Thousands Protest France-Italy Rail Link Plans
Date: 17-Nov-05
Country: ITALY
Author: Jane Barrett
Police estimated about 20,000 people, from schoolchildren to pensioners, marched the 8 km (5 mile) route, waving white flags, singing along as brass bands played local folksongs and dancing by trucks blaring rap music with environmentalist lyrics.
"There are so many reasons we don't think this train line should be built but nobody has listened," said Nicoletta Motta, 28. "As well as defending our valley, we're here to defend democracy."
The train, known as the TAV, would cut the trip between Turin and Lyon to less than two hours from four hours now and would open a more modern transport link between two of Europe's biggest economies.
As a freight train carrying cars and containers snaked its way along an old train line on the hillside, villagers of the Val de Susa listed their objections to the new plans.
"Why don't they just modernise the old lines? Why do we need all this work which will be outsourced to companies from far away, not us?" said Gabriele Giuglard, 65.
"The work will take about 20 years and during that time we'll have 1,000 trucks going up and down the valley every day. It'll ruin us," he said, clapping his arms to beat off the autumn chill.
One of the main concerns is that veins of asbestos have been found in the mountains around Susa and villagers worry that the snow-capped slopes above the valley hide deposits of uranium.
"What's going to happen when they drill through the mountains? Where's it all going to go?" asked Fabrizio Remolif, a forest ranger who marched holding a cow's skull and a sign reading `We'll meet this end with the TAV'.
In recent weeks, groups of protesters have blocked the passenger train line that runs through the Val di Susa, one of the main routes to mountain sites that will be used for the Winter Olympics next February.
The government has sent in extra troops to guard the area where the new line is due to be built, angering some in the valley.
"Look at us. We are a tight mountain community. We're peaceful but the government is so desperate to build the train they have turned the valley into a military zone," said Rita De Mita, a 43-year-old housewife.
She said the money should be used instead to improve health services in the valley where she fears asbestos is behind a rise in throat problems.
A group of schoolchildren marched behind a colourful banner chanting: "Don't steal our futures. Keep the valley clean".
"Look, there's already a train," said 6-year-old Daniele as a local service chugged along, some of the passengers waving `No TAV' banners out of the windows.
"Why do we need another one if it's going to destroy the plants and the animals?" he asked.
