International Tribunal Issues Preliminary Findings: Bush, Blanco, Nagin Committed Crimes against Humanity
International Tribunal Issues Preliminary Findings
Bush, Blanco, Nagin Committed Crimes against Humanity
People's Hurricane Relief Fund-Oversight Committee
1418 North Claiborne #2
New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) tel. 301-0215 fax 301-0306
tribu...@peopleshurricane.org
Contact: Monifa Bandele (917) 407- 3018
New Orleans-
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.
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.
Jill Soffiyah Elijah, the Deputy Director of the Criminal Justice
Institute at Harvard Law School and Chief Judge for the International
Tribunal on Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, announced the Tribunal's
preliminary findings "It is our view that the U.S. 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 U.S. government, the state
of Louisiana and the city of New Orleans that created the devastation
we continue to see today."
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.
The jurists announced that they would deliver their final verdict on
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.
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.
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 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."
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For samples of videotaped testimony, contact Monifa Bandele at 917
407-3018