In the midst of the ongoing aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, a joint statement by two United Nations advisers - one on housing, one on minority rights - has called on the U.S. government to stop the demolition of public housing in New Orleans and defend the human rights of the city's Black residents and internally displaced persons.

The statement was issued by Miloon Kothari, the special rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and Gay McDougall, the independent expert on minority issues, during a meeting of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in Geneva.

The declaration cited the lack of consultation with the affected communities regarding the demolition of public housing developments, the increasing cost of rents and mortgages and reports showing more than 12,000 homeless in the New Orleans metropolitan area. "These demolitions, therefore, could effectively deny thousands of African-American residents their right to return to housing from which they were displaced by the hurricane," they stated (UN News Service, Feb. 28).

Although "the authorities claim that the demolition of public housing is not intentionally discriminatory" (Associated Press, Feb. 29), Kothari and McDougall stated, "the disproportionate impact on poorer and predominantly African-American residents and former residents would result in the denial of internationally recognized human rights" (UN News Service, Feb. 28).

A delegation of more than 100 activists, organized by the U.S. Human Rights Network (www.ushrnetwork.org) under the leadership of Ajamu Baraka, had traveled to Geneva to challenge the U.S. government's report to the U.N. monitoring body.

The delegation included a group of organizers focused on the rights of Katrina survivors and internally displaced people. Delegates included Kali Akuno, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement and People's Hurricane Relief Fund; Mayaba Liebenthal, Critical Resistance and INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence; Monique Harden, Advocates from Environmental Human Rights (AEHR); Brenda Stokely, New York City Katrina-Rita Solidarity Committee; and Katie Schwartzmann, ACLU-NO (New Orleans).

Kothari and McDougall's statement was issued two weeks after tests revealed that formaldehyde fumes in FEMA trailers and mobile homes, used to house survivors of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, were at toxic levels. The chemical preservative, which is commonly used in construction, was classified as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer in 2004.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Feb. 14 that tests conducted on 519 trailers and mobile homes revealed fumes that were, on average, five times higher than the exposure in modern homes. More than 35,000 survivors currently reside in these facilities.

According to the Associated Press, "The formaldehyde levels in some trailers were found to be high enough to cause breathing problems in children, the elderly or people who already have respiratory trouble, CDC Director Julie Gerberding said. About 5 percent had levels high enough to cause breathing problems even in people who do not ordinarily have respiratory trouble, she said" (Feb. 15).

FEMA officials had ignored complaints by trailer occupants - beginning as far back as 2006 - of a series of ailments, including nosebleeds, difficulty breathing and headaches. Now it says it is rushing to, once again, find temporary housing for these survivors before the summer makes the fumes worse.

© 2008 Workers World. This story was originally published March 9, 2008, by Workers World, 55 W. 17th St., New York NY 10011, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , www.workers.org.

Voices of resistance

Ajamu Baraka: "It was significant that on the anniversary of Malcolm's assassination, Africans from the U.S. were at the U.N. taking our struggle to the world court of opinion! Congratulations to the outstanding contingent that represented the Gulf Coast. But with this statement and the statement from the U.N. Committee on the Racial Discrimination ... as a result of our work in Geneva, we have to follow-up with even more intensive organizing and educational work on the ground. This U.N. weapon, while an important one, is only one weapon that we employ in the arsenal that we must develop and utilize as we advance the struggle for self determination, democracy and fundamental human rights as part of the process for revolutionary transformation."

Kali Akuno: "In the face of the demolition of the St. Bernard Housing Development, the forces fighting for the right to return are having to regroup and restrategize. But the struggle continues and will continue to need the support of progressive forces throughout the empire and the world. To learn more, watch USHRN Director Ajamu Baraka on the Tavis Smiley Show at www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/archive/200802/20080227.html and ‘U.N. Experts: Feds, City Forced Blacks Out Of Homes,' a news story from WDSU New Orleans, at www.wdsu.com/news/15437777/detail.html?treets=no&taf=no."

Trupania Bonner, executive director of Moving Forward Gulf Coast: "Sen. Vitter [who was overheard soon after Katrina saying, ‘We finally cleaned up public housing in New Orleans. We couldn't do it, but God did.'] says that the Housing Authority of New Orleans' decision to demolish public housing promotes independence and homeownership. What it really promotes is independent homelessness."

Maya Wiley, director of the Center for Social Inclusion: "Some have criticized the U.N. for speaking out on this issue, but it is entirely appropriate. As a nation, we have failed our fellow citizens. These demolitions, carried out with no meaningful input from residents, violate not only our treaty obligations, but the moral aspirations of our nation. The U.N. has a duty to hold us to our promise to respect human rights, and we have a duty to do the right thing and ensure that everyone displaced nearly three years ago can return home."

Malcolm Suber needs our love

Laverda Suber, Dr. William Wilson and Leon A. Waters write: "Our revolutionary warrior and beloved friend Malcolm Suber has taken a setback. He recently suffered a health crisis. He is currently hospitalized; however, he is making progress. We ask that you send Malcolm a get well card or your own expression. We wish to inundate him with your love, your support and your words of encouragement.

"Kindly send mail to Malcolm Suber, P.O. Box 51715, New Orleans LA 70185. For any concerns, kindly call (504) 432-9901 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it "

Kali Akuno is national organizer for the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement and the Coalition to Stop the Demolitions. Email him at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it The Hurricane Information Relief Network is the Bay View newspaper's nonprofit 501(c)(3) project to provide information and news coverage by, for and about the Katrina survivors who remain stranded across the U.S. and those who want to return home to rebuild their lives and communities. Send news and financial contributions to HRIN, EIN 20-4324012, 4917 Third St., San Francisco CA 94124, (415) 671-0789 or toll free 1 (877) 226-8100, fax (415) 671-0316 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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