Jubilee Act passed by US Congress!

While there wasn't much progress on debt in one set of big buidings in Washington last weekend (the World Bank and the IMF's Spring Meetings largely ignored the issue), it was a different story across town in the US Congress. On Tuesday the Jubilee Act for Responsible Lending and Expanded Debt Cancellation - originally produced by our friends Jubilee USA - was considered by the House of Representatives and they voted to pass it! It is really exciting that the bill has got this far and Jubilee USA have lobbied hard throughout. The bill now goes to the Senate for them to consider. If it became law, it would expand US debt cancellation, without harmful economic conditions, to the 67 poorest countries in the Global South. Find out more at Jubilee USA's website.

World Bank hosts illegitimate debt roundtable

Monday represented an important step forward in the illegitimate debt campaign: after months and indeed years of pushing the World Bank to engage with the concept of illegitimate debt, yesterday the Bank hosted a ‘roundtable’ discussion at its headquarters in Washington DC. WB staff, Executive Directors and other country representatives, academics and civil society groups took part in the discussion of concepts and practices regarding odious and illegitimate debt, and responsible lending. While there weren't any major breakthroughs in the meeting itself, even to have this dialogue is a good result. A report will be produced of the day's discussions and there are several other conferences later in the year which indicates that the topic of illegitimate debt will receive increasing attention in the coming months.

IMF and World Bank meet amid financial crisis and food price hikes

The media attention on the Spring Meetings of the IMF and World Bank in Washington DC this weekend has mostly been on the current financial crisis. The IMF has been under increasing pressure to find a role for itself in the midst of a changing world over the past few years, and perhaps hope to find it in these turbulent times. But critics point out that the IMF did not do a good job warning the world of this crisis, or even predicting it. So how can this institution really play the global governance role for which is was created?

Meanwhile for poor countries the main issue is the soaring food prices, which has led to riots in many parts of the world in recent months. World Bank President Zoellick warns that the problem is so serious it may undo seven years of poverty reduction efforts. It is vital that the finance and development ministers gathered in Washington this weekend work to resolve this crisis, which is hitting the poorest hardest of all.

And the other big issue on the agenda is, of course, climate change. Zoellick is hosting a 'Bali Breakfast' this morning to discuss the Bank's role, ahead of today's Development Committee meeting. But campaigners are seriosuly worried about the part the Bank can and should play. Yesterday we met with European Executive Directors of the Bank to raise some of these concerns. At the same meeting we discussed illegitimate debt and responsible lending - and there are clear parallels between the two issues. Finance for climate change needs to be seen as compensation for the 'debt' the rich world owes the poor - not lending, on possibly expensive terms, under a development umbrella. And civil society groups are also worried that funds being discussed at the Bank for tackling climate change will be outside of the international negotiationsat the UN and therefore undermine what is at least a much more egalitarian process. Urgent action is clearly needed - but it must be the right action for the world's poor.

Drop the Debt Fast!

The Drop the Debt Fast, which start tomorrow, is a 36-day rolling hunger strike calling for faster debt cancellation for the world's poorest countries. Every day we are focusing on a different country which has been neglected by debt cancellation so far. You can take part for one or more days wherever you are - sign up here.

The Fast comes ahead of the tenth anniversary of the Birmingham G8 human chain in May. On Sunday 18 May we'll be returning to Birmingham to celebrate the successes of the debt campaign so far, and to keep up the pressure on politicians to drop ALL the debt. The event is called Journey to Justice, and there are some great speakers and participants lined up. Find out more here.

Journey to Justice - May 18, 2008

Ten years after 70,000 people formed a human chain around G8 meetings in Birmingham (perhaps you were one of them?), we're going back to Birmingham! With $88 billion of debt cancelled, we've come a long way - but with more than $400 billion required, there's still a lot to do.




Join us in Birmingham on May 18, and demand a lasting solution to the debt crisis!
For more information go to www.journeytojustice.org.uk

Wellington Walk

Around 20 people gathered on a lovely sunny day to Stand Up & Speak Out at the church of St John Fisher in Wellington. Each representative brought with them a number of signed slips of paper that were joined to form long chains of 595 signatures.

With the chains forming bonds between them, the campaigners set off through the half mile of the town holding "STAND UP AND SPEAK OUT AGAINST WORLD POVERTY" placards, to the Parish church of St John the Baptist.
An increased crowd of 34 stood for a moment to remember those in poverty throughout the world and those suffering injustice and oppression whilst traffic flowed past.

As well as being a fantastic event to raise awareness of Global Poverty the organisers also used the occasion to announce their presence as the recently formed 'Christian Care for One World'.

Jubilee Scotland: "Cancel Indonesia's Arms Debt"

From 14th -19th October, Jubilee Campaigners north of the border kept a vigil for the cancellation of Indonesia's debts incurred by General Suharto when he bought aircraft and tanks, used to repress his own people, from the UK.




Rising before dawn each day and only leaving their prime position on Princes Street after sundown, the group drew in more supporters each day.

Hundreds of members of the public who passed the vigil, stopped to sign a petition for Alistair Darling demanding that the UK "cancel these debts to end this terrible injustice". It was delivered to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on friday morning and campaigners are waiting for his response.


For more info go to http://www.jubileescotland.org.uk/

Poverty Requiem

Singers and dancers perform the Poverty Requiem outside the World Bank's headquarters in Washington on Sunday

To coincide with the Stand Up and Speak Out mobilisations around the world, a Poverty Requiem was performed in Washington yesterday. The piece, whose lyrics were written by Sylvia Borren of Oxfam Novib, was performed by students from the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for performing arts. The Requiem was also performed globally on World Poverty Day, 17 October, with more than twenty choirs including in the Philippines, Gambia, Nigeria, Palestine and Suriname.

Action needed on Liberia's debts now!

Liberia's President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who has been in Washington this week lobbying for her country to receive debt relief.

Debt campaigners, led by Jubilee USA, have been outraged this weekend at the continuing delays in clearing Liberia's arrears at the IMF - a prerequisite for accessing debt relief through the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative. Country shareholders at the Fund need to agree a remaining funding gap of around $60 million - and they are arguing about who should foot the outstanding bill. Whilst countries blame each other, the impoverished people of Liberia continue to suffer from a huge debt burden, most of which is illegitimate debt, having been run up under the brutal regime of Samuel Doe, with no benefit to the people.

HIPC Finance ministers call for action on vultures

Finance ministers from Ghana and Niger addressing a press conference

At their press conference on Sunday, finance ministers from the Highly Indebted Poor Countries called for action to improve debt relief mechanisms, tackle their countries' long-term 'debt sustainability' and help them to tackle poverty. In particular they urged that measures be taken to tackle vulture funds. The statements of the IMF on Saturday were fairly bland, expressing "concern" for the problem. As reported in today's Guardian, Jubilee Debt Campaign and others are calling for more concrete action to stop the vultures profiting from debt relief.

Protestors gather against the IFIs

Jubilee campaigners from around the world join the protests on Saturday

A small but well-organised contingent of protestors marched on the World Bank and IMF today, with chants of 'The Bank Must Go', 'Whose streets? Our streets' and 'Drop the Debt'. Debt campaigners joined around 200-300 diverse range of activists and anarchists on the streets of Washington DC Saturday afternoon, with whistles, drums and banners in a noisy display of protest at the Bank and Fund's policies.

It was in some ways strange to be amongst them, having spent most of the past few days inside the sleek state-of-the-art buildings that house these institutions! And here were only a few hundred protestors out on the streets, and almost as many police out in force, with barricades keeping anyone from getting too close to the Bank and Fund HQs. But it was a refreshing change from the sometimes-slippery lobbying meetings, so we joined in the chants with gusto!

Later there were some incidents, following on from the night before's protests in Georgetown, where at least one woman was injured. The police presence around the Bank and IMF since has been enormous, with extra security measures for all delegates. It makes you wonder whether it's all strictly necessary, given the small scale of the protests.

Town hall meeting with IMF and Bank chiefs

The proceedings of the annual meetings had a more formal beginning last night with the "town hall" meeting where Bob Zoellick and Rodrigo de Rato of the World Bank and IMF respectively, held a Q&A session with civil society representatives. The most controversial aspect of the meeting was Zoellick saying, following press reports, that he is considering the request from a couple of private companies who have approached the Bank to offer to donate to IDA, the World Bank's lending arm to the poorest countries. This would be a highly controversial move - although Zoellick insisted that private companies would have no decision making role, there are questions about what would be the guarantees of this, and how to build in accountability for companies lending, to what has so far been a pot of money only contributed to by sovereign states. We will see what comes of this idea.

Otherwise, the evening passed off without a hitch for the Bank President of 100 days, who bid a fond farewell to de Rato, saying he would miss his old friend. De Rato bows out after these annual meetings, to be replaced by the Frenchman, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, following a great deal of criticism from developing countries and civil society about the process by which the new director was appointed.

This weekend's meetings aren't expected to make much progress on the debt issue. The latest status report, on how the Highly Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) and Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI) processes are going, will be considered, along with measures to tackle vulture funds. But we shall see what concrete outcomes, if any, emerge from the meetings.

Break Poverty: Make Peace

Around 50 people gathered in Trebeck Hall, Southwell to Stand Up and Speak Out and to conclude a month in which 200 local church members have signed Lift the Lid postcards.

Campaigners heard back from 2 local groups who had been working on development projects in Peru and Uganda, and sang one of the songs from the Poverty Requiem.
A special 'Break Poverty:Make Peace' banner was signed by all present and will now circulate round the churches for more signatures during the coming month.





Meanwhile in Wells, members of the Bath & Wells Diocesan Staff 'Stood Up' in front of the Old Deanery on Cathedral Green.








And on thursday in Harrogate, the Mayor joined Jubilee supporters to appreciate an inspiring talk from David Golding entitled, 'Debt-Progress & Challenge'.

This was followed by a brief presentation of Haiti and some of its people from Rev. Darren McClintock. The Reverend was impressed by the enormous effort put into, and the consistent dedication and determination that there is in the campaign.

Newcastle University Stands Up and Speaks Out

Wednesday's Stand Up and Speak Out event at Newcastle University was organised by the Students' Union and attracted about 200 supporters. Katy Whitehouse acted as MC for the event and Nicola Martin led the crowd in 'speaking out' for each of the Millennium Development goals in turn.

The new Vice-Chancellor, Professor Chris Brink, attended the event and expressed his personal and the university's support and appreciation. He recounted the proverb, "No one can sleep soundly when his neighbour is hungry", because he is vulnerable to his neighbour's anger. He then developed the idea by saying that "No one SHOULD sleep soundly when his neighbour is hungry", because he has a moral responsibility to relieve the situation if he can.

(l to r: David Golding, Nicola Martin, Prof. Brink)

David Golding told the story first publicised in Jubilee 2000's 'Debt Cutters Handbook' of a Zambian mother forced to choose which of her two sons should receive simple medicine (the other she watched die) and contrasted it with the present situation, where basic medical care is available in rural areas as a result of debt relief. Speaking for everyone in the crowd, he spoke also of his anger that, after 10 years of campaigning, the poorest countries are still paying $100 million per day as a result of inherited debt.


Later nearly 150 students (plus a certain jubilee veteran!) gathered at the Millennium Bridge across the River Tyne, which by joining hands they spanned completely. "I was immensely heartened by their warmth and commitment", David Golding said.

And we're off...

The annual meetings of the World Bank and the IMF in Washington DC are underway, with a series of pre-meetings and press conferences, alongside a full civil society programme of events, ahead of the actual annual meetings over the weekend.

This morning Zoellick held his opening press conference, where amongst much else, he talked about the Bank's role in "helping to create" international financial markets, and enhancing the role of the private sector in delivering health care in poor countries - none of which is exactly music to the ears of campaigners. The unregulated nature of the financial markets is widely blamed for economic turbulence in poor countries, and campaigners from Jubilee Debt Campaign and Oxfam, among others, question the ability of the private sector to deliver essential services such as healthcare in poor countries.

This evening sees the Townhall meeting, when civil society reps get to meet Zoellick, and de Rato the outgoing head of the IMF... news on that later!