Mattarella recalls the massacre in the Ribolla mine – “Seventy years ago, on 4 May 1954, forty-three miners lost their lives due to the explosions of firedamp gas that occurred inside the tunnels of the Ribolla mine, in the Municipality of Roccastrada, delivering this event in history as the largest post-war mining disaster in Italy”. The President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, reminds us of this in a message sent to the Mayor of the Municipality of Roccastrada, Francesco Limatola.
The 43 victims who lost their lives 70 years ago in the explosion of 4 May 1954 in the Ribolla firedamp gas mine (Roccastrada, Gr), one of the most dramatic workplace massacres in the history of Italy, were remembered with an institutional ceremony. At 10 am the procession was held with musical accompaniment by the Torniella Philharmonic Band from the church to the Miner’s Monument, where the wreath was placed at 11 am, in the presence of the authorities. This was followed by the delivery of the remembrance scrolls to the families of the victims and at 12.30 the celebrations moved to the Pozzo Camorra and the Miners’ Monument, for the laying of the wreaths. The general secretary of the CGIL, Maurizio Landini, participated in the commemoration.
“Dying at work, for work – adds the head of state – was the fate of those miners, victims of a logic of exploitation that did not place the protection of people’s lives at the center of production activities. Honoring their memory – he underlines – means expressing respect for the sacrifice and self-sacrifice of these fellow citizens of ours who, in the difficult post-war years, contributed to the recovery and reconstruction of Italy. That pain which affected an entire community – and was witnessed by the participation of tens of thousands of people at the funeral – was a warning to give concrete implementation to the principles which characterize our Constitution, in particular on the right to work and on the social protection of workers, starting with safety. On this mournful occasion – concludes Mattarella -, I address my thoughts and the closeness of the Republic to the families of the victims of the Ribolla tragedy and to those who lost their lives in the workplace”.
