UPDATE
You will remember the Campaign Cards 'LIFT THE LID ON ILLEGITIMATE DEBT.'
The Department for International Development of our government has formally responded to the call for the UK to join Equador and Norway who take seriously the understanding of illegitimate debt, and the need for more responsible lending in the future. However it is necessary to keep campaigning.
www.jubileedebtcampaign.orq.uk/lidresponse will give you a set of responses to use in writing to your MP to keep up the pressure to LIFT THE LID ON ILLEGITIMATE DEBT.
You can write to Douglas Alexander, Secretary for International development too. (We can be encouraged by the knowledge that Douglas Alexander grew up in the flat over the headquarters of the lona Community in Glasgow. He is sympathetic to our task.) His address is -
Department for International Development, 1, Palace Street, London, WW1E 5HE
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
10 years on and the job not done........
On 16th May 1998 70,000 people gathered in Birmingham, where the G8 countries were meeting, to demand that the debts of poor countries should be dropped by 2000 - the year of Jubilee. For the people of the Old Testament every fiftieth year was a year of Jubilee when debts were cancelled - Leviticus chapter 25 especially verse 28 which relates the principle of Jubilee to land.
We were entering a new millennium. Our Vision was that earth's poor countries should have their debts to rich countries cancelled in that year.
Does any nation owe more to poor countries than the United Kingdom? British colonization made countries poor - we pillaged cocoa, copper, and many other resources. We lent money with unreasonable conditions attached. What have we done to right that wrong, to pay our debts? 70,000 children die in Africa everyday.
On 18th May this year the events that took place in Centenary Square and in the International Convention Centre reminded us of the work still to be done to relieve chains of debt - a form of slavery. Since 1998 only 20% of debts of developing countries have been cancelled.
The contributors to the programme in the I.C.C. were high profile - Shahid Malik M.P, (Minister for International Development), Ann Pettifor (Jubilee 2000) who forecast the present credit crunch several years ago. Caroline Spelman M.P.(Chairman of the Conservative Party), Dr.Harry El-Banna (President of Islamic Relief), Phil Bloomer (Oxfam), Steve Miller (Jewish Social
Justice Coalition); and there were stirring video messages from Gordon Brown, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (President of Liberia), and from Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Dr. John Sentamu, Archbishop of York has said "The International debt crisis continues to enslave millions in poverty and injustice". Our government legislated to end one form of slavery. If we believe in Justice we must campaign for an end to the slavery of debt - why is debt slavery? because a poor country may receive Aid and then have to pay 5 times as much to service that Aid.
Where debt has been cancelled – more children go to school, especially girls. School teachers and community teachers are trained. Healthcare is improved with a reduction in infant and maternal mortality rates.
We continue our campaign -- from time to time signing cards and sending them to our politicians, by our informed conversations and prayers. Why? Because we have a Saviour who loves the poor and who works for Justice for all.
Copies of the Jubilee Debt Campaign May 2008 report may be downloaded from www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk/unfinished or requested by telephoning 020 7324 4722.
