In the Capuchin church in Corato, during the novena of St. Rita, prayers were prayed for Sako Bakari (photo), the Malaysian laborer killed in Tarantowhile going to work, by stray boys hunting for the foreigner to hit. The community of faithful, saddened and hurt by this absurd murder, reacted with a collection to support his family. We also prayed for the deviant children, because the response to violence cannot only be prison, but a path of re-educational treatment for a healthy social life.
Lucia Scarnera
Sacko Bakari, victim of ferocity and indifference in Taranto. The parish priest: «Shame on us»
The Sako affair did not shock the country enough. What would have happened if the roles were reversed (migrants who, organized as a gang, kill a local)? All hell, with demands for a hard fist and loud demands for “remigration”. The response of the Christian community of Corato then indicates the right path. Faced with such absurd violence, he chose prayer, concrete solidarity towards the victim’s family and the memory of the young murderers in prayer. It is an evangelical sign. Justice must take its course and responsibilities must be ascertained and punished. But punishment alone is not enough. If we want a safer and more humane society, we must also question the causes that generate these forms of gratuitous violence, marginalization and contempt for others. This is why it is important to accompany sanctions with educational and social recovery paths.
