--- Begin Forwarded Message ---
Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 11:40:08 +0100 (BST)
From: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [bangor-werdd] Strategy for Summer
Sender: [log in to unmask]
To: [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask]
Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
Message-ID: <[log in to unmask]>
Jubilee 2000 Welsh Coalition
Ty Capel Calfaria
Heol y Bedyddwyr
Penygroes
Gwynedd LL54 6NU
01286 882359
Pager 07669 179015
****************************************************************************
**********
Dear friends
Please find below the thinking of Jubilee 2000 UK, penned by Ann Pettifor,
the Director of J2000 UK. It contains a list of key dates for the summer and
beyond, which might help with ideas for planning activities across the next
couple of months, in the run up to Okinawa. If you have any comments about
it, please let me know and I will make sure they are compiled and forwarded
to London.
Best wishes
Ben
11 May 2000
Dear friends in Jubilee 2000 campaigns around the world.
From: Ann Pettifor
This is an urgent note to you about the state of the global campaign, which
in our view, is entering a critical phase. We want to outline some of our
thinking on how to react to these dangers, and to share our views on
proposed strategy. In particular we want to propose a month of action,
running from the Geneva Summit to the Okinawa Summit.
Last year in Cologne, we in some of the G7 campaigns were criticised for
welcoming the limited steps taken by the G7 in Cologne. We felt this was
unfair, because before Cologne itself, we had published a report ("Crumbs of
Comfort") alerting the public to the limited Cologne offer, and showing that
it was quite inadequate. However at the same time, we analysed that the G7
(in particular Japan) had been forced into major concessions in principle,
despite tremendous resistance from finance ministries and central banks.
Furthermore we believed then that we had built up sufficient political will
to ensure implementation of even the limited amount of debt cancellation
promised in Cologne, which we hoped would lead to more. We knew that the
cancellation of 67% of debt service, limited though it was, was going to
free up considerable resources for a country like Uganda.
On the evidence so far, it looks as if we were wrong.
Not only have the G7, the IMF and World Bank, not yet fulfilled their debt
cancellation promises of Cologne. But by bolting on a poverty reduction
process which is subordinated to IMF macro-economic austerity programmes;
and by only paying lip service to civil society participation - they have
simply added more hurdles and stumbling blocks to the debt cancellation
process.
Ten countries were promised relief on their debt service by April. Only five
have begun to receive relief. Only one country, Uganda, has actually had its
debt stock cancelled, and then only by 50% (with a reduction of 67% in its
debt service). Tanzania has only been offered a 7% reduction in debt
service.
Of the $100bn debt cancellation offered at Cologne, only $45bn was new
promised debt relief. The rest had already been agreed as part of Paris Club
negotiations, or under HIPC I.. $11bn of the $100bn promised, has been
cancelled but was agreed prior to Cologne. It consists of a) old Paris Club
re-schedulings; and b) relief offered to five countries under HIPC I before
Cologne. Since Cologne only $1.3 billion has been cancelled and that is
the relief offered to Uganda.
It is clear that G7 leaders and finance ministers are taking a relaxed and
inert approach to the stalemate. As countries in Africa, Latin America and
Asia slip into deeper economic degradation, while civil wars proliferate,
disease spreads and economies disintegrate; and while western nations
accumulate wealth at rates unheard of in history, western leaders seem
paralysed by inaction. We have been told that on the 8th July, finance
ministers in Fukuoka intend to make a fanfare of the commitments they have
already made - to cancel 100% of (some of) the debt owed to their countries
- commitments that in themselves are a recognition of the inadequacy of the
Cologne Agreement. But these commitments will mean nothing, as long as
countries fail the hurdles put in their place by the IMF and World Bank.
However, thanks to the campaigning work of many thousands of dedicated
Jubilee 2000 coalition members and supporters, debt is finally on the global
political agenda. Thanks to the close scrutiny of every move made by
international creditors, we are extremely well informed and briefed.
Furthermore we have been able to educate and inform journalists around the
globe, so that it is no longer possible for the creditors to bamboozle
others into thinking they are generous; it is not longer possible for this
issue to be brushed under the carpet, and blamed on the victims.
Perhaps one of the greatest achievements of the movement has been its
capacity to unite an array of social forces - and now increasingly, a wide
range of developing country governments. The recent statement in Cairo by
African governments, in Havana by the G77, and in Abuja, by 40 African heads
of state are signs of growing unity. These appeals are backed by leading
international figures like Rubens Ricupero, Secretary General of the United
Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and Kofi Annan,
Secretary General of United Nations, who in his recent Millennium report,
said that debt relief "has yet to be implemented" and called "upon the donor
countries and the international financial institutions to consider wiping
off their books all official debts of the heavily indebted poor countries in
return for those countries making demonstrable commitments to poverty
reduction." All this demonstrates growing confidence and unity in the
south.
Furthermore, Kofi Annan has taken up our call for a new process for
considering debt cancellation, one based on justice. In his UN millennium
report, he specifically called for an " entirely new approach to handling
the debt problem.....The main components of such an approach could include
immediate cancellation of the debts owed by countries that have suffered
major conflicts or natural disasters; expanding the number of countries in
the HIPC scheme by allowing them to qualify on grounds of poverty alone;
pegging debt repayments at a maximum percentage of foreign exchange
earnings; and establishing a debt arbitration process to balance the
interests of creditors and sovereign debtors and introduce greater
discipline into their relations."
The range of support for debt cancellation is now universal. This was
evident in the run-up to the World Bank and IMF meetings when major
demonstrations took place in Washington, Durban, Paris, Berlin, Tokyo,
Manila and elsewhere. I was in Washington for both the Jubilee 2000 event
on the 9th April and the event on the 16th, A16. I reckon there were
30-40,000 people in Washington on the 16th, but the focus of the
demonstration was very unclear. The clearest message of all was "dump the
debt" - a slogan carried by thousands of the students and trades unionists
present. "Dump the debt" is now the second most important campaign on US
campuses (next to the sweatshops campaign) according to 50 Years is Enough.
We in Britain believe that it is now necessary to intensify the pressure on
the G7. We also want to re-iterate our very specific demands that:
* 100% of the debts of all HIPC countries to be cancelled immediately,
as well as the unpayable debts of the poorest countries, in this millennium
year.
* This requires that not only should all creditor nations back the
demand for 100% of cancellation of debts owed to them, but that the World
Bank and IMF and other mulilateral finance insitutions should do the same.
* As part of our campaign we want to highlight the demand that the
rich invite the poor to their table. In other words, that the G7 invite the
OAU and the G77's appointed delegates (Presidents Mbeki, Bouteflika and
Obasanjo) to participate in the Summit in Okinawa.
Intensifying the pressure
We are considering new actions, which we believe should involve personal
sacrifice on the part of campaigners, as a way of highlighting the abject
paralysis of the world's richest leaders (at a time of unprecedented
affluence) in the face of the catastrophic economic, environmental and human
crises confronting the poorest nations. Here in Britain many supporters are
considering peaceful acts of civil disobedience, clearly targetted at
centres of financial power.
Jahangir Alam of the Bangladeshi campaign has suggested a global hunger
strike on a fixed day. Others are suggesting that supporters should, on a
designated day, chain themselves to the doors and gates of key financial
institutions (central banks and finance ministries), to prevent those
institutions from functioning effectively. We would welcome comments and
ideas from your organisation.
At the same time we in Britain propose to bring together all the initiatives
that are currently being followed by campaigns, and are suggesting that we
should package these as a "month of action" in the run-up to the G8 Okinawa
Summit on 23 July. . :
a) 25-6 June: UN Social Development Summit, Geneva
The UN summit takes place a month before the G8 Summit and is the ideal
occasion to ignite the Global Chain Reaction in the run-up to Okinawa. The
HIPC initiative was first put together at the Social Summit in Copenhagen in
1995 and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has given strong backing for debt
cancellation, arguing that without it, the targets for halving world poverty
by 2015 are "nothing but a pipedream." Various social justice movements are
already mobilising around the Summit and we would like to see debt become
the key focus of demonstrations against globalisation. This will be a forum
to highlight the lamentable inaction and political paralysis of the world's
most powerful leaders in the face of a huge humanitarian disaster; and
reiterate the message that debt cancellation is a vital, if not sufficient,
first step towards human development .
b) 6-8th July: Action to target G7 finance ministers
The G7 finance ministers meet in Fukuoka on 8 July, and like last year this
is where most of the Okinawa decisions are likely to be settled. Jubilee
2000 Japan has already called for demonstrations at the G7 finance
ministries and embassies in as many countries as possible on Thursday 6
July. We are planning a big action in London on this day. We again think
it is highly unlikely that the G8 Finance Ministers will make anything more
than a reiteration of 100% pledges that have already been made, and we are
thinking about focusing anger on this into actions of civil disobedience.
We know that some of our supporters will be prepared to take this step and
we believe that well-planned peaceful acts of civil disobedience could help
win media interest, highlight the profound immorality of the continuing debt
crisis and shame the G7 leaders into responding.
c) 15 July: Africa Day of Action
Jubilee 2000 campaigns in Africa have declared Saturday 15 July the Africa
Day of Action on debt, when the voices of the people of Africa, will heard
around the world. There are plans for a major concert in Nigeria, as well
as human chains and demonstrations at creditor embassies in other countries.
We are consulting with our African friends as to how best to support these
actions.
In Peru, there are plans for a week of action starting on 17th July. In
Haiti the Jubilee 2000 campaign is starting actions for Okinawa in June
(5-11) as well as a few days before the summit and we understand there are
other actions planned around Latin America and the Caribbean. These will
also add to pressure on the creditors to respond and demonstrate the need
for a Southern voice at Okinawa. We need to support these actions in as
many ways as we can.We hope concerted action will at least shame G8 leaders
to agreeing to involve the OAU and G77 at Okinawa.
d) 21-23 July: Summit Watch
Unlike in previous years, there will not be a massive physical presence of
people demanding debt cancellation at the G8 Summit itself. However, we
know that many people are planning events for the Summit weekend, in
particular holding vigils and Summit Watch actions - and are making it clear
to the G8 leaders already that they will be watching the Summit that weekend
expecting a result. We propose using the internet to link up local actions
around the world, in some of the ways that Martina from Erlassjahr 2000
Austria suggested in previous emails.
On 16th June a huge 'viral' internet action targeting the G7 leaders will be
launched. This is a joint initiative with UK charity Comic Relief and we are
working with many internet agencies to promote it to become the biggest
internet action ever. The email action will be accompanied by the launch
of a new website -www.summitwatch.net - that we want to be an interactive
website where local campaigners can upload details of their events and see
what else is happening around the world at the same time. We will email you
more details of this shortly.
On 21st June, we propose having an Internet Day of Action, where we will get
the largest ever number of people online to do a simple targeted email
action. This will be the climax of internet activities, and we are again
working with different agencies to make this happen. We hope the Summit
Watch website will also include an interactive link-up from the Summit that
will allow millions of people to participate in a virtual way with
campaigning in Okinawa over the weekend.
Alongside the specific events, we also strongly believe it is worth having a
final push to mobilise petition signatures - we are only 4 million away from
proving ourselves to be the world's most supported campaign ever and it
would be a real shame if we missed this opportunity.
However none of these activities replace the need for something very visual
that will make an impact to the media at the Summit itself. Any ideas on
what this could be?
We hope the potential presence of Obasanjo, Bouteflika and Mbeki at the
Summit as well as the combined pressure of Jubilee 2000 campaigners around
the world, will at the very least shame world leaders into real action on
the debt crisis, and open up space for further initiatives. One such
initative is the reported Vatican proposal to summon world leaders to a
special summit - possibly in Assissi in September - that would bring
together the leaders of the rich world, and leaders of the indebted nations,
to formulate a definitive resolution to the debt crisis.
e) After Okinawa
6th September, 2000: The United Nations Millennium Summit on 6th September
is set to be the largest ever gathering of national leaders. It will
practically be difficult to mobilise supporters around this, but is an
opportunity for a big diplomatic and media push and could be used as a hook
for local events. It will be important at the Summit to build on Kofi
Annan's calls in his Millennium report for 100% cancellation by multilateral
institutions and the need for a new process.
22-28th September, 2000 The World Bank and IMF meetings in Prague from
22-28 September provide the last major international venue for the entire
Jubilee 2000 movement to mobilise supporters in large numbers. Dependent on
the outcome of ongoing discussions with Czech Jubilee 2000, we are currently
considering calling on our supporters to join the protests at Prague. We
would be interested to hear if other campaigns would be willing to support
such a mobilisation.
We have laid our thinking before you, frankly and realistically. We would
greatly welcome your equally frank and realistic comments and proposals.
Best wishes,
Ann Pettifor
Director, Jubilee 2000 Coalition UK
ben gregory ([log in to unmask])
------------------------------------------------------------------------
72% off on Name brand Watches!
Come and buy today and get free shipping!
http://click.egroups.com/1/4011/7/_/162746/_/958993371/
------------------------------------------------------------------------
To Post a message, send it to: [log in to unmask]
To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: [log in to unmask]
--- End Forwarded Message ---
----------------------
[log in to unmask]
D.J. McKnight
Room 107
Department of Geography
Roxby Building
University of Liverpool
Liverpool
L69 3BX
(0151) 794 6422
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|
