Disaster Capitalism in Haiti, New Orleans, Congo & Pakistan

The link to this flash video was removed for security reasons (English, about 2 hours, uploaded about 7 hours ago by fansmiles, broadcast date: 2010-11-10) (Source - politube.org)

THE EVOLUTION OF DISASTER CAPITALISM, Fine-tuning "Shock-Doctrine-Style" Policies , The Brecht Forum, New York - Haiti......Congo....Pakistan.....New Orleans, with Beverly Bell, Kambale Musavuli, Adaner Usmani & Ezili Dantà ²

The end of the first decade of the new millennium seems to have been marked by some of the worst natural disasters that has displaced and killed millions of people. Beginning with the earthquake in Gujarat, India in 2001; volcanic eruptions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2002; followed by earthquakes in China and Algeria in 2003; the Tsunami in 2004, the earthquake in Pakistan's north west frontier province in 2005; Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans later that year; the Japanese earthquake in 2009, and Haiti and Chile in 2010. The disasters, which now mirror the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, have generated a complicated and fractured terrain on which human rights and economic justice are seriously compromised.

Displaced people, scattered communities, devastated homes, and grieving families combine with acute health, resources, and food shortages. In the wake of such life disruptions, neo-liberal policies and conservative political formations take root, penetrating the political-economic cracks, and simultaneously the collective consciousness of a people.

This panel will give us an update on the current situation in Haiti, the DR of Congo/ great lakes region, Pakistan and New Orleans. The panel will also look at the intersectionality of the psychological, socio-political and economic implications created by these natural disasters. What patterns and trends have been generated over the course of the decade? What are the long-term psychological after-effects? Under these conditions, how are local leaders and groups organizing? In solidarity with the people, how do we consider, organize with, and fight for justice. What structures of accountability can we generate when economies of the wealthy few are tied to the devastation of the disenfranchised many?