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JUBILEE DEBT CAMPAIGN NEWS AND ACTION UPDATE
November 2007
In this issue:
LIBERIA'S IMF ARREARS FINALLY CLEARED
UK GOVERNMENT STALLING ON ILLEGITIMATE DEBT
WERE YOU PART OF THE BIRMINGHAM G8 HUMAN CHAIN IN 1998?
JUBILEE DEBT CAMPAIGN IS LOOKING FOR A NEW DIRECTOR
CHRISTMAS CARDS
GET MORE INVOLVED
LIBERIA'S IMF ARREARS FINALLY CLEARED
Many thanks to everyone who took our Liberia e-action earlier this
month. The good news is that after 18 months of stalling and
disagreement, the International Monetary Fund last week finally
agreed a deal to clear Liberia's $842m of arrears to the institution.
While this only means that Liberia can now begin the full debt
cancellation process - with all the harmful and undemocratic
conditions that often entails - this is nevertheless a massive boost
for the country as it tries to rebuild following civil war.
Sustained campaigner pressure was critical to this success - in a
statement the IMF acknowledged "all those who have expressed their
concerns about Liberia's debt situation. Their strong support to the
cause of debt relief contributed to the broad donor support that made
this financing possible."
Read the full story: http://www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk/arrears
UK GOVERNMENT STALLING ON ILLEGITIMATE DEBT
Thousands more Lift the Lid postcards and petitions are on their way
to the Government following Global Debt Week, and the Department for
International Development (DfID) has now formally responded to our
campaign - which calls for the UK to join Norway and Ecuador in
taking seriously the concept of illegitimate debt, and of responsible
future lending.
From the letters that many of you will have received from Baroness
Shriti Vadera or Kitty Usher via your MP, the Government is clearly
keen to be seen to follow through its existing promises on debt
cancellation. But it is not yet ready to admit that rich countries
have lent irresponsibly in the past, and that outstanding debt
injustices must be tackled. Continued campaigner pressure is vital -
establishing the principle of creditor responsibility for past
lending is likely to take time and patient argument, just like the
original campaign to get governments to consider cancelling unpayable
debts.
A detailed set of responses to the letter is now available from our
website. Please use it to respond to your MP, and keep up the
pressure to Lift the Lid on illegitimate debt:
http://www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk/lidresponse
WERE YOU PART OF THE BIRMINGHAM G8 HUMAN CHAIN IN 1998?
In May 2008 Jubilee Debt Campaign will be marking the tenth
anniversary of that momentous day when 70,000 people formed a human
chain in Birmingham, and forced the G8 to put developing world debt
on the agenda. This will include an exhibition in Birmingham Central
Library for which the Birmingham and West Midlands group is
collecting photographs and memories of the event.
If you were there your contribution would be greatly appreciated. It
can take the form of art work, prose, photograph or poem, and should
be no longer that one side of A4 (short quotes are also okay). Please
send it before the end of 2007. Those selected will be on display for
the whole month of May 2008. The group is not able to guarantee the
return of all materials but will endeavour to do so wherever
possible.
Send your contributions to: Audrey Miller, 4 Over Mill Drive, Selly
Park, Birmingham B29 7JL, tel 0121 471 4175 or email
jubileedebt@blueyonder.co.uk.
JUBILEE DEBT CAMPAIGN IS LOOKING FOR A NEW DIRECTOR
Jubilee Debt Campaign is recruiting a new Director. This is a vital,
demanding and rewarding role, requiring a deep understanding of the
issues and of global power structures, the ability to persuade and
enthuse people, and an understanding of governance and financial
administration. The closing date for applications is 9am on Monday 3
December.
Further details at: http://www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk/jobs
CHRISTMAS CARDS
A final reminder that you can support Jubilee Debt Campaign through
your Christmas or Seasonal greetings cards. If you buy your cards
through http://www.studio51.com <http://www.studio51.com/>
and select Jubilee Debt Campaign as your charity, a marvellous 51%
of the price you pay will support our work.
GET MORE INVOLVED:
- Browse and order campaign materials:
http://www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk/materials
- Become a Debt Activist:
http://www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk/newsletter
- Registered your group, school or congregation:
http://www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk/signup
- Join Jubilee Debt Campaign on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2219421440
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 | | Vulture Funds | | This morning (26/11/09), the Republic of Liberia was taken to the High Court in London by two Vulture Funds seeking to make large profits on a debt dating back to the 1970s.
More ...
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 | | Put People First: G20 Counter Conference | | In March, we marched in our tens of thousands to demand the G20 Put People First. But so far the G20 has only tinkered round the margins of the global economy, in an effort to return to business as usual.
On 7 November, as the G20 returns to the UK ..
More ...
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 | | The other credit crunch | | Could there be a more timely week for it to be Global Debt Week? As the global financial turbulence continues, campaigners around the world are mobilising for a week of action against reckless lending, which has affected developing countries ...
More ...
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| A Fairer Way of Dealing with Debt | | Almost daily we are seeing what rich countries can do when faced with a debt crisis. Hundreds of billions of pounds have been made available in recent weeks to bail out western banks whose reckless lending has been found out.
More ...
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| Jubilee Debt Campaign - July Update | | New Loans are not the Answer, Over 10,000 chains delivered to UK government, Pick up the Pace: UK responds to campaign, $347m of Togo's debt cancelled, Forget Jay Z - Glasto was all about the Debt, Contact details.
More ...
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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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| Take urgent action for Liberia | | Request for people to write or email Alistair Darling to use his influence to break the deadlock among the IMF shareholders who have been discussing the issue for more than 18 months.
More ...
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| That was the week that was | | Campaigners new and old have just finished taking part in a global week of action on debt, reminding politicians, the media and the public that despite progress in recent years, the daily injustice of poor country debt is far from resolved.
More ...
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| JUBILEE DEBT CAMPAIGN ACTION ALERT | | Last year your campaigning helped get Hilary Benn to take a stand at the World Bank. He withheld £50 million in protest over the conditions attached to aid and debt relief, which made the Bank sit up and take notice. We need to do it again.
More ...
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| JDC Updates | | Opportunity to lobby the UK government to put its money where its mouth is with regard to damaging conditions enforced by the World Bank when making loans.
Also the opportunity to lobby Donegal International and the "Vulture" funds and Zambian debt.
More ...
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