Amnesty International: New Orleans Survivor Council, Residents of Public Housing Demand Rights for Katrina's Displaced
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
AUGUST 27, 2007
2:58 PM
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CONTACT: Amnesty International
Monika Gerhart at 504/258-9294
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New Orleans Survivor Council, Residents of Public Housing Demand Rights for Katrina's Displaced
'Bring Our People Home' Festival Focuses on Plight of Public Housing Residents
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WASHINGTON - August 27 - On the eve of the two-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Rev. Al Sharpton, Rep. Maxine Waters and Jeff Johnson of Black Entertainment Television's "Rap City" will join Amnesty International USA (AIUSA), the New Orleans Survivor Council and Residents of Public Housing to call for the restoration of public housing for Katrina survivors. The event, dubbed "Bring Our People Home," kicks off two days of citywide events to commemorate the losses resulting from Hurricane Katrina and takes place Tuesday, August 28th from 2-5 pm at 2089 Caton St., New Orleans.
Nicole Dillard, AIUSA's special initiatives project coordinator, will address the nationwide support for residents' struggle and call on the U.S. Senate to take up Gulf Coast housing needs as passed in the House last March. AIUSA urges the U.S. government to uphold international standards including the United Nations Guiding Principles for Internally Displaced Persons and "allow internally displaced persons to return voluntarily, in safety and with dignity, to their homes or places of habitual residence."
"AIUSA stands in solidarity with public housing residents who have been locked out of their homes," said Dillard. "It is patently obvious that the U.S. government has not responded quickly enough to its own citizens' needs. When so many are left without permanent housing two years after the crisis, it is time to ensure their lives are restored," said Dillard.
Although thousands of families were displaced from New Orleans public housing during the hurricanes of 2005, New Orleans and federal housing authorities have taken few steps to repair the public housing units that could bring back many families that are said to be waiting to come home. The majority of these developments reportedly suffered little structural damage, but public housing renters find other affordable housing elusive.
WHO: Reverend Al Sharpton, Rep. Maxine Waters, Jeff Johnson of BET's "Rap City," Amnesty International USA, New Orleans Survivor Council, Residents of Public Housing
WHAT: "Bring Our People Home" Festival
WHERE: 2089 Caton St., New Orleans
WHEN: Tuesday, August 28th, 2007, at 2:00 pm CDT.
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