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<span class="post_date" title="2015-11-20">November 20, 2015</span>
<h1 class="headline" itemprop="name"><a
href="http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/11/20/water-resistance-trial-underway-in-detroit/"
rel="bookmark">Water Resistance Trial Underway in Detroit</a></h1>
<p class="post_meta"> <span class="post_author_intro">by</span> <span
class="post_author" itemprop="author"><a
href="http://www.counterpunch.org/author/bill-quigley/"
rel="nofollow">Bill Quigley</a></span> </p>
<div class="post_content" itemprop="articleBody"><b><small><small><small><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/11/20/water-resistance-trial-underway-in-detroit/">http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/11/20/water-resistance-trial-underway-in-detroit/</a></small></small></small></b><br>
<p>A <a
href="http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2015/11/18/detroit-water-shutoffs/75978900/">jury
trial is underway in Detroit</a> for human rights activists
arrested for blocking trucks which were going to cutoff water to
low-income families.</p>
<p>On July 18, 2014, dozens of people successfully blocked the
trucks of the Homrich Inc., a private wrecking company that the
City of Detroit contracts with to carry out water shutoffs. The
trucks were leaving to cutoff water for Detroiters who were more
than $150 past due on payments. After an eight hour blockade <a
href="http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/7/10/detroit-water-protests.html">nine
people were arrested</a>.</p>
<p>Those on trial said civil disobedience was their only option to
address the grave public health crisis of mass water shutoffs,
since the City of Detroit was under emergency management, which
effectively strips all elected officials of decision-making
power. One of the people on trial is Bill Wylie-Kellermann,
pastor of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Detroit. He told <a
href="http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2015/11/18/detroit-water-shutoffs/75978900/">The
Detroit News</a> “It was, at the time, the last vestige of
democracy in the city.”</p>
<p>Defendant Marian Kramer of the Michigan Welfare Rights
Organization and Highland Park Human Right Coalition highlighted
what she sees as the irony of the City criminally charging and
prosecuting defendants for nonviolent defense of Detroiters’
right to water. “The true crime is that thousands of people who
are struggling to pay their water bills are being deprived of a
basic necessity of life. Instead of implementing the Water
Affordability Plan, which would tie water rates to income and
which Detroit City Council supports, the Mayor chooses to shut
off the water of thousands of Detroiters. Who is the real
criminal?”</p>
<p>Detroit announced last month it <a
href="http://www.dwsd.org/downloads_n/about_dwsd/director/directors_report_2015-10-29.pdf">has
already cut off water</a> to more than 16,000 residences and
warned another 49,000 that their water will be shut off soon.
People <a
href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/21/detroit-water-shutoff-life-or-death">whose
water has been shutoff</a> are living in homes using buckets
of water from neighbors and family.</p>
<p>In October 2014, two United Nations experts insisted Detroit
restore water to people unable to pay their bills saying <a
href="http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2015/11/18/detroit-water-shutoffs/75978900/">failure
to do so is a violation of the human rights</a> of residents.
The City’s response to the UN was dismissive. “This is the same
organization that’s trying to achieve world peace – <a
href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/21/detroit-water-shutoff-life-or-death">it’s
not going to happen.”</a></p>
<p>A coalition of organizations has created <a
href="http://www.peopleswaterboard.org/">The Peoples Water
Board</a> which advocates to place a moratorium on the water
shutoffs, restore service to those whose water has been cutoff
and to implement a Water Affordability Plan. The WAP was created
by economist Roger Colton and the Michigan Welfare Rights
Organization who run a Water Rights Hotline: (844) 42WATER
[844-429-2837]. People interested in providing help to families
facing cutoffs can contact <a
href="http://wethepeopleofdetroit.com/">We The People of
Detroit</a>.</p>
<p>There is widespread resistance to these human rights
violations. There is good news. The Legislative Policy Division
staff of the Detroit City Council recently issued a <a
href="https://www.scribd.com/doc/288997048/Legality-of-Water-Affordability-Plan-10-21-2015">legal
opinion</a> saying a water affordability ordinance which would
adjust water rates based on income levels can be legally
created.</p>
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<p class="author_description"> <em><strong>Bill Quigley</strong>
teaches law at Loyola University New Orleans and can be
reached at <a href="mailto:quigley77@gmail.com">quigley77@gmail.com</a>.</em>
</p>
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