While browsing through “things to do” in Sicily, I came across a walking tour called “No Mafia” offered by an agency called Addiopizzo Travel. I was intrigued. It turned out to be the most enlightening tour of my life.
“Addiopizzo” literally means “good-bye to protection money.” This is the slogan as well as the name of the grassroots movement that began two decades ago to promote an anti-Mafia economy in Sicily.
The word “mafia” comes from the Sicilian word “mafiusu” which translates to “swagger” or “bravado.” It refers to the criminal organization that originated in Sicily though the term is now being used globally for similar organized crime groups.
The tour took us through the history, structure and common criminal activities of the organization, notably, extortion. But it also paid homage to the anti-mafia judges, lawyers, law enforcement officers, journalists and business owners who lost their lives to the Mafia.
I found the tour quite fascinating but it soon occurred to me that I, actually, lived in Mafia country, too. I just never realized it. And that was seriously troubling.
We don’t really think of ourselves as victims of extortion but are we not when we are forced to pay money “under the table” to government agencies every time we need to secure some kind of permit to operate our businesses?
And we pay up. Because if we don’t, they will make life difficult for us. They will harass us, impoverish us, shut us down, eventually. We know we can’t win against them. And so, we submit to their demands. Because if we don’t and we survive, next year, they’ll be back for us.
Welcome to Mafia country.
Business owners are often asked to fork out a staggering amount of money — money we allegedly owe the government. After a long, tedious and anxiety-ridden negotiation, we manage to dial the amount down, only to find after payment that the official receipt issued by our government reflects only a fraction of the amount we paid.
We’ve been living in Mafia country for too long, we don’t even recognize ourselves anymore.
The collection of pizzo or protection money creates a complex, layered system that legitimizes and reproduces “mafia power” over territories in the same way the collection of kickbacks by government officials allows them to prosper, expand their network, recruit more members into their “mafia family” and establish their respective territories.
Extortion is not just an economic activity; it is territorial sovereignty. It is not just a means of enrichment; it is a tool to establish dominance and control. And the payment of extortion money is symbolic submission. But payment also marks the beginning of a deeper relationship that often ends in a symbiotic nefarious relationship.
Corruption reshapes society. While it dampens entrepreneurial initiative, it also fuels a culture of illegality. And when there is widespread acceptance of corruption, illicit behavior becomes normalized as is sadly the case in our country.
Extortive practices hinder investment, expansion and competitive capacity. When government preys rather than supports business, the economy crumbles but so does the moral fabric of society. Corruption robs us of our dignity and integrity.
The Mafia still exists in Sicily. But through the efforts of civil society like the Addiopizzo movement and the collective and courageous choice of more than a thousand business owners to publicly declare not to pay pizzo, Mafia dominance has been diminished. But the fight of Addiopizzo continues.
It’s time for civil society to stand up to the Mafia in our country.