Actor Nicolas Cage Speaks Out on Behalf of Gulf Coast Hurricane Survivors Ahead of Fifth Anniversary in Amnesty International Video
Actor is Filmed Walking in New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward and Meeting with Community Leaders About Recovery Crisis
In the film Cage talks with local community leaders in New Orleans as he tours the storms' devastation in the Lower Ninth Ward. "People in the Gulf Coast have the right to return to affordable safe housing," says Cage, who participated in Amnesty International's Annual General Meeting in New Orleans last spring and is among Amnesty International's celebrity "luminaries."
Larry Cox, executive director of Amnesty International USA, also speaking in the film, urges the U.S. government to put human rights at the core of the response to the oil spill and future disasters, to avoid human rights violations similar to those that occurred after the hurricanes.
The video was released along with an update to Amnesty International's groundbreaking April report, "Un-Natural Disaster: Human Rights in the Gulf Coast," which says the catastrophic oil spill is compounding the botched recovery from Katrina and Rita for the region's most vulnerable residents. To read the report please visit: http://www.amnestyusa.org/
Larry Cox, executive director of Amnesty International USA, also speaking in the film, urges the U.S. government to put human rights at the core of the response to the oil spill and future disasters, to avoid human rights violations similar to those that occurred after the hurricanes.
The video was released along with an update to Amnesty International's groundbreaking April report, "Un-Natural Disaster: Human Rights in the Gulf Coast," which says the catastrophic oil spill is compounding the botched recovery from Katrina and Rita for the region's most vulnerable residents. To read the report please visit: http://www.amnestyusa.org/
Amnesty International is calling on the federal government to create a citizens’ advisory council to ensure that local residents' concerns are addressed fairly in the government's oil spill recovery planning.
Amnesty International has said the oil spill is having severe consequences for human rights, particularly on the right to health and a healthy environment and the right to an adequate standard of living and to gain work, which are threatened by the spill's impact on marine wildlife on waterways and coastlines - a source of livelihood for many Gulf residents. The group also said disadvantaged racial and ethnic groups and poor communities are disproportionately impacted.
Amnesty International has said the oil spill is having severe consequences for human rights, particularly on the right to health and a healthy environment and the right to an adequate standard of living and to gain work, which are threatened by the spill's impact on marine wildlife on waterways and coastlines - a source of livelihood for many Gulf residents. The group also said disadvantaged racial and ethnic groups and poor communities are disproportionately impacted.
Amnesty International's Gulf Coast report found the storms' recovery process excluded people whose families have generations-deep roots in their local communities, particularly low-income communities and communities of color. The report said basic rights to adequate housing, health services and equal access to the justice system have been neglected in the storms' recovery.
Amnesty International said the key to avoiding a repeat of the mistakes made during the storms recovery effort -- and a reoccurrence of human rights violations -- is to amend the federal Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to ensure that human rights principles are at the core of response and recovery plans. The act does not conform to the United Nations Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, which prevents forced displacement and protects displaced persons following a disaster and during their return, resettlement and reintegration.
Amnesty International said the key to avoiding a repeat of the mistakes made during the storms recovery effort -- and a reoccurrence of human rights violations -- is to amend the federal Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to ensure that human rights principles are at the core of response and recovery plans. The act does not conform to the United Nations Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, which prevents forced displacement and protects displaced persons following a disaster and during their return, resettlement and reintegration.
Larry Cox said: "These principles have been systematically undermined in the aftermath of Katrina and Rita."
The U.S. government promised to put in place a framework to guide long-term responses to future natural disasters. And President Obama established a working group to develop a new framework, although it has yet to be released.
"Any framework must put the human rights of the most vulnerable communities at its core -- and give the people a greater voice in the recovery effort -- to avoid repeating the mistakes made following hurricanes Katrina and Rita," said Cox.
To take action for Katrina survivors, please visit: http://amnestyusa.org/katrina
Amnesty International is a Nobel Peace Prize-winning grassroots activist organization with more than 2.8 million supporters, activists and volunteers in more than 150 countries campaigning for human rights worldwide. The organization investigates and exposes abuses, educates and mobilizes the public, and works to protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied.
The U.S. government promised to put in place a framework to guide long-term responses to future natural disasters. And President Obama established a working group to develop a new framework, although it has yet to be released.
"Any framework must put the human rights of the most vulnerable communities at its core -- and give the people a greater voice in the recovery effort -- to avoid repeating the mistakes made following hurricanes Katrina and Rita," said Cox.
To take action for Katrina survivors, please visit: http://amnestyusa.org/katrina
Amnesty International is a Nobel Peace Prize-winning grassroots activist organization with more than 2.8 million supporters, activists and volunteers in more than 150 countries campaigning for human rights worldwide. The organization investigates and exposes abuses, educates and mobilizes the public, and works to protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied.
