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ANN Ewe ob Stcily. Since 1869, Sicily has béen a part of Italy, though under the terms 10 ; Of the Italion constftiyfon of 1947 {tt ls known a8 an autonomous region with 12 21) Ph8ermo 25 the capital. iP P Le A te i. The Pmergence of t.awless Tradition and Groups Epitomizing It - Sgme sources favor the gradual emergence of two related phenomena poe i Cictlian histery which taken for:ther ere referred to as the Mafia. | el 53 (t) Lavless Tradition (Qmrerta) 2 The first phenomenon wee of tvo parts: the popular sentiment of Ta ° hewtiity to the law, developed in “Icily over many centuries at least in part pO 4 y ’ 98 . vd a2% result of misrule, and the calpmitous results of this sentiment in action. 30 ; i a2 Waster’ s dictionary hie deffnel Vis anpect as follows: 33 “In Fieily, the populor ecntiment of hestility to the law, leading 35 toa refusal to bear witness in case of crime, and hence to "36 frequent violent cr{mes, esp. against persone, as officers, ‘ 37 . who heve incurred popuicr displeasure...."' ! 38 , | 2? Py fhe ith Century a comoliceted tradition had developed in djdtty, its core being this perular ©cutiment of hostiltty to the law. The .- 4 . tredition, known as omerta, * became virtually unwritten law among numerous 45 f"Gilians. According to its tenets, the citlzen had these obligations: 47 ee #8rom Sicilian OMI, man. Omertnis still knovn to itallans and Sicilians as a eepacept alndlar to "bonor anon Uveves, a kind of underwortd solidarity. 51 (John Colaneri, Tr. Sect. 4-3-58) 53 a 56 i 57 58 59 60 ce oO leo ete SSO.