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Civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson slammed the toxic water contamination in Flint, Michigan, on Tuesday as a crime against humanity.
The strong reaction to the water crisis in Flint, where the water source was switched from the Detroit water system to the long-polluted and corrosive Flint River in 2014 in a bid to save money, came in response to Michigan Governor Rick Snyder’s annual State of the State address.
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Rev. Jesse jackson says #FlintWaterCrisis is crime against humanity. pic.twitter.com/bEMQQfjpji
— Kathy Gray (@michpoligal)
January 20, 2016
In his address on Tuesday, Snyder apologized to the residents of Flint for the crisis.
“I’m sorry and I will fix it,” said Snyder, a Republican. “Government failed you at the federal, state, and local level.”
Snyder called for action to make sure the crisis is not repeated in other cities. He also vowed to make public his personal emails related to the crisis from 2014 and 2015 in a move to answer calls for increased transparency, the Detroit Free Press reported.
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But Rev. Jackson and many other rights advocates have been harshly critical of authorities for turning a blind eye to the crisis, long in the making.
Rev. Jackson called Flint a “disaster zone” and a “crime scene” on Sunday, slamming town officials for “betraying” the people of Flint.
“This is the time for us to make a bigger statement than we have made in a long time,” said Rev. Jackson, highlighting the racial injustice in the mostly-Black city of Flint.
The #FlintWaterCrisis is a man-made disaster. @TheJusticeDept must enforce the law. #FlintIsACrimeScene. pic.twitter.com/jS1eg7QhrI
— Rev Jesse Jackson Sr (@RevJJackson)
January 19, 2016
Jackson’s characterization of the poisoned water as a crime against humanity also comes after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency admitted on Tuesday that it did not respond fast enough to the water contamination crisis.
The poisoned tap water in Flint has led to dangerously elevated levels of lead in children and is suspected of being linked to the outbreak of legionnaires disease that has killed ten people.
A report released last September revealed that blood lead levels in children under five in Flint almost doubled compared to before the water source was switched.
Governor Snyder declared a state of emergency over the water contamination on Jan. 5, weeks after Flint Mayor Karen Weaver also declared a state of emergency. President Barack Obama also delcared a state of emergency in response to the toxic water on Sunday.
So true #FlintWaterCrisis pic.twitter.com/7gzOxjWIQw
— DMoney (@johnvmoore)
January 19, 2016
An unelected emergency manager, appointed by the governor, was behind the money-saving change in 2014 that allowed polluted water from the Flint River to flow into residents’ taps for 18 months. Although the water source has been switched back to Lake Huron, the water is still poisoned due to leaching from the damaged pipes.
The Michigan government has been criticized for taking too long to respond to the water emergency, especially after it was revealed that the state knew about the risk of contaminated water as early as July 2014.
Angered residents have called on Snyder to resign, but the governor has said he wants to stay on and fix the problem.
The full extent of damage to Flint’s water infrastructure still remains unclear.
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#FlintWaterCrisis | US City declares State of Emergency over lead-contaminated water. pic.twitter.com/4PQJyhDrz8
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish)
January 19, 2016
