Street Medics harassed by police and FEMA during Hurricane Ike relief

UPDATE TUESDAY: Street Medics Illegally Detained and Harassed by FEMA in Hurricane Relief Campaign First Hand Accounts
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
by Petros Evdokas, ttetpos@yahoo.com
Portland Street Medics member
You might be aware of the situation that evolved on Sunday, September 21st during which a mission of volunteer Street Medics from Colorado arrived in Galveston, Texas, to provide free medical care to the communities struck by the hurricanes. The mission was oriented with a special interest to address the needs of indigenous, poor and undocumented people whose needs are in general ignored by "official" rescue operations. Also, these are communities of people who often have good have reasons to avoid or hide from such "rescue" operations, especially if they are occurring under martial law and in conjunction with immigration Police.
Instead of being integrated by authorities into the efforts, or at least left to their own devices in order to provide help to people, the Street Medics were detained in dubious circumstances, harassed, threatened with arrest and physically removed from the area by Police.
Please see a first hand account from one of the Street Medics published this morning - the Medic speaking here is Zoe Hallez Williams, known to the wider Medics family as "Zoe the Medic":
"...[The agent] spoke for well over 30 minutes about how no one needed our help and our training was worthless. He stepped outside and locked us in the room with the paramedic supervisor. She informed us that FEMA credentials would be required to enter any area hit hard by the Hurricane and that no one needed help–quite contrary to reports coming from undocumented workers fleeing FEMA and the rest of the federal government....Moments later a State Trooper and Galveston Police vehicle arrived. Three officers were on scene. The trooper approached, demanded to see IDs and credentials and informed us we were being detained and potentially arrested because we did not work for FEMA. While he ran our IDs another officer began to document our vehicle. The officers were abrasive, rude and...":From:"How did we get to Shrimper’s Row?"
http://streetmedic.wordpress.com/2008/09/23/how-did-we-get-to-shrimpers-row/
The first breaking out of the Street Medics story in alternative media yesterday is here:Street Medics Harassed by Police & FEMA during Hurricane Ike Relief
http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2008/09/379931.shtml
Mainstream and establishment media are still ignoring or burying the news about FEMA harassment of Street Medics, even though a few days ago the media themselves were targeted when the iron curtain of the military police state came down on them as the area over Galveston and Bolivar in Texas were declared to be a "no fly zone" (just like Iraq before the US invasion) by a source within the shadow Government which even the Governor of Texas was not at liberty to name. Mainstream media complained about this illegal restriction of Constitutional liberties - you might have seen that report by ABC here:
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/video?id=6391294 or here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arptvzj5bEE
Our colleagues, the three Street Medics who were targeted by this harassment in the Galveston incident are exceptionally well-trained healthcare workers. Two are veterans of the grassroots relief efforts after Katrina, plus all of them are recent veterans of the tremendous organizational challenge faced by Street Medics in Denver during the Democratic National Convention protests - they had helped put together and operate a network and support mechanism of Street Medics that aimed to ensure our safety and liberty as we provided medical care to people who were injured by Police or became ill in the streets, in the parks and in jail during the events there in late August.
Skills among them include First Responder training and certified nurse's aid skills - the latter means providing some very personal care to people who are unable to take care of themselves; it is the most crucial work in health care which usually no one wants to do, and which very few are capable to do with the right attitude. First Responder skills include assessing and handling unexpected medical emergencies in both wilderness and urban settings.
The most important part of the Street Medics training is a set of skills, social and personal values and principles which is only taught and learned among Street Medics who are active within the Peace and Justice wings of the liberation movement: how to provide first aid and some forms of aftercare in settings where there is conflict, disaster, or danger, in situations where conventional ambulances, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, rescue workers are unable, unwilling or not allowed to go. These situations include riots, street conflicts, scenes of mass violence, or large assemblies such as marches, parades, demonstrations, etc.
Street Medics abide by a code of ethics which is far more stringent, mindful, all-embracing and inclusive than Corporate or State- sponsored paramedic teams are expected to have: we embrace anti-authoritarian principles, awareness of oppression, we are guided by the politics of solidarity and community self-organizing in everything we do, with special attention to how racism, sexism, homophobia, issues of gender and sexual identity politics play a tremendous role in all sorts of interactions within health care and first aid. That's why our charter as Street Medics comes from the liberation Movement's counter-institutions powered by the people and not from Capital or the State.
It's also the reason why the Corporate State opposes our presence and interferes with most of our operations wherever it gets a chance.
Things You Can Do To Help
If you're into writing letters or making phone calls to officials, politicians, policy makers, media please help us by doing exactly that.Here's some contact information:
The Texas Division of Emergency Management5805 N. Lamar Austin, Texas 78752(512) 424-2138(512) 424-2444 or 7160 FAX
www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem/
Contact the National Offices of FEMA here:
FEMA-Correspondence-Unit@dhs.govTelephone: 1 (800) 621-FEMA (3362)TDD: 1 (800) 462-7585Fax: 1 (800) 827-8112
You can also help us by distributing this story plus all the related materials on this page to online open publishing sources, media contacts, email lists of organizations and friends in your address book.
Helping with Supplies and Finances
Money and Supplies are crucial to the rescue efforts. Please keep visiting these pages for the updated list of needed supplies and ways to send them: http://streetmedic.wordpress.com/2008/09/14/hurricane-relief/and http://streetmedic.wordpress.com/
Right now the best we have is this announcement:"Please contact us at zoethemedic@gmail.com for a mailing address for donations or to set up a pick up." More instructions and specifics will follow as things get better arranged.
Due to the illegal harassment by authorities, the Street Medics were forced to move the relief operation to another hurricane-struck area in Dulac, Louisiana.
The new location they're in is between normality and disaster. According to Bryan Garcia, one of the Street Medics, some services exist in Dulac, some don't. Food is still being distributed in the streets, there's piles of mud and filth around, phone reception is tricky, a few miles down the road there's no electricity, and some places still don't have water. Postal deliveries are not necessarily normalized for every location there, but our friends are going to make some arrangements and we'll have a way for deliveries established hopefully soon.
The Colorado Street Medics' long journey to setting up clinic in Dulac is documented in a series of updates just posted on their website, http://streetmedic.wordpress.com/ but the team's access to the Internet is not guaranteed and updates may be irregular.
The new location in Dulac was worked out in co-operation with the Four Directions Indigenous Solidarity Network: http://www.eswn.org/ whose network in Dulac operates a grass roots backyard Free Store, a community center from which basic supplies are distributed to the community. Here's a link to an eight minute video about the Free Store and its role in community-based grass roots relief efforts. The video is a brilliant mix of documentary and visual poetry that captures the spirit of co-operation, community pride and love in action that flows out of the Four Directions Free Store in Dulac:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8633161211427080212
And a related update from the Street Medics:
http://streetmedic.wordpress.com/2008/09/24/the-free-store/
At this point, the two most important necessities are:- to help create a political climate that generates a "Hands Off the Street Medics" safety net and support network, so that illegitimate authorities will think twice before interfering again with the relief efforts,and,- to ensure a steady stream of supplies and money to the mission so that it will be able to address the health needs of the indigenous, poor and undocumented people in the community. This is the population toward whom the Street Medics intend to give their primary attention.
Please give your political and material support generously to this volunteer mission. It's the real thing: worthy, honourable, indispensable.
Petros Evdokas volunteer, Portland Street Medics
http://petros-evdokas.cyprus-org.net/Another-sort-of-Introduction.html___________
Some Related Materials
How did we get to Shrimper’s Row?
http://streetmedic.wordpress.com/2008/09/23/how-did-we-get-to-shrimpers-row/
Four Directions Indigenous Solidarity Network: http://www.eswn.org/
Accomplishments in Louisiana http://www.eswn.org/success.html
Portland Street Medics http://street-medics.portland-or.net/
Arrested Street Medic Speaks - Press Release http://colorado.indymedia.org/node/1147____________
Previous post on Censored Blog:
The Colorado street medics; Jaime (from Kansas), Brian, and Zoe, who served the people at the Democratic national convention, recently traveled to do hurricane Ike relief work.
"Street Medics Harassed by Police & FEMA during Hurricane Ike Relief"
http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2008/09/379931.shtml

Ancestors Reburial at Tsewhitzen

ANCESTORS REBURIAL
by Daughter of Tse Whit Zen
It is hard to explain what the last five years have been like for the Elwha People. The Tsewhitzen village has been in existence since at least 2,700 years. Just how many more years was never determined because excavation had been stopped by the Elwha Tribe.The Washington State Department of Transportation had chosen Port Angeles as the site to build a graving yard to repair the aging Hood Canal Bridge. The City of Port Angeles and Washington State and the Elwha Tribe knew the village was there ...
Tribal members were hired to dig up the remains of their own ancestors. They worked hard to stay ahead of the State’s voracious machines. Some of the graves were from the smallpox and influenza times. We were reminded that at one time this government tried to kill all of the First Peoples of this land.Our Elders began having strokes and heart attacks. Some fell. Tribal members began having episodes of grief and anger.
Read article:
http://tsewhitzen.blogspot.com/
COMMENT
Monica,
Thank you for the Tsewhitzen notice and link to your Blog where you tell the story of the unconscionable desecration of your family. I congratulate you and your supporters for the strength and commitment to the Ancestors.
My very best to you,
"Rudy" Rudolph C. Rÿser, PhD Chair of the Board Center for World Indigenous Studies
Olympia, Washington USA chair@cwis.org
http://www.cwis.org/

Indigenous Peoples battle for their lives, and others, on US borders

Mike Wilson, Tohono O'odham, replaces missing water tanks for migrants on the southern border, while Mohawk publisher Kahentinetha Horn recovers on the northern border

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com
BABOQUIVARI DISTRICT, Arizona – Mike Wilson, Tohono O’odham, has replaced two of his humanitarian water stations on the Tohono O’odham Nation. Wilson was ordered by Baboquivari District Chair Veronica Harvey to remove his water stations in August.

“No one should die for want of a cup of water,” Wilson said, after replacing two of the water stations that vanished last week. Wilson said he will continue to pursue dialogue with Tohono O’odham officials, but he will not back down on the right of the dying to water.Wilson did not remove his water tanks as ordered, but respectfully declined when the district order was delivered by tribal police. However, upon return to the water stations in Baboquivari District in September, he found three of the stations had been removed. Wilson replaced two of the stations.

Wilson pointed out the large number of migrants dying here in the desert. By US Border Patrol statistics, 83 migrants died during the first half of 2008 on the Tohono O’odham Nation. However, Wilson says the number is actually greater. Wilson maintains the water stations with Tohono O’odham David Garcia. Wilson also searches the O’odham desert for bodies, like two Mayan women from Guatemala who died walking to a better life with their children. The children survived.

During the Indigenous Peoples Border Summit of the Americas in 2006 and 2007, Wilson and other Tohono O’odham were joined by Mohawks from the north to demand a halt to the militarization of the US borders. Mohawks, including Kahentinetha Horn, publisher of Mohawk Nation News, observed the arrests of Indigenous Peoples on Tohono O’odham land and were outraged at the treatment of Indian people.

Then, in June, Kahentinetha was beaten by Canadian border guards and suffered a heart attack in a police stress hold. Now, recovering, Kahentinetha, who filed suit, said the stress hold was intensified as she was having a heart attack in police custody in a deliberate attempt to kill her.

Like Wilson, Kahentinetha and Katenies, Mohawk Nation News editor also beaten during the attack by border guards in June, said they will not back down on their demands for a halt to the militarization of their lands, carried out by corporate profiteers under the guise of national security.

On the southern border, Tohono O’odham Nation Chairman Ned Norris, Jr., has not made a public statement concerning the demand by Harvey for Wilson to remove his water stations. However, Chairman Norris did testify in Texas concerning the violations of federal law by Homeland Security and the border wall contractor Boeing.

Chairman Norris, testifying to a joint Congressional subcommittee in April, said human bone fragments were found in the tracks of machinery undertaking border wall construction in Arizona. Further, Norris pointed out that Homeland Security violated federal laws which protect endangered species and cultural artifacts.

However, Chairman Norris did not point out that O’odham ancestors were dug up from their graves, and later reburied, on the western portion of Tohono O’odham land in 2007 during border wall construction by Boeing.

Meanwhile, Wilson said he will continue maintaining his water stations, including those in Baboquivari District and one across the international border in Sonora. Mexico.

“It is a crime against humanity,” Wilson said of the Tohono O’odham Nation’s failure to respond with water for the dying.

Photo 1: Mike Wilson in Baboquivari District at his water station/Photo Brenda Norrell
Photo 2: Kahentinetha in a Canadian hospital after suffering a heart attack in a police stresshold at the Canadian border. Photo Sagowaiaks.

Longest Walk northern route photos by Janice Trytten

Longest Walk drum at Greenbelt Park, Maryland. Photo 2: Paul Owns the Sabre at camp in Greenbelt Park, Maryland. Photos copyright Janice Trytten jtrytten@cinci.rr.com. Please double click on images to enlarge.
See more of Janice's photos on three more pages: Page One:

http://censored-news.blogspot.com/2008/09/longest-walk-northern-route-photos-by.html

Photos Page Two:

http://censored-news.blogspot.com/2008/09/janice-tryttens-long-walk-photos.html

Photos Page Three:

http://censored-news.blogspot.com/2008/09/long-walk-northern-route-photos-by.html