Greetings Family, Friends, and all Justice Loving People
The International Tribunal on Hurricanes Katrina and Rita is moving forward with its call for justice and restitution for the Survivors of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The Tribunal Organizing committee is currently working on three initiatives:
- Distributing the Tribunal film and organizing a national speaking tour to promote the Tribunal findings and advance the building of a human rights movement in the US.
- An international petition drive to support the findings and proposed remedies of the Tribunal.
- Pursing Federal legislation to implement the demands and remedies proposed by the Tribunal.
The Film and Speaking Tour
The Peoples’ Hurricane Relief Fund (PHRF), with the assistance of Big Noise Films, has produced a 40-minute video of the International Tribunal on Hurricanes Katrina and Rita that is available for report backs, teach-in’s, and film showings now.
PHRF and the Tribunal Organizing Committee are looking to use the film to promote the Tribunal findings a build the Gulf Coast Reconstruction Movement.
To order the film or to organize a speaking event contact 504.301.0215 or email info@internationaltribunal.org. The Tribunal film is $21.50 ($1.50 for shipping and handling). Please make all checks out to Peoples’ Hurricane Relief Fund. Earmark “Tribunal Film”. Mail all checks to 1418 N. Claiborne Ave. #2 New Orleans, LA 70116.
Petition Drive
We are trying to get 100,000 signatures from around the US and the World for the Tribunal petition by December 8th, 2007. We must step up the pressure on the Bush regime to meet the basic demands of the Gulf Coast IDP’s.
The Tribunal petition can be signed and/or downloaded at www.InternationalTribunal.org/petition. Please spread the petition around to all of your contacts, and get all of your family members, friends, and co-workers to sign on and join this initiative.
Please return all petitions to International Tribunal at 1418 N. Claiborne Ave. #2 New Orleans, LA 70116.
Policy Development
Following the demands and remedies outlined in the Preliminary Verdict, the Tribunal Organizing Committee is pressuring forward with pursuit of Federal legislation that will a) recognize Gulf Coast Survivors as Internally Displaced Persons (IDP’s) and b) provide survivors with restitution for their loses.
We are starting this pursuit by taking on the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and asking its members to take a leading role in the development of this legislation. We will follow this up by making identical demands on the whole Congress, the President, and the 2008 Presidential Candidates.
You can take action in support of this initiative beginning October 1st, 2007 by signing on to the action blast at www.katrinatribunal.org.
Make a Donation
The International Tribunal needs your ongoing financial support to ensure its success. Tax-deductible donations can be made payable to PHRF, earmark “International Tribunal”, in care of the Vanguard Public Foundation. Mail checks to 383 Rhode Island Street, Suite 301 San Francisco, CA 94103. Online donations can also be made at https://www.vanguardsf.org/index.php?s=40.
In Unity and Struggle,
Kali Akuno
PHRF Executive Director on behalf of the Tribunal Organizing Committee
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
