Media and Updates

On July 11, 2007 The Urban Poor Consortium held a demonstration of solidarity for Katrina's survivors in front of the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia. This demonstration was organized by members of the Second Asian Delegataion that visited the Gulf Coast in July 2007. They attempted to give their statement (below) to the U.S. embassy, but they refused to accept it.

THE URBAN POOR CONSORTIUM 'S sTATEMENt ON DISCRIMINIATION ON THE POST-KATRINA DISASTER REHABILITATION PROCESS: EVIDENCE OF HUMAN RIGHT'S VIOLATION BY THE U.S. GOVERNMENT

Contact person: Edi (08161338318), Wardah Hafidz (08161161830)

Konsorsium Kemiskinan Kota – Urban Poor Consortium
Billy & Moon H 1/7 Jl. Bintang Baru, Jakarta 13540, Indonesia
Phone: 62.21.8642915; Fax: 62.21.86901350; E-mail

On August 29th 2005, Katrina’s Hurricane shattered the city of New Orleans. After the hurricane, world is stunned by the report of number of victims and lost caused by the hurricane. More than 1,600 people were reportedly died and half of million of people lost their place of living with financial loss calculated as US $ 200 billion.  

On the effort of post disaster rehabilitation, The US Government is proven on failing and keeps failing on fulfilling the basic rights of Katrina’s Hurricane survivors especially those who are poor and coloured. Discrimination practices toward the poor and coloured survivors is proven when right of adequate house, right of food, right of good health facilities, and right of work have not been fulfilled up to two years after the disaster.  Yet, the US Government even conducting any efforts on hampering the survivors to return to their home and restart their life.  

What occurs on New Orleans especially on the discrimination practices toward the poor and coloured survivors is a form of human right violation which, basically, against with all words proclaimed by the US Government as “a champion state of Human Right’s fulfilment”. For the failure of the US government and misery suffered by our brothers and sister as a Katrina’s survivors, Urban Poor Linkage (UPLINK) Indonesia filing this demand to the  US Government  to fulfil the basic rights of survivors:  

1. The right of Katrina’s survivors to return to their areas and start their new life. The ban released by the US’s government, on a reason of safety, is against the right of everyone to move and choose their place to live.  
2. The right of adequate house, health facilities, and the fulfilment of food and occupation.
3. Participation of Katrina’s survivors as a subject on the process of post disaster reconstruction and rehabilitation.
4. Accountability and honesty on the Katrina’s investigation process to assure that every party could take and prevent the same thing happen in the future.