15 Years On: Why We Must Sign The Petition For A Truthful Account Of The Death Of Celia De Jesus!
On 24th October 2011, Celia de Jesus lost her life during a major flood event in Dublin. She lost her life because she was living in an unauthorised substandard basement flat and because the local authority had failed to address the issue.
On 24th October 2011, Celia de Jesus lost her life during a major flood event in Dublin. Her death was attributed to the river Poddle bursting its banks during the flood event.
In 2018, the local authorities Dublin City Council and South Dublin County Council started presenting a new flood scheme for the river Poddle catchment to local communities. They argued that the new scheme would alleviate the risk of flooding and risk of loss of life in the catchment. When residents expressed concerns about some aspects of the scheme including its lack of public engagement, they were made to feel as if discussing the scheme would result in more residents losing their life during future flood events. The tragic death of Celia de Jesus was often cited to justify the urgent need for a new flood scheme and to foreclose any discussion about it.
In 2020, a PhD researcher started assessing the case of the death of Celia de Jesus. After a few months into the research, it became clear that the account of the tragic event as described in the coroner report was a mere mise en scene. Celia de Jesus was not killed by the flood. She lost her life because she was living in an unauthorised substandard basement flat and because the local authority had failed to address the issue. Altogether, this case embodies some of the most acute forms of institutional classism, racism and gender violence.
So why sign this petition now, 15 years on? The petition is not to speak on behalf of Celia de Jesus’s relatives. The petition is for the residents of Ireland. First, for the residents who have been deceived by the misleading official account of the tragic death, they deserve the truth and an apology! Second, for social peace and social justice: all residents of Ireland should be able to trust that they will be treated fairly by their public institutions, no matter their class, race, gender; all residents of Ireland should be able to trust that their public institutions, when they fail, will be accountable for their failures. Third, for housing and climate justice: the case of the tragic death of Celia de Jesus has huge housing and climate policy implications which cannot be properly reflected upon unless we put an end to the horrendous cover-up.
The case of the tragic death of Celia de Jesus is another perfect example that housing for profit can never sustain good health and wellbeing, quite the contrary! In a context of increased risk of extreme weather events such as flooding, risks to health and to life in profit-driven housing are increased accordingly! So, join us in signing the petition and in building a more hopeful future!
