Friday, June 27, 2008

I 'cabu cabu', black taxi per soli immigrati

I 'cabu cabu', black taxi per soli immigrati

TORINO - Stanno fuori dalle macchine, appoggiati al muro, le chiavi in mano. Sono all'angolo di un corso, che taglia uno dei mercati più grandi della città. Se non sei bianco e passi loro davanti ti chiedono se devi andare da qualche parte, ti offrono una tariffa, e cominciano a mercanteggiare. Si chiamano "cabu cabu", sono tassisti africani, con patente del loro paese (non valida per l'Italia), e senza licenza. Arrivano soprattutto dalla Nigeria, dal Senegal, dal Ghana. Una volta accompagnavano le prostitute al loro posto di lavoro (il parco della Pellerina, chi è di Torino lo sa), oggi non lo fanno più, o almeno non lo dicono. Portano in giro le persone, le accompagnano ad un appuntamento (quando è importante ed è richiesta la puntualità), vanno a prendere chi arriva alla stazione dei treni, aiutano chi si trasferisce da una città all'altra, accompagnano le donne (e gli uomini) dal mercato a casa.

Sono una sessantina a Torino, molti sono in Italia da tanti anni. C'è chi non ha documenti e deve campare, chi vuole un lavoro autonomo (e ovviamente esentasse) chi puo' solo spostarsi con una macchina. "Sono in Italia da due anni- racconta un giovane africano- non ho i documenti, così ho deciso di fare il taxista per mantenermi". Un altro proviene dal Senegal, ha i documenti francesi e dice di aver scelto quel mestiere perchè non gli andava di lavorare sotto padrone.

"Il mio paese è il Ghana, ma sono in Europa da 40 anni-racconta un uomo sulla sessantina- non posso camminare, quindi ho scelto questo lavoro per mantenermi. Non ho moglie nè figli". E neanche la macchina, e infatti la affitta ogni mese. Un altro ragazzo proviene dalla Nigeria: ha 28 anni e i documenti spagnoli: è arrivato in Europa attraverso il Mar Rosso e ha la patente nigeriana. "E' un lavoro come un altro- dice- così riesco a mandare i soldi a casa".

Alcuni "cabu cabu" in patria erano tassisti, altri meccanici, altri falegnami, studenti, commercianti. La loro corsa costa meno di quella "legale" ed e' preferita da molti (ma solo africani: la loro attività ai torinesi è totalmente preclusa ed invisibile).

"Mi piace prendere i cabu cabu - racconta una ragazza di colore. Li preferisco ai tassì italiani. Gli autisti sono più gentili e comprensivi (sympathetic). Quando ho delle borse della spesa, ad esempio, loro ti aiutano a portarle fino a casa. I tassisti italiani non lo fanno, e inoltre sono molto più cari". (Dires - Redattore sociale)27 giugno 2008

http://chukbyke.blogspot.com/

FINGERPRINTING GYPSIES


Italy: Move to fingerprint Gypsies sparks controversy


Roma, 26 June (AKI) - An Italian government proposal to fingerprint all the country's Gypsies, including children, has drawn stern criticism from members of the Catholic Church and from the opposition.

Gypsy children whose parents keep them out of school and send them to beg on the streets would be taken into care, under plans announced by the Interior Minister Roberto Maroni.

Maroni said the planned 'census' of Gypsies is not 'ethnic profiling' but aimed ensuring decent living conditions for all individuals who have the right to residency in Italy and expelling those who are here illegally.

He was addressing the lower house of Parliament's constitutional affairs committee.

"Does living among rats as Gypsy children do in their camps respect their rights?" he asked.

"As Italian citizens , we should be ashamed about this situation, which should not be allowed to continue."

Under Maroni's plans, the fingerprinting of Gypsies would be overseen by special Gypsy commissioners appointed in Italy's major cities since the conservative government took office last month.

But a Roman Catholic Archbishop and a missionary order of nuns have condemned Maroni's clampdown.

"We cannot make poverty a crime," said Archbishop Agostino Marchetto, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Travellers, quoted by La Stampa daily on Thursday.

"Removing children from their parents is a serious issue. We should be giving financial aid to Gypsy parents instead, to encourage them to get educated and to become cultural mediators," Marchetto said.

A Catholic order of nuns, The Comboni Missionary Sisters, described as "racist" Maroni's plans to fingerprint Gypsy children saying it recalled the persecution of Jews in World War II.

"Many of these children already attend school. It is incomprehensible why at such a tender age they should already be made to feel different - the bearers of a modern-day yellow Star of David that brands them as probable future criminals," the order said in a statement.

Italy's former Social Solidarity Minister Paolo Ferrero went further: "The ethnic profiling of children, be they Italian, foreign citizens, or Roma Gypsies, is a barbarous and unacceptable proposal that is unfitting for a civilised country," he said.

A group of Italian Communist members of the European Parliament on Thursday asked the European Commission to consider if the planned fingerprinting of Gypsies breached European Union law on the rights of minors and citizenship.

Of the 150,000 Roma Gypsies who live in Italy, about 70,000 have Italian citizenship. Many Roma Gypsies come from Romania.

Tens of thousands of Roma Gypsies have entered Italy in the past few years since Slovakia and Romania joined the EU, and are being blamed by many Italians for much of the recent rise in crime rates.

http://www.repubblica.it/2008/06/sezioni/cronaca/sicurezza-politica-9/impronte-26giu/impronte-26giu.html





NENWE....Amaka Oforbuike

Love for the poor drove me to music – Amaka Oforbuike, gospel singer
By NGOZI ECHENDU and LAWRENCE NWALI

Fast-rising gospel singer, Amaka Oforbuike, has every cause to show gratitude to God for her latest effort, entitled: Chidimma. The consummate artiste and a graduate of English from the University of Lagos, earlier in the year, came out with her debut album, Chidinma (God is Good).

Speaking with Daily Sun at her album presentation last weekend, the artiste spoke on her new album, the menace of piracy, inspirations, and other challenges of the industry.

Background
I hail from Nenwe in Agwu Local Government area of Enugu State. I'm the second in a family of five. I attended Housing Estate Primary School, Abakpa, Enugu following which I proceeded to Girls High School Awkunanaw Enugu for my secondary school education. I also attended the University of Lagos where I obtained a B.A (Hons) in English Language. At present, I'm pursuing a Masters Degree in Public Administration at Esut Business School.

Inspiration
God inspired me by giving me a good voice. I believe that the only place my voice can be useful is when I sing for God. I started singing from primary school. Over the years, I have nurtured myself in music ministration and I know that the sky is my limit.

Career choice
I had wanted to be a lawyer because I feel for the oppressed. I hate seeing people's rights being trampled upon. For me to fight back, I told myself that I would love to be a lawyer, so that I could defend the poor. But considering the fact that my God-given talent is to sing, I had sacrificed my law ambition for music.

Album
I have produced two albums, the first one is entitled: "Chinaza" (God answers Prayer), while the second album is Chidimma (God is Good).

Hit track
The most thrilling track on my second album is I will not shed tears anymore. It is actually a message of consolation and encouragement. It connotes that there will be no more suffering, sorrow, untimely death and sickness among others.

Nigerian music industry
I thank God, the industry is growing but I believe if we are more devoted to it, it will grow bigger in the future.

PMAN
I am not a member of PMAN because the Church has been part of me. I am a chief singer in my church, Household of Love Church, where I perform regularly but I believe I will join PMAN and other relevant bodies soon.

Challenges
First, there is the Nigerian factor, whereby people would not want you to outshine them. The second one is finance. But with God on my side, the sky is my limit.

Message
My albums are actually produced to correct the ills and some erroneous beliefs in the society. The message in Chinaza connotes that God answers prayer. So, whatever you do in life always believe that God is the only one who answers prayers but not the devil. The second album, Chidimma, also maintains that God is good no matter the circumstance.

Piracy
Pirates are enemies to Nigerian music industry because they reap where they did not sow. Ordinarilly, artistes are not supposed to go hungry because Nigerians love music and they patronize it. I pray that God will intervene for Nigerian artistes, so that they can smile again.

Advice to other upcoming artistes
First, they should trust in God and remained focused. Second, they should be consistent in what they are doing without listening to anybody but God the sky will be their limit.

Impact of music
My music is the type that heals the soul both physically and spiritually. It is a kind of music that brings in favour and blessings to those who listen to it. Then, in response to that, they call me on daily basis on how my music has changed their lives.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/showtime/2007/dec/28/showtime-28-12-2007-003.htm


COMMENTS

SHAITSU

SHAITSU
Il massaggio Shiatsu che si effettua tramite la pressione delle dita, dei palmi delle mani e dei piedi e dei gomiti su tutto il corpo, agisce sui punti energetici considerati dall'agopuntura. Stimola la circolazione sanguigna ed il flusso linfatico, agisce sul sistema nervoso allentando la tensione muscolare più profonda, rimuove le tossine dei tessuti, risveglia il sistema ormonale e sollecita la capacità di autoguarigione del corpo.

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