Drop the Debt Fast

It is 10 years since the momentous human chain in Birmingham city centre in support of debt cancellation. I thought I'd post the email I received today from the Jubilee Debt Campaign. Do follow the links and take the pledge to keep up the campaign.








Dear friend,

Next Saturday 12 April is the start of the Drop the Debt Fast, our
36-day rolling fast demanding FASTER debt cancellation for MORE of
the world's poorest countries. Every day for 36 days we will focus on
one of the countries which still desperately need debt cancellation,
nearly ten years after world leaders promised to tackle the crisis.
Please join us - pledge to take part in the Fast for a day or more
right now:

http://www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk/fast

As the Fast begins next weekend the World Bank and International
Monetary Fund will hold their Spring meetings in Washington DC. On 12
April we will focus on LIBERIA, which has just this month been told
that after two years of waiting, it can finally begin the process of
'qualifying' for debt cancellation. For other countries, this has
taken as long as six years and involved complying with harmful and
undemocratic economic policies dictated by the IMF. But the people of
Liberia shouldn't have to wait.

On 14 April, as the IMF and World Bank conclude their meetings by
discussing ways for poor countries to adapt to climate change, we
will focus on BANGLADESH, a country which is already on the front
line of our changing climate. The proportion of those living in
extreme poverty is actually increasing in Bangladesh, while climate
change is causing more and more devastating cyclones and floods. Yet
despite debts of $18.9 billion, Bangladesh is told it does not
'qualify' for debt cancellation.

All the countries we are focusing on in the Fast have been left out
of debt cancellation so far, either because the process is too slow -
as with Liberia - or because it is too limited - as with Bangladesh.
This must change if the debt crisis, which is keeping millions of
people in poverty, is to be resolved. Please pledge now to join the
Drop the Debt Fast:

http://www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk/fast

When you sign up to take part in the Fast, we will send you an email
once a week with information about the countries that are the focus
of the Fast for the week ahead. We will also direct you towards the
chain links we are collecting during the Fast for use in a mass
action in Birmingham on Sunday 18 May.

The Fast is part of our programme of events marking the tenth
anniversary of the human chain in Birmingham - a key moment in the
debt campaign - and we hope you'll get involved. We have made great
strides in the last ten years, and debt cancellation is working to
tackle poverty in many countries. But the crisis isn't over. Please
help finish the job:

http://www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk/fast

Best wishes,
Jubilee Debt Campaign