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A Community Response to Hurricane KatrinaRescue - Relief - Relocation - Reunification - Restoration - Reconstruction In
the midst of the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina, we are focusing
on of homes, communities, and families. The Bush administration, Homeland
Security and FEMA have utterly failed to fulfill their duty in this
crisis.Rescue People displaced by the Hurricane should be not disrespectfully characterized as “refugees” – as if they are fleeing to or from another land. We are U.S. citizens and deserve to be treated as such. This is our land; it is our families, friends, schools and churches, and homes affected – and our government must be responsible and accountable to us. Relief We need to identify the locations of the relief centers being established by the Red Cross and other agencies; and how and where relief supplies and resources can be distributed. We need a freeze on mortgage payments and a moratorium on mortgage foreclosure proceedings, amnesty from electrical, utility and telecommunications payments, and a freeze on implementation of the new bankruptcy law. Relocation We need our people and families to be relocated to NEARBY facilities. Available military bases, state and national parks and other available public lands should be utilized to house people as CLOSE TO their former communities as possible. Reunification We need a systematic effort to reunify families, many of whom are being separated and sent to different relocation destinations. In some cases, the rescue/relocation effort is creating even greater dislocation. Restoration We need a Hurricane Victims Fund to provide resources to the affected people and families, based on the same compensation and assistance formula of the 9/11 Victims Fund. Reconstruction We need to ensure direct African American participation in all dimensions of the reconstruction plan that emerges from the crisis. Our businesses, community resources and people should be given priority in the allocation of jobs and contracts and services provided for the rescue, relief and reconstruction of our communities. We need counselors, social service workers, medical personnel and security resources in the emerging relocation centers to assist people and families with FEMA registration, unemployment and social security applications and other aspects of the transition ordeal. |
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