The Italian Region of Campania, in the last few years has become
notoriously known as the ‘new triangle of death’ or ‘ The Land of
Fires’. It is at the centre of a media storm due to the dangerous
levels of pollution of the land and the connections between politics
and corruption that brought the area and its inhabitants into
complete chaos.My work observes those who are battling to live in
this complex situation, placed amongst the toxic elements of
contamination and corruption both literally and metaphorically.
The region has recently experienced an increasing number of
deaths caused by cancer and other diseases connected with the
introduction into the environment of substances which had
harmful or poisonous effects far exceeding the Italian national
average.It is thought that the rise in cancer-related mortality is
caused mainly by pollution from illegal and indecorous hazardous
waste disposal from various sources. No more so than as a result
of the work carried out by the familial organised crime clans of the
Camorra.Carmine Schiavone - one of the ex-heads of the
Camorra’s clan Casalesi - recently admitted that he had
systematically worked for 20 years to bribe local politicians and
officials to gain their acquiescence to dump toxic waste. Even
tough the illegal dumping of toxic waste was at the core of the
Camorra business before, what concerns now it is the very
probable scenario that sees the new focus of the business pointing
to secure contracts to clean up the polluted land.
The lack of values or assistance from the Italian Government and
an overly bureaucratic system has left the population in a
complete state of disarray and uncertainty.
Yvonne De Rosa lives and works in London.
yvonnederosa.blogspot.com
www.yvonnederosa.com
