The update I just got from Jublilee...JUBILEE NEWS AND UPDATES: June 20, 2002
Special G8 Summit Edition
The leaders of the world's most powerful nations, called the G8, will meet
in Canada next week, June 26-28, to address issues of international concern,
including Africa and debt.
Find all the news on the G8 Summit and related activities at:
www.jubileeusa.org
* * * * * * *
Congratulations to all who called Secretary O'Neill before the G7 Finance
Ministers' meeting. We heard from Treasury staff that they were swamped
with hundreds and hundreds of phone calls both days!! Thank you for making
the drop the debt message heard.
* * * * * * *
This update includes:
1.) Take Action during G8 Meetings
2.) Jubilee Tells G8: HIPC Debt Plan is More Grief than Relief
3.) Mark Your Calendars for September Mobilization
4.) Action on Debt Legislation Still Needed
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.) TAKE ACTION- Write to your Local Newspaper
Sound the Jubilee message in your area by writing a letter to the editor of
your local newspaper.
The media coverage around the G8 meetings is a great time to get the drop
the debt message in the press. Tell G8 leaders to cancel the debt without
further delay!
We know you've thought about doing this before- get up your courage and do
it this time! Watch the coverage in your local paper and then respond.
Getting a letter to the editor published, is as easy as one-two-three.
Click here to learn more:
http://www.jubileeusa.org/jubilee.cgi?path=/take_action&page=G8_LTEs.html
TAKE ACTION: Attend the Global Justice Action Summit in Missoula Montana,
June 20-24, co-sponsored by Jubilee USA, featuring activists from around the
country responding to the G8 agenda. Great speakers, festivals, and a
caravan
to the G8 meetings in Canada. To learn more, visit their beautiful site:
www.globaljas.org
2.) G8 Debt Relief Plan: More Grief than Relief
Jubilee USA Network released a briefing on the status of the debt relief
initiative, HIPC, so far. Please see the summary below:
African nations spend $15 billion on debt service every year, draining
desperately needed funds that could otherwise be used for health, education,
clean water or the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Loans to Grants will not Resolve the Problem
---------------------------------------------------------
- The G8 heads of state, led by President Bush, have introduced a new plan
to provide aid to impoverished nations in the form of grants instead of new
loans. While this is certainly a positive step in the right direction, it
does nothing to address unpayable debts already on the books. Additionally,
a conversion of 18-21% of World Bank giving from loans to grants is
inadequate to stem future debt crises. The G8 should implement a plan
for at least 50% conversion from loans to grants on top of full debt
cancellation.
Debt Relief Can Work
------------------------------
- The limited debt relief given so far, shows that when countries can use
the savings effectively. In Uganda, debt savings were used to double
elementary school enrollment; in Mozambique half a million were vaccinated
against killer diseases. In Tanzania, debt savings were used to
eliminate school fees and 1.5 million children will be able to return to
school this
year.
More Grief, than Relief
-------------------------------
However, Jubilee USA Network?s found several problems with the current debt
relief scheme, called the Heavily Indebted Poor Country Initiative (HIPC),
including:
* It takes too long to provide relief*
After six years, only six countries have completed the program, while over
half
in the program have been delayed by IMF penalties. These delays threaten
the effectiveness of any new debt cancellation.
* Too little debt relief has been provided* Half of the countries now in
line for HIPC relief will face officially ?unsustainable? debt burdens soon
after completing the program. For example, Uganda the first country to
complete HIPC, will soon be in need of a third round of debt relief because
of the program?s miscalculations.
* The conditions for the relief are unreasonably complex and harmful* After
two decades of these IMF ?structural adjustment? policies, little economic
progress has been made in many borrowing countries, and in most instances
these countries and their people have suffered from even greater poverty.
The IMF has suspended countries? debt relief in at least nine cases because
governments were was not in compliance with IMF policy demands.
* To reduce debt, countries must incur new debt* Governments must have a
loan agreement with the IMF in order to qualify for debt relief. For at
least two countries, debt relief was withheld until they signed a new loan
agreement with the IMF.
For full Jubilee USA Network briefing, please see:
http://www.jubileeusa.org/jubilee.cgi?path=/press_room&page=jubilee_to_g7.ht
ml
3.) Mark your Calendars! September Mobilization Plans Underway
Jubilee USA Network will be sponsoring an interfaith service and all night
vigil outside of the US Treasury department prior to the annual meetings of
the World Bank and IMF this fall on Thursday, September 26th. Please plan
to join us for vigils, spirited demonstrations, teach-ins, and gatherings of
Jubilee supporters from Septemeber 25-October 1, 2002. More information
coming soon...
4.) Action Needed on Debt Legislation
The debt legislation introduced this spring is going smoothly through the
Senate. The debt language was included in the Kerry/Frist AIDS bill
that passed the Senate Foreign Relations committee last week.
However, we still need help on the House side to make sure the Debt
Enhancement Act of
2002 passes. This legislation, although a far cry from Jubilee's call for
100% debt cancellation, will provide an additional $1 billion in debt relief
for the most impoverished nations and is a pivotal step forward. We need
your help to win!
ACT NOW:
If you live in the key districts listed below we need your help more than
ever! We are organizing district visits and letter writing campaigns in
these key areas of the most influential members of Congress. Please help us
find contacts in these cities! Call Sarah Smiley at 202-546-4470 or
sarah_jubileeusa@yahoo.com with any leads or questions.
But don't think that all the districts aren't important too! Even though
your
Representatives may not be the key members, their support of this
legislation is still important. We need as many co-sponsors as possible to
ensure that this bill passes!
For sample letters and to learn more visit:
http://www.jubileeusa.org/jubilee.cgi?path=/take_action&page=New_Debt_Legisl
ation.html
KEY DISTRICTS:
Bereuter (1-NE): Freemont, Lincoln
Oxley (4-OH): Mansfield, Findlay, Lima
Ferguson (7-NJ): Union
Roukema (5-NJ): Hackettstown, Ridgewood
Biggert (13-IL): Aurora, Clarendon Hills, Joliet,
Naperville, Wheaton, Warrenville, Hickory Hills
Ryun (2-KS): Pittsburg, Topeka
Castle (DE): At-large
Wolf (10-VA): Herden, Manassas, Middleburgh,
Washington, Leesburg, Manassas Park, Warrenton,
Winchester
Paul (12-TX): Freeport, Georgetown, Johnson City,
Katy, Rockport, San Marcos, Surfside, Victoria,
Kolbe (5-AZ): Bisbee, Green Valley, Oro Valley,
Sierra Vista, Tuscon
Hyde (6-IL): Addison, Des Plaines, Glendale
Heights, Lombard, Oak Brook, Westmont
Nussle (2-IA): Dubuque, Manchester, Mason City,
Waterloo
Hastert (14-IL): Batavia, Elgin
Armey (26-TX): Addison, Carollton, Coppell,
Cornith, Hebron, Hickory Creek, Lewisville,
Northlake
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
As always, we need your financial support to continue to bring the Jubilee
message to decision makers whether they meet in Canada as the G8 or on
Capitol Hill. Your contribution this month helps us to print our briefing
on HIPC and send Jubilee staff to monitor the G8 meetings in Calgary.
Please donate now, you make the difference:
http://www.jubileeusa.org/jubilee.cgi?path=/donate
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------
Any questions? Call Mara Vanderslice, Outreach Coordinator, at 202-783-0129
or
mara@j2000usa.org
To unsubscribe from this list, just send an empty e-mail to
jubilee-usa-net-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
People can subscribe by sending an empty email message to
jubilee-usa-net-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
For full campaign news visit
http://www.jubileeusa.org/
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
Should I call us Bono's Co-Pests? 
:idea: 
