Wednesday, July 09, 2014

Abayomi Azikiwe, PANW Editor, Discusses With Belgian Radio the Role of the Banks in the Detroit Water Crisis
Abayomi Azikiwe is the editor of the Pan-African News Wire.
Jun 28th, 2014 by Editors

To listen to this broadcast from Belgium featuring Abayomi Azikiwe discussing the Detroit water crisis and the role of the banks, just click on the website below:
http://redactie.radiocentraal.be/Home/?p=6601

Several organizations and civic groups in Detroit are currently acting to stop the draconian water shut-offs affecting up to 300,000 people.

Can you imagine: nothing out of the kitchen or bathroom faucet, you cannot flush the toilet?

The decision to terminate anyone over $ 150 in arrears and had no repayment schedule. Nonetheless, personal accounts suggest that others have been shut-off without prior notice. These decisions were not taken by the Detroit Water and Sewage Department but by the emergency manager that the state of Michigan in March 2013 imposed on the city of Detroit. EM Kevyn Orr on behalf of the banks took control of the whole city and forced it into bankruptcy, which now is leading to the privatization of public services.

A private firms is carrying out the water shut-offs which endanger public safety and health. The price of water has since the start of the financial crisis more than doubled. The rise in utility costs, water and predatory mortgages has fueled the massive exodus.

Detroit also has a very high unemployment and ever-lowering wages, consequently there are so many people with unpaid bills.

At the UN level the situation in Detroit has been described a violation of the human rights. Azikiwe in the interview called for targeted sanctions against the US government in response to the imposed humanitarian crisis.

We talked with Abayomi Azikiwe of the Moratorium Now! Coalition . They organize demonstrations every Friday to protest against the extreme austerity policies imposed from outside by the corporations and banks at the aegis of the emergency manager.

- See more at: http://redactie.radiocentraal.be/Home/?p=6601#sthash.CaTCTTJV.dpuf

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