G8 Summit at L’Aquila. World leaders exposed to serious seismic risk. Summit meeting should be moved elsewhere. Open letter to G8 country ambassadors to Italy
Milan, 7 July 2009
Sirs,
The Everyone Group, again, voices its concern for the safety of the G8 leaders during the summit meeting at L’Aquila. What worries us are not the demonstrations of legitimate dissent --and we, too, disagree with many policies of the G8 leaders-- but rather the fact that, by accepting the invitation to meet in a city devastated by recent earthquakes, the G8 governments plainly show that the countries they represent rest on fragile foundations. We have been monitoring the seismic activity around L’Aquila and can say that the area is unsafe. We find it inexplicable that the security services and others responsible for the safety of the G8 leaders during their official stay could have accepted a situation marked by uncertainty, tension and danger.
What impression would the heads of the world’s leading democracies make if they were suddenly forced to evacuate the area? Could the Coppito Citadel withstand a shock greater than 4.5? How would the evacuation proceed in such an emergency? The truth is that the fire department was pressured to approve the site, although no safety tests had been conducted due to lack of sufficient time.
The media in Italy have begun to censor news about the ongoing seismic activity to appease the Italian government and the summit meeting organizers. We wish to inform you that: Yesterday, 6 July 2009, eight shocks were recorded, generating panic among the citizens of L’Aquila.
Faglia abruzzese
Today, 7 July 2009, four shocks were recorded by the National Institute of Geophysics and Vulcanology. The strongest (2.9) occurred at 1:09 a.m., followed by a second (2.8) at 1:51 a.m., and the next two at 2:48 a.m. and at 5:13 a.m. Seismologists have stated that, “A number of active faults are causing earthquakes around L’Aquila. The major danger regards a high-risk fault (kept under surveillance since 6 April), the so-called Pizzoli Fault. Should this fault activate, the consequences could be catastrophic.” The shocks recorded in the Reatini Mountains are not far from Pizzoli, potentially exposing the G8 leaders to considerable risk. Confirming this alarming situation, the National Institute of Geophysics, Milan and Pavia section, stated today that the Pizzoli Fault is active.*
The EveryOne Group asks why no mention has been made and why the G8 governments decided to expose their leaders to unnecessary risk. The EveryOne Group, again, requests that the persons involved in the organization of the summit meeting and those taking part in it pay better attention to the leaders of the democratic countries, who are working for the good of society and should be allowed to do so safely. Moreover, we request that, in the interest of all concerned, the summit meeting be moved to another location.
Sincerely,
Roberto Malini, Matteo Pegoraro, Dario Picciau, Glenys Robinson for the Everyone Group
*http://www.mi.ingv.it/msg/elenco.php?id=m443&year=2009#443
Gruppo EveryOne
Tel: (+ 39) 334-8429527 (+ 39) 331-3585406
