From 2010 Italy to fingerprint all, not just ethnic Roma

Fingur PrintRome  - Italian parliamentarians approved Wednesday a provision to include on all identity cards issued from 2010 the bearers' fingerprints - a decision which comes amid a row over the government's intention to fingerprint ethnic Roma, including children.

The provision was propounded by a parliamentary commission with the backing of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's conservative coalition and of several opposition lawmakers, including centrist Catholics.

"It would have been racist and discriminatory only to take the finger prints of the Roma," said Union of Christian Democrats (UDC) leader, Pier Ferdinando Casini, who added that for security reasons he would be happy to have his own children fingerprinted.

But another opposition leader, Antonio Di Pietro, of the Italy of Values party, condemned the proposal as a "shocking attempt to soften the other racist and xenophobic choices made by the government."

Di Pietro was referring to the fingerprinting of Roma as well as a government security package tabled in parliament that introduces harsher punishment for immigrants who commit crimes.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Roberto Maroni said the government would press on with a census of ethnic Roma - colloquially known as gypsies - including the fingerprinting of children - a move condemned as discriminatory by the European Parliament.

The census, which is set to begin later this week in Rome and other major cities, would be completed by October, Maroni said.

He also reiterated that besides security - many Italians believe ethnic Roma to be involved in crime - the census' purpose is to identify children living in shanty towns and squatter camps to ensure that they go to school.

Initial estimates indicated that of the 7,000 Roma children living in squatter camps in Rome, only 1,000 were enrolled in schools, Maroni said. (dpa)

Regions: