[stop-imf] Mozambique debt group criticism of World Bank (fwd)

[Robert Weissman]

Mozambican debt group statement criticising the World Bank's one-year
moratorium on Mozambican debt service payments, issued 7 March. Unofficial
translation by Joseph Hanlon, followed by Portuguese original. Contact
addresses at end.

---------------------------------------

MOZAMBICAN DEBT GROUP

Reaction to the Moratorium granted by the World Bank

The Mozambican Debt Group (MDG) protests against the one year moratorium
on Mozambican foreign debt service payments granted recently by the World
Bank. The MDG also protests against the fact that the World Bank is
granting Mozambique new funds in the form of loans to support emergency
efforts.

The moratorium conceded by the World Bank applies to funds that Mozambique
owes to the International Development Association (IDA) and will permit
the country to not make interest payments and capital repayments for one
year (2000), however the country must resume normal debt service payments
from 2001. And the IMF has not even considered help for Mozambique,
arguing that there is need for internal discussion, when people are dying
from hunger and disease caused by the floods.

On the one hand the World Bank frees Mozambique from debt service payments
for one year, while with the other hand it increases the indebtedness by
making use of the emergency situation -- it responds to the governments
emergency appeal by "accelerating" the provision of loan funds.

The World Bank has already released $2.5 million for rehabilitating roads
(money from the ROCS II programme) and is waiting to contribute another
$15 million from the same source. When the country is submerged by the
worst natural disaster in its history, all the World Bank can do is to
lend more money. The enormity of the destruction caused by the floods and
by cyclone Eline sets aside any possibility that the country can
reconstruct in a period of one year.

The MDG considers that the attitude of the World Bank is immoral and shows
a sickening lack of humanity for all those Mozambicans who for years have
sacrificed to pay the debt service. In this context, the MDG appeals to
the World Bank to:
+ Cancel Mozambique's foreign debt completely.
+ Give grants and not loans to help the emergency situation.
+ Not use funds released under HIPC to help in the emergency.

The Debt Group appeals to the World Bank, the IMF, the G8, and other
creditors such as the African Development Bank to cancel Mozambique's
foreign debt.

Maputo, 7 March 2000

---------------------------------------

GRUPO MO=C7AMBICANO DA DIVIDA

Reac=E7=E3o =E0 Morat=F3ria Concedida pelo Banco Mundial

O Grupo Mo=E7ambicano da D=EDvida protesta contra a morat=F3ria de um ano
concedida recentemente pelo Banco Mundial no pagamento do servi=E7o da
d=EDvida externa de Mo=E7ambique. O GMD tamb=E9m protesta contra o facto do
Banco Mundial estar a conceder a Mo=E7ambique fundos de empr=E9stimos para =
o
apoio =E0 emerg=EAncia.

A morat=F3ria concedida pelo Banco Mundial recai sobre os fundos que o pa=
=EDs
deve =E0 Associa=E7=E3o Internacional para o Desenvolvimento (IDA) e vai
permitir que o pa=EDs n=E3o pague os juros e a parte do empr=E9stimo para o
per=EDodo de um ano (2000), mas o pa=EDs vai continuar a pagar o seu servi=
=E7o
da d=EDvida em 2001. Mas o FMI ainda n=E3o considerou apoio a Mo=E7ambique,=
 sob
o argumento de necessidade de conserta=E7=E3o interna, enquanto as pessoas =
v=E3o
morrendo v=EDtimas de fome e de doen=E7as provocadas pelas cheias.

Mas, enquanto por um lado o Banco Mundial alivia Mo=E7ambique do pagamento
do servi=E7o da d=EDvida durante um ano, por outro lado acelera o
endividamento do pa=EDs aproveitando-se da situa=E7=E3o de emerg=EAncia - o=
 Banco
Mundial respondeu ao apelo de emerg=EAncia do governo "acelerando" o
desembolso de fundos de empr=E9stimo.=20

O Banco Mundial desembolsou j=E1 2,5 milh=F5es de d=F3lares americanos para=
 a
reabilita=E7=E3o de estradas (dinheiro do programa ROCS II) e espera ainda
contribuir com mais 15 milh=F5es de d=F3lares a sa=EDrem da mesma fonte. O =
Banco
Mundial nada mais faz com isto do que fazer ainda mais empr=E9stimos para
Mo=E7ambique quando este pa=EDs se encontra mergulhado no maior cat=E1strof=
e
natural de sua hist=F3ria. A enormidade da destrui=E7=E3o causada pelas che=
ias e
pelo ciclone "Eline" p=F5e de lado qualquer possibilidade de o pa=EDs
conseguir se recompor no per=EDodo de um ano.=20

O GMD considera a atitude do Banco Mundial de imoral e enfermada de falta
de humanidade para com todos os Mo=E7ambicanos que durante anos se
sacrificaram a pagar o seu servi=E7o da d=EDvida. Neste sentido o GMD apela=
 ao
Banco Mundial para:

+ Cancelar a d=EDvida externa total de Mo=E7ambique =B7 Conceder doa=E7=F5e=
s e n=E3o
empr=E9stimos para apoio =E0 situa=E7=E3o de emerg=EAncia +  N=E3o usar os =
fundos do
HIPC no apoio =E0 emerg=EAncia

O Grupo da D=EDvida faz um apelo para que o Banco Mundial, o FMI, o Grupo
dos 8 e outros credores como o Banco Africano de  Desenvolvimento cancelem
a d=EDvida externa de Mo=E7ambique.

Maputo, 07 de Mar=E7o de 2000=20

Para mais informa=E7=F5es, por favor contacte:=20
Eufrigina dos Reis, Coordenadora
GRUPO MO=C7AMBICANO DA DIVIDA
AV. AHMED SEKOU TOUR=C9, 1957=20
MAPUTO, MO=C7AMBIQUE=20
CAIXA POSTAL 2223=20
TELEF.:  (258-1) 30 3026 & 43 0486=20
FAX: (258-1) 42 3140=20
E-MAIL: <DIVIDA@ZEBRA.UEM.MZ>

=20