New Delhi: Two Italian marines arrived back in New Delhi yesterday to face murder charges following a last-minute climbdown by their government, leaving India to savour victory at the end of a bitter standoff.
Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone accompanied by deputy foreign minister Staffan de Mistura touched down in a military plane in the evening before being taken to the Italian embassy where they will spend the night. Their arrival came after a shock decision on Thursday by Italy’s government to drop its opposition to their trial in India for shooting dead two fishermen off the coast of the southwestern Indian state of Kerala.
The Indian government, which last week issued orders to immigration authorities to prevent Rome’s ambassador to New Delhi from leaving the country, expressed satisfaction while de Mistura was tasked with defending the U-turn. “A potential diplomatic crisis has been averted,” he told a press conference at the Italian embassy, saying Rome’s change of heart came after written assurances that the marines would not face the death penalty.
“For us the death penalty is a no-no,” he said. “Can you imagine for our own military? It is even more of a no-no.”
Following a year-long dispute over the case, India’s Supreme Court granted the two men bail to fly home to vote last month — on condition they were sent back to New Delhi within a month.
Italy agreed and its ambassador personally signed an affidavit taking personal responsibility to return them, which led to fury when Rome announced on March 11 that it was reneging on its commitment.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who had warned of “consequences” if the pair did not return by a deadline yesterday, was among those to express their satisfaction at the outcome.
“I am happy that the integrity and dignity of the Indian judicial process has been upheld,” he told reporters. Others were more triumphant, including Law Minister Ashwani Kumar who called their return “a victory of India’s constitution, our diplomacy, judicial system and also vindication of our stand”.
After Italy said the marines would not return, Indian authorities forbade Italian ambassador Daniele Mancini from leaving the country, saying he had broken his promise to the Supreme Court. Airports were even put on alert.
India’s hardline stance caused alarm in diplomatic circles, with European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton declaring on Tuesday that limiting Mancini’s movement ran “contrary to the international obligations”.
The marines had been “sad to leave their families,”, de Mistura said, but they had travelled and arrived in India “in a dignified manner”. Mindful of the country’s notoriously slow legal system, he also urged India to set up a special court to try the men, as proposed by the Supreme Court, and deliver timely justice.
“The sooner we see the special court going ahead and concluding the better it is,” de Mistura told the press conference, adding: “In the current circumstances the matter of a very few months would be the ideal.”
Italy has insisted the pair should be prosecuted in their home country because the shootings involved an Italian-flagged vessel in international waters. India says the killings took place in waters under its jurisdiction.
The two are accused of murder over the dead fishermen whom they say they mistook for pirates off the Indian port of Kochi last year. They were serving as security guards on an Italian oil tanker. Under a prisoner transfer agreement signed between the countries, the marines could serve their sentences in Italy if convicted. Dora Gelastine, the widow of one of the victims who was just known as Gelastine, said she was delighted the marines had returned to face trial.
“I don’t know much about the whole legal process but I want the killers to face prosecution as per our law. It’s minimum justice for my innocent husband,” she said.
Relations between the two countries have also been soured by corruption allegations surrounding a $748m deal for the purchase of 12 Italian helicopters, which the Indian government is now threatening to scrap.
AFP
