PHOTO/MARY KAY YARAK
On this page are excerpts from some of the powerful voices at the 2nd International Gathering of Social Movements on water, June 9-11, 2017 in Detroit, MI. In the August, 2017 edition of the People’s Tribune more speakers will be pubished.
“My water was cut off twice . . . My children were ashamed to go to school. It affected their education, not being able to launder your clothing, not being able to bathe properly . . . I got bacterial pneumonia and still have lasting effects. . . Water is a human right, it’s more than a right, it’s a life-giving necessity . . . I won’t stop fighting for myself, for the citizens of Detroit, the citizens of Flint, the citizens of Michigan and the people of this country. . . What’s going on is not about that people don’t or won’t pay their bills. . . it’s caused by a greedy capitalist system that values money and profit over people. Water is the new gold, water is a hot commodity, and if people have to die so they can make water a commodity, they’re prepared to do that. So we have to be prepared to not just fight for water but to fight for our lives. . . My motto has now become I can’t stop and won’t stop, and I implore all of you to do the same. — Nicole Hill, Detroit, People’s Water Board Coalition
“. . . A long time ago you could drink water from every river. Now in California they say every river is contaminated. … We have followed the water system in our state because of our salmon. We have a clear and present danger here and around the world. In this country, one of the richest in world, and in California, a state that is the 7th largest economy in world, all of their science and money can’t bring the salmon back again. We are still hopeful that this miracle fish is the climate changer. The salmon have not been studied in that light. These fish gave us voice.” — Chief Caleen Sisk, Chief and spiritual leader of the Winnemem Wintu Tribe, California
“I want to tell you about our story to get the truth in the public eye. We met with the health officer responsible for protecting people’s health in Detroit. He said, ‘I understand there’s a health crisis but if I told anyone I’d be fired. I want you to gather information that I will take to the mayor.’ . . . We partnered with Ford Hospital and got the information: Those patients who came from blocks that experienced water shutoffs were 1.55 times more likely to be diagnosed with water associated illnesses. Before we got him the information, he quit and got the mayor’s endorsement to run for governor. We said, ‘you have to stop the water shutoffs.’ As he left the room, he said the same person who is keeping me from speaking is keeping the information out of the newspapers.
This is the world we live in. We don’t have to accept that world. . . We are powerful. We are a people who can change anything we want to change. Our strength is not found in what billionaires can buy. We ask, what moral right they have to put the people of Detroit at risk? —Reverend Ed Rowe
