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OSSERVATORIO INTERNAZIONALE

public order duties as long as no accidents occurred or the demonstrators had
not resorted to the use weapons.
Demonstrations risking to transcending into more dangerous demonstra-
tions, in fact, were recurring at least until the first general elections held in 1954:
among these it is worth mentioning the one of 18 January 1951, staged by a few
dozen Darod elements adhering to the League, who, claiming to be received by

the Administrator, refused to dissolve despite several warnings from the sol-
diers and the Carabinieri on duty at the entrance.
The attempt to overcome the security belt, set off their intervention with
the complete dispersal of the riotous protesters and the arrest of 7 demonstra-
tors. Other important incident took place in Chisimaio on 1 August 1952,
when, during a demonstration organized by the usual members of the League,
an NCO and a Carabiniere were killed and an Officer wounded. The riots arose
due to a private visit of the AFIS Secretary, which provoked an unauthorized
demonstration.
The local Commissioner had probably not foreseen adequate crowd

management services, confident in a peaceful march: the Carabinieri and
Somali policemen facing a large group of about three hundred demonstrators
were low in numbers and unprepared. Sargent Salacone and Carabiniere Fosci
of the Tenenza di Chisimaio were killed, before the reinforcements managed
to disperse them, and 7 Somali Police officers were wounded .
(46)
Beyond what emerges from the official reports, Ferrara himself, in a let-
ter addressed to General Mannerini, Commanding General of the Arma,
affirm bluntly and laying it on the line: Dear Mannerini, I cannot send you an offi-

cial report (...) because the Group (editor’s note: Carabinieri) depends directly from the
AFIS for these things (...) However, I would like to tell you what is undoubtedly establi-
shed, that the Commissioner (editor’s note: government) and Commander of the Police were
taken by surprise. The mournful event was undoubtedly facilitated by the military incapa-
city of the two aforementioned entities. (...) Although for five months it was known that
the League had been planning to make a similar demonstration - and I had reported this
at the end of each month in the information bulletin - no measures were taken, not even
covert ones, and, instead, the Authorities proceeded with the most “paternal benevolence
and confidence” (...) We hope that from this painful experience, the political authorities
will better open their eyes.

(46) Nota n. 1/4380 di prot. “Segreto” datato 1° ottobre 1952 del CSS diretto a SME e Comando
Generale CC, avente ad oggetto “Rapporto circa i disordini verificatisi in Chisimaio” e nota
n. 17/115 di prot. ris. datata 25 novembre 1952 del Gruppo CC Somalia indirizzata all’AFIS
e al CSS avente ad oggetto “Rapporto circa i gravi disordini verificatisi in Chisimaio il 1° ago-
sto 1952”, USCC, f. AFIS, fasc. 871.17.

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