Vincenzo Di Meglio
Encyclopedia
Vincenzo Di Meglio was an Italian doctor, who worked in the Africa Orientale Italiana in the late thirties and during World War II
, and an Italian Eritrean
politician who saved Eritrea from being divided in 1947 between Sudan
and Ethiopia
.
(near Naples
, Italy
) in April 1903. Since young he participated in politics and was mayor of his hometown in the twenties. He graduated as Doctor and in 1935 moved to the Italian colonies
in East Africa, where he professed as a family doctor, initially helping the most poor Africans.
In 1939 was requested by the governor of Eritrea
, Giuseppe Daodiace, to work in Asmara
in the Hospital "Regina Elena" as Vice-Director of Gynecology.
During World War II
Di Meglio defended politically the Italians of Eritrea and successively promoted the independence of Eritrea.
After the war he was named Director of the "Commitato Rappresentativo Italiani dell' Eritrea" (CRIE). In 1947 supported the creation of the "Associazione Italo-Eritrei" and the "Associazione Veterani Ascari", in order to get alliance with the Eritreans favorable to Italy
in Eritrea .
As a result of these creations, he cofounded the "Partito Eritrea Pro Italia" (Party of Shara Italy) in September 1947, an Eritrean political Party favorable to the Italian presence in Eritrea that obtained more than 200,000 inscriptions of membership in one single month.
Indeed the Italian Eritreans
strongly rejected the Ethiopian annexation of Eritrea after the war: the Party of Shara Italy was established in Asmara in 1947 and the majority of the members were former Italian soldiers with many Eritrean Ascari (the organization was even backed up by the government of Italy). The main objective of this party was Eritrea freedom but they had a pre-condition that stated that before independence the country should be governed by Italy for at least 15 years (like happened with Italian Somalia).
In 1951 Dr. Di Meglio moved to Saudi Arabia
as a consequence of problems with the British authorities, when was forced to close the main Italian political organization of Eritrea called CRIE.
After a brief return to Eritrea as Director of Gynecology of an Hospital, in 1961 Di Meglio returned to Italy where died in March 1987 .
The daughter Rita is currently alive and has no sicknesses caused by the origin of her parents. Caterina, Vincenzo's wife, died on October 25, 1997 of a cancer in her liver.
He was friend of Eritrean politicians, like Woldeab Woldemariam
and Abdel Kader Kebir, who promoted the independence of Eritrea during the British
occupation. As a consequence he suffered some murderous attacks from the so called Scifta terrorists, but survived without harm.
Dr. Di Meglio was one of the main authorities in Eritrea who opposed the British tentative to divide Eritrea between Sudan
and Ethiopia
after 1945. He obtained in 1947 the dismissal of this project by the United Nations (wanted mainly by the British to enlarge their Sudan with most of northern Eritrea) with his continuous pressure on the Latinoamerican representatives (like those of Haiti
) at the ONU: by only one vote -exactly the one of Haiti- Eritrea was not divided between Sudan and Ethiopia.
But later was unsuccessful -as a representative even of independist Eritrean organizations- when he went to New York
to talk in the United Nations
against the annexation of Eritrea to Ethiopia as a federated province in 1950. In the ONU Vincenzo Di Meglio promoted (even in agreement with the Italian government) the "Fiduciary Administration" by Italy
until 1960 of an independent Eritrea, to be done in a similar way to that of Italian Somalia http://www.italiaeritrea.org/chisiamo/lettere_consolo.html.
In 1951 Dr. Di Meglio created the Casa degli Italiani ("House of the italians)" in Asmara
as the center for the remaining members of the Italian Eritreans
. In recent years the "Casa" has been proposed to be named with his name.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and an Italian Eritrean
Italian Eritreans
Italian Eritreans are Eritrean-born descendants of Italian settlers as well as Italian long-term residents in Eritrea.-History:...
politician who saved Eritrea from being divided in 1947 between Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
and Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
.
Life
Di Meglio was born in the island of IschiaIschia
Ischia is a volcanic island in the Tyrrhenian Sea. It lies at the northern end of the Gulf of Naples, about 30 km from the city of Naples. It is the largest of the Phlegrean Islands. Roughly trapezoidal in shape, it measures around 10 km east to west and 7 km north to south and has...
(near Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
) in April 1903. Since young he participated in politics and was mayor of his hometown in the twenties. He graduated as Doctor and in 1935 moved to the Italian colonies
Italian Empire
The Italian Empire was created after the Kingdom of Italy joined other European powers in establishing colonies overseas during the "scramble for Africa". Modern Italy as a unified state only existed from 1861. By this time France, Spain, Portugal, Britain, and the Netherlands, had already carved...
in East Africa, where he professed as a family doctor, initially helping the most poor Africans.
In 1939 was requested by the governor of Eritrea
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
, Giuseppe Daodiace, to work in Asmara
Asmara
Asmara is the capital city and largest settlement in Eritrea, home to a population of around 579,000 people...
in the Hospital "Regina Elena" as Vice-Director of Gynecology.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Di Meglio defended politically the Italians of Eritrea and successively promoted the independence of Eritrea.
After the war he was named Director of the "Commitato Rappresentativo Italiani dell' Eritrea" (CRIE). In 1947 supported the creation of the "Associazione Italo-Eritrei" and the "Associazione Veterani Ascari", in order to get alliance with the Eritreans favorable to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in Eritrea .
As a result of these creations, he cofounded the "Partito Eritrea Pro Italia" (Party of Shara Italy) in September 1947, an Eritrean political Party favorable to the Italian presence in Eritrea that obtained more than 200,000 inscriptions of membership in one single month.
Indeed the Italian Eritreans
Italian Eritreans
Italian Eritreans are Eritrean-born descendants of Italian settlers as well as Italian long-term residents in Eritrea.-History:...
strongly rejected the Ethiopian annexation of Eritrea after the war: the Party of Shara Italy was established in Asmara in 1947 and the majority of the members were former Italian soldiers with many Eritrean Ascari (the organization was even backed up by the government of Italy). The main objective of this party was Eritrea freedom but they had a pre-condition that stated that before independence the country should be governed by Italy for at least 15 years (like happened with Italian Somalia).
In 1951 Dr. Di Meglio moved to Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
as a consequence of problems with the British authorities, when was forced to close the main Italian political organization of Eritrea called CRIE.
After a brief return to Eritrea as Director of Gynecology of an Hospital, in 1961 Di Meglio returned to Italy where died in March 1987 .
Personal life
Vincenzo married Caterina Scotti, his cousin. Caterina had 14 sons and daughters of which only one survived the birth in 1935: Rita Di Meglio.The daughter Rita is currently alive and has no sicknesses caused by the origin of her parents. Caterina, Vincenzo's wife, died on October 25, 1997 of a cancer in her liver.
Political accomplishments
Vincenzo Di Meglio was appointed Director of the C.R.I.E (Comitato Rappresentativo degli Italiani dell’Eritrea), the main organization of the Italians in Eritrea during the British rule after 1941.He was friend of Eritrean politicians, like Woldeab Woldemariam
Woldeab Woldemariam
Woldeab Woldemariam also spelled as Weldeab Weldemariam was one of the original proponents of the Eritrean Independence movement and is considered the father of Eritrea...
and Abdel Kader Kebir, who promoted the independence of Eritrea during the British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
occupation. As a consequence he suffered some murderous attacks from the so called Scifta terrorists, but survived without harm.
Dr. Di Meglio was one of the main authorities in Eritrea who opposed the British tentative to divide Eritrea between Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
and Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
after 1945. He obtained in 1947 the dismissal of this project by the United Nations (wanted mainly by the British to enlarge their Sudan with most of northern Eritrea) with his continuous pressure on the Latinoamerican representatives (like those of Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
) at the ONU: by only one vote -exactly the one of Haiti- Eritrea was not divided between Sudan and Ethiopia.
But later was unsuccessful -as a representative even of independist Eritrean organizations- when he went to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to talk in the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
against the annexation of Eritrea to Ethiopia as a federated province in 1950. In the ONU Vincenzo Di Meglio promoted (even in agreement with the Italian government) the "Fiduciary Administration" by Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
until 1960 of an independent Eritrea, to be done in a similar way to that of Italian Somalia http://www.italiaeritrea.org/chisiamo/lettere_consolo.html.
In 1951 Dr. Di Meglio created the Casa degli Italiani ("House of the italians)" in Asmara
Asmara
Asmara is the capital city and largest settlement in Eritrea, home to a population of around 579,000 people...
as the center for the remaining members of the Italian Eritreans
Italian Eritreans
Italian Eritreans are Eritrean-born descendants of Italian settlers as well as Italian long-term residents in Eritrea.-History:...
. In recent years the "Casa" has been proposed to be named with his name.