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KoKo

(84,711 posts)
Thu Jun 26, 2014, 12:52 PM Jun 2014

UNITED NATIONS REPLIES to DETROIT: Denial of Water to Thousands, 'VIOLATES HUMAN RIGHTS'

(This is disgraceful....why is nothing being done about this? A US City has to APPEAL to THE UNITED NATIONS and where is Detroit's Mayor and Michigan's Representatives and Governor? )

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UN to Detroit: Denial of Water to Thousands 'Violates Human Rights'
Published on Thursday, June 26, 2014 by Common Dreams
- Sarah Lazare, staff writer

http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=14777&LangID=E

United Nations experts declared Wednesday that the city of Detroit's shut-off of water to thousands of residents who are unable to pay their bills "constitutes a violation of the human right to water" and may be discriminatory against African-Americans.

“The households which suffered unjustified disconnections must be immediately reconnected,” said UN Special Rapporteur on adequate housing Leilani Farha, UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights Philip Alston, and UN Special Rapporteur on the right to safe drinking water and sanitation Catarina de Albuquerque, in a joint statement issued Wednesday.

“If these water disconnections disproportionately affect African Americans they may be discriminatory, in violation of treaties the U.S. has ratified,” said Farha.

The statement comes in response to last week's plea from concerned organizations for the United Nations to intervene to stop Detroit from denying water to its residents.


The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department has been cutting off water to homes where residents have fallen behind on their water bills, escalating these disconnections in June to 3,000 a week. In a city with a poverty rate near 40 percent, and unemployment far above the national average, nearly half of all residents have difficulty paying their water bills and tens of thousands of households are slated for water disconnection.

Meanwhile, the city is also aggressively hiking water rates, with the city council, approving an 8.7 percent increase in water rates last week in addition to climbing prices over the past decade.

The aggressive water shut-offs are "indicative of broader, systematic issues resulting from decades of policies that put profits before people," declared Food and Water Watch, the Blue Planet Project, The Michigan Welfare Rights Organization and The Detroit People’s Water Board in a joint statement released Wednesday.

Many suspect that the drive to shut off water is part of a city plan, backed by Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr, to privatize the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department.


The disconnection of water is creating a "major" crisis across the city, warn the groups. “Two-thirds of these shutoffs are occurring in homes with children. In addition to not being able to bathe, prepare food and flush toilets, many are fearful that their children will be taken from them if they report any problems related to their water," reads the joint statement from concerned organizations.

They add, "We are relieved that the United Nations has issued a statement declaring these massive water shutoffs a human rights violation, but now what? Can there be any hope or even an expectation that poor, working families will be allowed to access water without giving up their first born child? Unfortunately, many in Detroit have lost all hope."

LINK:

http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=14777&LangID=E
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UNITED NATIONS REPLIES to DETROIT: Denial of Water to Thousands, 'VIOLATES HUMAN RIGHTS' (Original Post) KoKo Jun 2014 OP
Edited to Add Link from UN to article... KoKo Jun 2014 #1
I don't see that this does a whole lot of good. NV Whino Jun 2014 #2
They could start by not repeatedly jacking up the rates kcr Jun 2014 #6
That's definitely what the city can do NV Whino Jun 2014 #8
I don't know. I'm not sure they can do anything. kcr Jun 2014 #9
This message was self-deleted by its author friendly_iconoclast Jun 2014 #3
Glad this made it to Greatest Triana Jun 2014 #4
In terms of the GOP, in Michigan those evil forces have indeed been hard at work. truedelphi Jun 2014 #10
...1 for those who missed the "UN" reply. KoKo Jun 2014 #5
K & R malaise Jun 2014 #7

NV Whino

(20,886 posts)
2. I don't see that this does a whole lot of good.
Thu Jun 26, 2014, 01:27 PM
Jun 2014
“The households which suffered unjustified disconnections must be immediately reconnected,”


The city, of course, feels the cutoffs were justified because the bills were not paid. So what's the recourse, and how can the UN actually help?

kcr

(15,300 posts)
6. They could start by not repeatedly jacking up the rates
Thu Jun 26, 2014, 08:51 PM
Jun 2014

That contributes to the tens of thousands struggling with the bill. They could reduce the bill or offer payment plans as well.

kcr

(15,300 posts)
9. I don't know. I'm not sure they can do anything.
Thu Jun 26, 2014, 08:59 PM
Jun 2014

But making a statement declaring it a human rights violation is pretty meaningful, I think. I'm sorry, I misread your post and thought you meant what can the city do.

Response to KoKo (Original post)

 

Triana

(22,666 posts)
4. Glad this made it to Greatest
Thu Jun 26, 2014, 02:05 PM
Jun 2014

Posted it yesterday and it sunk:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025153173

It's IMO v.important news because this IS our future if we don't get control of the goddamned oligarchs and the GOP who kiss their asses at the expense of public health, human rights, global environmental health, and economic justice.

truedelphi

(32,324 posts)
10. In terms of the GOP, in Michigan those evil forces have indeed been hard at work.
Thu Jun 26, 2014, 09:31 PM
Jun 2014

But elsewhere, the Democratic leadership is easily stifled and doesn't seem motivated to do much.

For instance, Jerry Brown has been quoted as saying that no one in California knows what can be done about stopping fracking.

Of course, the people in the Community Rights movement have been very good at stopping fracking.

Here is a story about how that ban then inspired further legislation that would force the damn local governments that license fracking operations to be held liable and punished for doing that:

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2011/11/14/Shields-bill-would-hold-government-accountable-for-gas-drillers/stories/201111140238

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