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Thousands March for Better Post-Sept. 11 Assistance

According to organizers, because the government is only giving assistance to those in areas it believes were directly impacted, many people who work or live in Lower Manhattan — which includes Chinatown — have not been receiving help. This is causing extreme health and economic problems for many who can’t afford to protect themselves.“We are challenging the lack of services from the government,” said Stanley Mark, director of AALDEF. “They are trying to move ahead, but relief effort is still incomplete.”Town hall meetings, held in Chinatown, have allowed residents and workers to express their major concerns: health insurance, health care and toxic air. According to Mark, Chinatown residents are suffering from respiratory problems because there has not been a concerted municipal or federal effort to clean the toxic air that has polluted their area. Many are in fear of losing their health insurance or have already lost coverage along with loss of their jobs.While other parts of Manhattan have monitoring sites for air, water and dust, Chinatown and the Lower East Side have virtually none. Free health screenings have been provided only to those who actually worked at Ground Zero.Most of the relief money has gone to upper-class corporations and landlords rather than the workers who have lost their jobs, Mark said. Beyond Ground Zero believes that the government has put people in an inescapable position: do nothing or spend the little money they have left to try and solve health issues.“We need to create and expand health programs,” said Mark. “There are long-term health problems we’re dealing with.”Beyond Ground Zero has proposed the creation of new disaster programs that will pay for health and living expenses, in addition to reparations for suffering. They are also asking for legislative changes that will protect health coverage, housing and changes to the existing programs.“In order to rebuild New York, we have to rebuild the lives of people,” said Mark.