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Time to drop Suharto's arms debt
Dear campaigner,
When Indonesia's former dictator General Suharto died last week, one injustice he didn't take to his grave was his debts. Nearly ten years after his removal from power, Indonesia is still paying back billions of dollars to the rich world, much of it lent to Suharto at the height of his regime. This includes £525 million Indonesia owes the UK for arms loans made to Suharto, including for Hawk jets and
Scorpion tanks.
It is time the Indonesian people stopped paying for their own oppression. Please ask the UK government to drop Indonesia's arms debts now: http://www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk/indonesia
Every year Indonesia spends more on repaying debts than it does on health and education, while over half the population live below the poverty line. As John Pilger has written: "There is no debt like it
on earth. It can never be repaid. It is a bottomless hole."
Suharto's arms debts are a textbook case of 'illegitimate' debts - debts which were lent irresponsibly by the creditor, and did not benefit the people of the borrowing country, but which those people
are still repaying. World leaders have accepted the need to tackle the debt crisis, but not that their irresponsible lending helped to create it. Jubilee Debt Campaign is calling on rich countries to lift
the lid on illegitimate debts, and lend responsibly in the future.
In May, it will be ten years since the people of Indonesia rose up and overthrew Suharto in 1998. His death now gives the UK and other rich countries a chance to take the lead in cleaning up international lending, and cancel Indonesia's illegitimate debts. Until the Indonesian people are freed from the debts Suharto left behind, the injustices of his regime will live on.
Please take action now: http://www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk/indonesia
Best wishes,
Jubilee Debt Campaign
ps. We are working with Jubilee Scotland and the Anti Debt Coalition Indonesia on this campaign. For more info, see the Jubilee Scotland blog
http://debttribunal.wordpress.com/2008/02/04/time-to-drop-suharto%E2%80%99s-arms-debt/
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| Time to drop Suharto's arms debt | | When Indonesia's former dictator General Suharto died last week, one
injustice he didn't take to his grave was his debts. Nearly ten years
after his removal from power, Indonesia is still paying back billions
of dollars to the rich world.
More ...
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