today as thousands of stu-

; dents demonstrated for better school and university condiI tions. I In Rome, 1000 high school marching through streets caused major traffic .chaos when they met another demonstration by discontented peasants. At a mass meeting the students approved a proposal calling for a general strike tomorrow in all Rome high schools to press demands for more classrooms and teachers and other reforms. Some 2000 students demonstrated in Turin, more than 1000 in Milan, and hundreds more in the south Italian cit--1 ies of Bari and Foggia.