<html>
<body>
<font size=3><br>
PRESS RELEASE<br>
Contact: Monifa Bandele (917) 407- 3018<br><br>
International Tribunal Issues Preliminary Findings<br>
Bush, Blanco, Nagin Committed Crimes against Humanity<br><br>
New Orleans—<br>
Between August 29, 2007 and September 2, 2007, a Tribunal of 16 esteemed
jurists from nine countries, including Algeria, Brazil, France,
Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mexico, South Africa, Venezuela, and the United
States, convened in New Orleans to hear testimony by experts and
survivors of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. <br><br>
After hearing nearly 30 hours of testimony by hurricane survivors and
experts – covering government neglect and negligence in 15 areas, ranging
from police brutality to environmental racism, from misappropriation of
relief to gentrification, the jurists announced their preliminary
findings.<br><br>
Jill Soffiyah Elijah, the Deputy Director of the Criminal Justice
Institute at Harvard Law School and Coordinating Justice for the
International Tribunal on Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, announced the
Tribunal's preliminary findings, "It is our view that the US
Government has committed crimes against humanity particularly in relation
to its failure to maintain functional levees that should have protected
the City of New Orleans from flooding….it was the reckless disregard and,
in some instances, negligence of the US government, the state of
Louisiana and the city of New Orleans that created the devastation we
continue to see today."<br><br>
Elijah also announced that the Tribunal made preliminary findings that
the federal, state and local governments are guilty of violating the
human rights to life, dignity and recognition of personhood; the right to
be free from racial discrimination-- especially as it pertains to
the actions of law enforcement personnel and vigilantes; the right to
return, resettlement and reintegration of internally displaced persons;
the right to be free from degrading treatment and punishment; the right
to freedom of movement; the right to adequate housing and education; the
right to vote and participate in governance and the right to a fair
trial, the right to liberty and security of person and the right to equal
protection under the law. Both actions and failure to act by the
governments had disproportionate devastating impact with respect to race
and gender.<br><br>
The jurists announced that they would deliver their final verdict
December 8, 2007—the second anniversary of the Katrina Survivors'
Assembly. In the meantime, prosecutors will be submitting
additional evidence and videotaped affidavits from an additional 25
survivors. <br><br>
The prosecution team included experienced attorneys from respected legal
associations around the country: the ACLU of New York, National Economic
and Social Rights Initiative, the US Human Rights Network, the National
Conference of Black Lawyers, the Center for Constitutional Rights,
National Lawyers Guild, the Center for Law and Social Justice at Medgar
Evers College, the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, Mississippi
Workers Center for Human Rights, Washington DC Legal Defender,
Mississippi Disaster Relief Coalition, International Association of
Democratic Lawyers, Legal Empowerment Center and the Louisiana Justice
Initiative.<br><br>
The Tribunal Conveners—representing movements for justice on four
continents—reminded Tribunal participants and witnesses of the solemnity
of their task. Lybon Mabasa, a founding member with Stephen Biko of the
Black Consciousness Movement w in South Africa, insisted, "We must
hold these criminal governments to account in order to stop the world
from sinking into barbarism and to make the world one where life is worth
living."<br><br>
#<br><br>
For samples of videotaped testimony, contact Monifa Bandele at (917)
407-3018<br><br>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<br><br>
Greetings family, friends, neighbors, and comrades! <br><br>
Thank you all for supporting the International Tribunal on Hurricanes
Katrina and Rita. Your participation, along with delegations from nine
countries, made the Tribunal a success. For the first time, the
public—both in the US and the world—had the opportunity to hear a
comprehensive account of the crimes committed against the people of New
Orleans and the Gulf. And, for the first time, an esteemed panel of
international jurists gave careful consideration to charges of crimes
against humanity, ethnic cleansing, genocide and other violations
committed by the US government.<br>
<br>
However, if we are to gain restitution, justice and the right of return
for all those displaced and forcibly removed, a tremendous amount of work
remains. Join us in spreading the word about the Tribunal demands and
building a strong reconstruction movement grounded in human rights
principles to win the right to return. Below are a few suggestions
offered by Tribunal organizers—including the attached petition—to advance
the reconstruction movement.<br>
<br>
As Lybon Mabasa, Tribunal Convener from South Africa, advised as he
closed the proceedings, "We adjourn the Tribunal for today, but even
greater work lies ahead. Only by committing ourselves to this struggle
will we save ourselves from sinking into barbarism." <br><br>
How to Support the International Tribunal <br><br>
1. Build a Solidarity Committee in your city, region or
state to continue the struggle for a just reconstruction and against
ethnic cleansing in the Gulf Coast. <br>
2. Join the PHRF action alert network at
<a href="http://www.peopleshurricane.org/register/">
http://www.peopleshurricane.org/register/</a>. <br>
3. Conduct a report back about the Tribunal and the
Gulf Coast Reconstruction Movement with your members and supporters. Call
504.301.0215 for speakers and video. <br>
4. Organize a teach-in or community forum in your city,
region, or state with members of the Tribunal organizing committee to aid
with the national mobilization effort for the Tribunal and Survivors
Assembly. <br>
5. Agitate on the demands and recommendations stemming
from the Tribunal by asking civic, labor, political, and religious
organizations in your area to sign on as endorsers. The prosecution
called for:<br>
• Reparations<br>
• Prosecution of Bush, Blanco, Barbour, Nagin, FEMA,
the Army Corps of Engineers, and Homeland Security for crimes against
humanity<br>
• International and national support for the right of
return and reconstruction with justice and dignity <br>
6. Support the Tribunal Petition Drive to demand the
right of return, adherence to the IDP principles, and federal works
project by asking your members and supporters to gather signatures in
your area. Petitions are available at either
<a href="http://www.katrinatribunal.org/">www.katrinatribunal.org</a> or
<a href="http://www.peopleshurricane.org/">www.peopleshurricane.org </a>.
<br>
7. Contact the various government officials in your
city, region, and state and demand that they support legislation that
recognizes the IDP status of Hurricane Survivors, provides restitution
for Hurricane Survivors, supports the Gulf Coast Civic Works project, and
holds all parties responsible for crimes against humanity liable for
their actions. <br>
8. Support the calls for censures, boycotts, and direct
action issued by the Tribunal organizers and Survivors Assembly to
pressure the US government to accept the demands and recommendations of
the Tribunal. <br>
9. Support the International mobilization for the
Tribunal by promoting its findings, verdict, and demands to your
international contacts and allied organizations. Encourage them to start
resolution initiatives, petition drives, and calls for international
solidarity and action. <br>
10. Demand that all Presidential candidates take a
stand in support of the findings of the Tribunal, reparations, a just
reconstruction, and the right of return for all Gulf Coast IDP's. <br>
11. Raise funds to provide ongoing financial support to
the Tribunal organizers to publish and distribute the findings,
continuing raising awareness, and pursue national and international
litigation. <br><br>
In Unity and Struggle,<br>
Kali Akuno<br>
PHRF Executive Director<br><br>
Tuesday, September 4th, 2007 <br><br>
Stay tuned to
<a href="http://www.katrinatribunal.org/">www.katrinatribunal.org</a> for
updates. Also please send pictures for thorough documentation. <br><br>
<br>
</font><x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
<font size=3 color="#FF0000">Freedom Archives<br>
522 Valencia Street<br>
San Francisco, CA 94110<br><br>
</font><font size=3 color="#008000">415 863-9977<br><br>
</font><font size=3 color="#0000FF">
<a href="http://www.freedomarchives.org/" eudora="autourl">
www.Freedomarchives.org</a></font><font size=3> </font></body>
</html>