U.N. Poverty Expert Finds New Orleans "Shocking"

[AnnInLa]

http://2theadvocate.com/stories/102905/new_poverty001.shtml

U.N. poverty expert finds N.O. 'shocking'
By CHANTE DIONNE WARREN
[e-mail]
Advocate staff writer

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"Something went wrong and it appears to be a gross violation of human rights," said Sengupta, United Nations independent expert on human rights and extreme poverty. He said the federal government has responded slowly and with poor communications to help some of its poorest and most vulnerable citizens.


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"The people in New Orleans and the worst affected areas were very poor and what you have to do is a social responsibility of the federal, state and local governments," he said.

"Budget questions should be resolved. If the United States wasn't the richest country in the world, I'd say international aid should come in. But I don't have to say that for the U.S.," he said.



Sengupta plans to reveal his findings before a United Nations panel in April. He does not know what the council will do with his report -- perhaps draw up a resolution -- but he wants the world to know what he saw and heard, he said during a meeting at the Unitarian Church of Baton Rouge, 8470 Goodwood Blvd.


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"My whole intent is to understand. I don't think I would have understood the extent of the calamity until coming here," Sengupta said. "What is more shocking is that two months later, my impression is that New Orleans is untouched … debris is not cleared. … Relief work in New Orleans is not what I expected with the richest country in the world. Why should it take so much time?"

much more at link above

[KamaAina]

1. I've been thinking that N.O. should get observer status at the UN

seriously, by forming its very own NGO dedicated to the survival of the city. It's obvious by now that our own federal government* doesn't give a fig one way or the other, and the place to go to find one or more that do is the UN. That'd show King Dumbass** who's a "useless debating society"!

edit: Based on what I just read, Mr. Sangupta would presumably look favorably on a request for accreditation from such an NGO.

[AnnInLa]

2. And, as the third-world-country that we have become,

we could ask for and expect aide? It would have to be better than what our own country has offered to do for us.

[KamaAina]

3. I understand there have already been some offers

but King Dumbass** arrogantly refused them. Meanwhile Condi "Imelda" Rice was shoe-shopping in Midtown rather than, say, coordinating these generous offers from abroad. And why wouldn't the world wish to help the great city that has given it so much -- much, much more than say, Crawford, TX? :sarcasm: