Michigan, seven flamm lays in flint have families in flint have filed a classaction lawsuit accusing Governor Rick Snyder of gross negligence for lead contamination of the water. Now a new documentary tells the inside story of how a Community Organized to uncover the water crisis that sparked a national outcry. The emergency manager also the Treasurers Office and onto lansing, the governors mansion, have swn a tot disregard for the human needs of the people. Amy todaya democry now exclusive, the broadcast premiere of heres to flint, by michigan analyst of the year curt guyette and filmmaker kate levy. Then to honduras where protests continue over the assassination of indigenous and environmental leader Berta Caceres. Was absolutely assassinated, and i would like to point out the singlwitness to the crime, Gustavo Castro be held bynues to the government. Amy we will speak with beverly bell, longtime colleague of both caceres and castro. Who himself was shot twice when berta was assassinated. Beverly bell, like many others, is desperate to get castro out of honduras to safety. All of that and more coming up. Welcome to democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. The pentagon says u. S. Airstrikes in somalia killed more than 150 people it identified as militants at an alshabaab training camp, marking one of the deadliest u. S. Attacks to date in the socalled war on terror. The strikes hit what officials said they believed was a graduation ceremony. Officials say they were unaware of any civilian casualties but were unable to independently. The strikes, carried out by drones and manned aircraft, marked the deadliest attack on the militant Group Al Shabaab during the more than decadelong u. S. Campaign against it. White house spokesperson josh earnest emphasized the fighters targets posed an imminent threat to u. S. And African Union forces. The fighters who were scheduled to depart the cap posed an imminent threat to u. S. And African UnionMission Forces in somalia. Their removal, the removal of those terrorist fighters, degrades alshabaabs ability to meet the groups objectives in some of you, including recruiting new members, establishing bases in attacks on u. S. And other forces. Amy the Obama Administration also announced monday it would for the first time release tallies of the number of people it believes it has killed in drone strikes in countries like those that lie outside of conventional war zones. Lisa monaco, president obamas assistant for Homeland Security and counterterrorism, said the report would be released in the coming weeks. I can announced today that in the coming weeks some of the administration will publicly release an assessment of combatant and noncombatant casualties resulting from strikes taken outside areas of active hostilities since 2009. Amy in tunisia, more than 50 people have been killed in a militant attack, sparking fears the violence engulfing neighboring libya is now spreading across the border. Dozens of attackers descended on the tunisian town attacking , police and military stations. Tunisian president Beji Caid Essebsi called the attack unprecedented and blamed it on isil. Officials said at least 54 people were killed, including at including militants, security forces, and civilians. Voters head to the polls for nominating contests in four states today, with michigan seen as the top prize. Republicans vote in hawaii, idaho, mississippi, and michigan. Democrats vote only in mississippi and michigan. Ahead of todays contests, former new york city mayor Michael Bloomberg said he would not run for president , fearing it could help lead to the election of donald trump as president. He said trump is running the most divisive and demagogic president ial campaign i can. Remember. Meanwhile, mexican president Enrique Pena Nieto has refused to pay for the wall donald trump has vowed to build between the United States and mexico. He criticized trump, invoking the fascist dictators adolf hitler and benito mussolini. And there have been episodes in human history, unfortunately, where these expressions of destroyed and rhetoric have only led to a very ominous situations in the history of humanity. That is how mussolini got in. That is how hitler got in. They took advantage of a situation, a problem, perhaps, which humanity was going throughout the time after an economic crisis. And i think what they go forward ended up at what we know today from history in global conflict conflict ration. Amy vermont senator Bernie Sanders and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton were both asked about abortion at a fox news in a town hall in detroit, michigan. Both candidates strongly defended abortion rights, clinton noted she has supported some late pregnancy regulation that would have exceptions for the life and health of the mother. In michigan is in the spotlight over the primary, seven families in flint have filed a classaction lawsuit accusing michigan Governor Rick Snyder of gross negligence after the citys water was contaminated by lead. The poisoning began when an unelected emergency manager appointed by Governor Snyder switched the citys water to the corrosive flint river, causing lead from the pipes to leach into the water. Many are calling for snyders resignation and even his arrest. Well have more on flint after headlines. In honduras, environmentalists say Gustavo Castro soto, coordinator of friends of the earth mexico, has been detained and deny permission to return to his native mexico. Castro witnessed the Fatal Shooting of environmentalist curt guyette in honduras Berta Caceres. We will have more on this case later in the broadcast. Venezuelan Authorities Say theyre investigating an alleged massacre of 28 miners and the state of bolivar. There reports of gang killed and dismembered the miners in a bid to take over a wildcat gold mine. In boston, massachusetts, more than 2000 Public School students walked out of class on monday to protest planned budget cuts. Despite threats that they would be marked absent for leaving, the students rallied on Boston Common at the state house and at faneuil hall, chanting, they say cut back, we say fight back. Oklahoma authorities have set new limits for oil and Gas Companies after a vast increase in the number of earthquakes, including more than 6000 last year alone. In oklahoma saw just three 2010, earthquakes at or above magnitude three, last year that number rose to more than 900. The quakes have been linked to the injection of oil and gas waste deep underground. On monday, oklahoma regulators asked companies in central oklahoma to reduce the amount of waste theyre injecting by 40 . This follows a similar request last month for a northwest region. In upstate new york, environmentalist Bill Mckibben and 56 others have been arrested after blockading the driveway of the Gas Storage Company crestwood midstream. In total, activists say more than 500 arrests have been carried out as part of a 17monthlong Civil Disobedience Campaign against plans by the firm to expand storage of the potent Greenhouse Gas methane in abandoned salt cavernat seneclake, a drinki water srce for 100,000 ople. Mckibben spoke about the action. Today, now and every day, there are some places around the world, 10, 15, 20 places like this where people are standing up after 100 years of a free ride, the fossil fuel industry is now met at every turn by people saying, it is a new world. The science is clear. We understand what has to happen. Amy in other news from upstate new york, a peace activists and grandmother has been released on 5000 bail after 49 days in prison for photographing a protest at Hancock Air Base where drones are piloted remotely. Mary anne grady flores began a sixmonth sentence in january, but has been released pending an Appeals Court decision on whether to consider her case. Flores was accused of violating an order of protection aimed at keeping her away from the base after she participated in civil disobedience there. To see our interview with her when she went to jail, go to democracynow. Org. And events are taking place around the world today for International Womens day. This years theme is pledge for parity. And those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. In the race for the white house, voters head to the polls in four states to do with michigan seen as the top prize. Republicans also vote in hawaii, idaho, and mississippi. Democrats vote only in michigan and mississippi. The ongoing water crisis in flint, michigan has become a Major Campaign issue on the democratic side full democratic side. The crisis began when an unelected emergency manager appointed by michigan Governor Rick Snyder switched the source of flints water to the corrosive flint river in an apparent bid to save money. The river water corroded the citys pipes and poisoned the water with lead. On monday, seven flint families filed a classaction lawsuit accusing snyder grows negligence for allowing flints water to be contaminated by lead. In a debate on sunday in flint, both Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders called for snyders resignation. I had the opportunity to meet with a number of residents of flint at a town meeting in flint, and i have to tell you what i heard and what i saw literally shattered me, and it was beyond belief that children in flint, michigan, in the United States of america in the year 2016, are being poisoned. I believe the governor of this state should understand that his dereliction of duty was irresponsible. He should resign. Clock secretary clinton . Im very grateful my request as we hold this debate be held here so we can continue to shine a very bright spotlight on what has happened in the city. I agree the governor should resign or be recalled. I know the state of michigan has a rainy day find for emergencies. What is more important than the health and wellbeing of the people, particularly children . Its raininlead in int, and the statis derelict in not coming forward with the money that is required. Amy well, today, on the day of the michigan primary, we bring you a democracy now exclusive, the broadcast premiere of a new documentary that tells the inside story of how local residents, journalists, and scientists organized to uncover the water contamination crisis that has sparked congressional hearings the resignations of , public officials, and a National Debate about the impacts of austerity and infrastructure decline in the United States. The film draws on months of filming by kate levy and more than a year of investigative work by curt guyette, who has just been named michigan journalist of the year. It is called heres to flint. You are killing us sir, im not killing anybody. We have an agenda here. The act, a law championed by governor rick yder with a take over financially struggling cities were handing complete authority to an appointed emergency manager. Emergency manags create new ordinances, abolish existing laws, sell off assets, and take away Health Care Benefits from retirees. Theres only one thing the law prohibits them from doing my name is claire mcclinton. I am a member of the Flint Democracy Defense League ter ta force. Ands interesng toote public act 436, the emergency manager cannot void a contract with bondholders. That is offlimits. Ndholders are sacred. They cannot be touched. People are not sacred. Nearly every city and School District that has had its democracy suspended under emergency manager is a Community Like flint. Majority africanamerican and saddled with high poverty rates. What these communities also have in common is that severe cuts in state funding have helped push them into financial distress. Emergency managers completely usurped the authority of locally elected officials. How is this democracy . Pastor over it, senior. Basically, the mayor has no power or authority, those who are elected by the people. Theres something wrong with that. All of us need checks and balances because none of us make the best decision all the time. Corrects we knew this law was undemocratic. We knew it was dictatorial. We knew it was unprecedented, but we neverreamed that woulde faced with not being able to use our municipal water. While fli was under state control, the citys longterm water source was switched on detroits system to the newly created water authority. While the pipeline was under construction, the state force the people of flint to use the highly corrosive flint river as the source of their Drinking Water. It was a costcutting we designed to save no more than5 million. Of the news wed might be trekking flint water, we thought it was a joke because Everybody Knows about the flint river. The average resident wont notice any difference. But there was a drastic difference. Almost a mealy, people began to complain about water that looked bad,s held bad, and tasted bad. It is been one debacle after another. Through her for boil water advisories. My name is melissa maze. If had rashes, hair loss, soreness. It is almost like were living in a nightmare. While Flint Residents were forced to continue to drink the word for water, General Motors was allowed to switch back to the detroit vista because the highly corrosive flint river was causing engine parts to rust. While many of the problems with the river water quickly became apparent to residents, other dangers remained hidden. R nine mths, thee were bjected high lels of tm , a carcinogenic byproduct of chlorine. The state kept that secret until january 2015. After that information was finally disclosed in a letter to the residents, officials met with an angry public in an attempt to assure them that everything was under control. If there is disruption, police are prepared to remove the disruption and we will go on with the meeting. The letter spoke about nervous problems, weakening systems. I think people feel their bodies in the wellbeings are been compromised. Collects tthms were not really concern, also exposing outrage over being forced use water so file you would not give it to an animal. Corrects i am a tester. Wholesome water is important. One of the people at the meeting was Leeanne Walters, mother of four. That meeting is where she met jerry ambrose, the fourth emergency manager who was appointed by the governor to run flint. He callrst encounter, me a liar and called me stupid. I went up to him with idols fro my cap and i said, this is my water. He said, i dont believe that is your water. Afterlate february Leeanne Walters demented the city test for water, the results showed the water Walters Family was using had lead levels seven times higher than the federal action level. Walters shared the startling information with the was Environmental Protection agency, which reacted with a law. And enough of the Michigan Department of and my rental quality, epa official wrote, wow committed he find the lead. Thehas two children under age of three. Big worries. Hose high levels prodded epa water export to ask what can of Corrosion Control the city was using. Flint must have optimal treatment. Is a phosphate . The responded to the epa by saying it had an optimized corrosive control program in place but offered no specific details. By march, residents were increasingly calling for return to the detroit system will stop pastor harris helped lead the effort. Our goal is to return flint to the purest water source, that is the detroit source, in the interim. We want an injunction for that. Were not worried about longrange right now. That still has to come to fruition, but immediately, we want to go back to detroit. I have not talked anyone in the state, city, anywhere that does not agree that the purest water source for the people of flint is the detroit source. Everyone is asking, can we hook up . We dont have a money tree. You guys will be sorry. You wouldhe sorryrew hook up on that that is the answer to that question. , onto emergency manager the Treasurers Office and onto lansing, the governors mansion, have shown a total disregard for the human needs of the people. As public anger grew, what will become a persistent lie throughout the crisis, city and state officials repeatedly claimed they were forced use the flint river after detroit canceled a longterm contract will stop heres the emergency manager ambrose. It was detroit that sent us a letter that said, were canceling your contract. Go find your water someplace else. All right . We looked at that and we said m t sure tt is true. What those same officials did not say idetroit y to ent into aew a