LETTER TO PARTICIPANTS A due anni dall’entrata in vigore della legge regionale per la partecipazione, la L.R. n. 69, la Regione Toscana ha organizzato il 19 e 20 novembre a Montaione un incontro di riflessione sugli esiti e la gestione della legge stessa. Il nostro comitato, assieme other regional committees and associations, has decided not to participate and send to the organizers of the conference, policy makers in the region and an open letter to the press that we attach. Democracy and Participation: "The days of Montaione II edition Democracy and participation:" Two days in Montaione "Second edition Letter to Participants by Giorgio Pizziolo although they were guests do not intend to participate directly in the meeting of 19 and 20 November to avoid the risk of being involved in a positive evaluation, however, the state's participation in Tuscany. We
Participation in the fact that Tuscany is in a condition mystified and extremely ambiguous, and groped to help dispel this dangerous state of affairs we send this brief "Open Letter", with the hope that the law and its implementation as soon as possible are radically changed.
The limits of the law setting.
Up from its appearance we have criticized the law that was explicitly, and has largely been confirmed in a law of "normalization" of participation, born on purpose to limit the criticism that arose spontaneously from civil society such great concern that the Tuscan and the political establishment regional leadership. The whole setting of the law is directed to this end and in particular the following articles on the goals of the law itself and rather different modes of operation, controls and procedures and to finance the various figures of the inspectors.
So we have a law of "command" on participation, direct and promoted from above, aimed to "build consensus" rather than, as it should be a law promoting the participation of a law that favors the emergence of different experiences from below, and that, precisely on the basis of concrete free trials, could reach a growth in both scientific and democratic experience of the exhibit.
The serious limitations in the implementing rules
Figures of Trustees, is that of communication, that what the procedure, were negative, far beyond the darkest forecasts, precisely because they are not "guarantors" of the investment but not more than the interests of clients.
We saw at once, up from its first urban experience, the guarantor of communication plays a role far removed from the warranty process, but becomes a selector of the audience, and then a performer, "priesthood" of his participation in deciding which are the results of the experience itself. It 's a big mistake scientific and epistemological as well to a serious deterioration of democracy. The community participant is deprived of its greater good, that an independent evaluation of the results, to assign the values \u200b\u200band judgments on the experience and then to select. We makes use of its power and prestige to trivialize the findings of fact and to bring the community to obey or even where you had to bring the, pace of the process of free growth of the community.
But even worse was the structure of guarantee of the other role, the Authority for the participation level, in the allocation of funds, the imposition of extremely questionable and participatory procedures taken borrowed from some magazine, denying any scientific experiments related to the area and individual communities, guidelines and practices and imposing taxes corresponding to the lines. Thus a heavy burden on each hood trying to spontaneous participation, and more generally throughout this first phase of law enforcement
Another restriction in law enforcement is given the role of monopoly held by some private hospitals often applicants in the office and in particular the case of urban adventure. This structure had a decisive role in preparation and approval of the law, was then able to participate in the tender for the allocation of implementation projects and broke it won, and now, just on this occasion is also to act as the budget of the experience itself. Every comment seems to us superfluous, if not further necessary to point out that the harsh methods used by this structure often have a boomerang effect for people who have had this experience, which no longer want to hear about participation, and for which the participation itself is now burned. Finally it should be noted
a specific area in which these incorrect settings are causing alarming contradictions: the sector of the Landscape. As you know the European Landscape Convention has introduced a new perspective on this field, which we could define ecologically and socially "prophetic." The Convention refers explicitly to the "social perception" and hence the participatory practices in respect of place, of whatever nature. This new way of referring to participation is highly unusual and requires the greatest care to scientific and democratic, that can develop only in terms of experimental action research. Any imposition or preconceived dirigiste on "Participation in environments of Life", as requested by the Convention, it is extremely dangerous and would lead the Tuscany outside Europe.
In this regard we wish to report a node on the participation in Tuscany, compared to which are not completely implemented the European directives. We refer to the issue of high-speed rail underpass in Florence, its incredible dangers, its futility, its costs and also the alternative design. All the final draft in progress takes place outside the most basic checks and evaluations (see SEA). We believe and we ask that this be done an incredible episode broad participatory process.
But a wall of silence surrounding the operation, and even paradoxical results are emerging as a psychological aid to the anxieties of citizens concerned about their homes.
After what happened in Bologna think that there is no room for doubt hazard and the conduct of the project TAV and if he were excluded from participation to make representations in general choices of TAV in Florence, or worse, were involved in the operations parapsychological, we could say that the law on the participation and the practical application would have proved a total failure. We hope
a total rewrite of the law, its a different setting and its diverse practice, which might arise from experimentation from below. If the law will not be rewritten by ensuring the free and autonomous participation of the people, and will persist if the present conditions, the experience of participation in Tuscany is believed to be mystifying and undemocratic.
Comitato SanSalvichipuò Firenze Comitato contro il Sottoattraversamento AV di Firenze Comitato Meccanotessile Firenze Comitati della Piana fiorentina Salviamo le Apuane Lunigiana, Versilia, Carrara