Civil rights icon and movement lawyer Chokwe Lumumba closed the Hurricane Katrina Tribunal with a fiery indictment of U.S. government failures—from FEMA to local law enforcement—in the wake of the 2005 disaster. Speaking before a packed People’s Court on September 2, 2007, Lumumba didn’t mince words. He framed the government’s actions not just as negligence, but as crimes against humanity.
Citing powerful testimony from survivors, Lumumba called out systemic racism, environmental violence, mass displacement, and militarized repression—arguing that the government’s conduct during and after Katrina fits the legal definition of genocide. He laid out a blueprint for justice: full reparations for victims, prosecution of public officials, and international recognition of human rights violations.
Lumumba demanded that this tribunal report its findings to global human rights bodies and urged support for grassroots organizations still doing the work FEMA refused to do. He closed with a call to action: to build power from the bottom up, honor the voices of Katrina survivors, and never let their truth be buried under government spin.
Audio: Malik Reheim and Chokwe Lumumba Testimony
Chokwe Lumumba Closing Arguments: