[stop-imf] 50 Years: Follow-up on IMF & World Bank Protests

[Robert Weissman]

May 16, 2000

Solidarity Greetings from the 50 Years Is Enough: U.S. Network for Global
Economic Justice!

Its been a month since our collective triumphant pole vaulting of
IMF/World Bank issues into the international arena.  We are still
awestruck and greatly inspired by the amazing energy, talents, commitment,
and inspiration of activists involved in the Mobilization for Global
Justice. The organizing was characterized by a spirit and process of
incredible solidarity in every aspect of the Mobilization which made the
non-hierarchical, consensus decision-making process possible and
successful.

We are heartened by the commitment of the U.S. activist community to
ensure an end to the harmful impacts of the IMF and World Bank worldwide,
and opposition to their domination of the world economy.  The 50 Years Is
Enough has been working to build a coalition of U.S. organizations
opposing the IMF and World Bank since 1994. The events of the last few
months are a guarantee that the work will continue with renewed vigor and
confidence and global justice is within our grasp.  Activists who have
been working on these issues for even longer (e.g. Brent Blackwelder of
Friends of the Earth - 18 years!) expressed similar sentiments and
feelings of reassurance.

As many of you know, activities in solidarity with the Mobilization for
Global Justice were also held in numerous countries, including Bulgaria,
Haiti, South Africa, Brazil, Turkey, Australia, U.K., Mauritius, France,
the Philippines, India, Argentina, New Zealand, and in Kenya (Njoki's home
country), where 62 activists were arrested upon marching to the World Bank
office to demand immediate debt cancellation.  And around the U.S. and in
Canada there were activities in many communities for those who could not
make it to Washington, D.C.

Colleagues and partners in Washington from the Global South were greatly
heartened.  We raised funds and were able to support the participation of
colleagues from Zimbabwe, Thailand, South Africa, Cameroon, the
Philippines, India, and Haiti, as well as provided support for several
U.S. poor and working peoples' organization.  The activists from the
Global South, to a person, spoke of the great encouragement they felt from
seeing such solidarity from U.S. activists.  They spoke of the Washington
protests as a major turning point in the battle for economic justice
worldwide, and look forward to continuing to work with us and the new
contacts they made while here.

We have forever changed the political climate in the United States on IMF
and World Bank issues, but we face big challenges ahead to keep pushing
forward, and to keep the IMF and Bank retreating.  Thousands of people
came to Washington, D.C. to protest structural adjustment programs,
international debt, corporate globalization, and to stand in solidarity
with millions of people who live, and often die, under the policies and
practices of the IMF and World Bank.  The institutions couldn't ignore us
on April 16, and never again will they be able to operate without scrutiny
from the U.S. public. These are truly defining times in the collective
struggles for social and economic justice.  Thousands, perhaps millions,
of people in the U.S. are being educated and have begun to be concerned
about the policies of the IMF and World Bank.  And in April, especially on
the 16th and 17th, we demonstrated our concern in dramatic and public ways
and hopefully many became lifelong activists on these issues.

Rather than even attempt to recount all that happened or analyze its
meaning, we have a few suggestions about how activists might capitalize
(if you'll excuse the expression) on the momentum established in
Washington.

There are a number of ways in which organizations and individuals can
continue to be engaged in this particular focus on the World Bank and the
IMF.  Now that we have rested some (we hope), it is time for action,
AGAIN:

	(i) FOLLOW-UP with officials at the IMF & World Bank (each country
has an executive director at each institution, find out who is "yours")
and remind them why you came to Washington (or supported those who did)!  
The list of 50 Years Is Enough demands (on our website under "Update")
which many of you signed on as supporters is a good start.

	(ii) Another which we are partial to (for obvious reasons) is:  
Join the 50 Years Is Enough Network.  If you were involved in the April
Mobilization, in Washington or elsewhere, or your interest piqued by the
events, become a part of the 50 Years Is Enough Network.  Visit our
website at www.50years.org, and join our listserv by sending an e-mail to
<subscribe50years(a)yahoo.com> You will receive up to date information
about the institutions, campaigns, and related key issues on a regular
basis.

	(iii) Become part of the campaign to Bankrupt the World Bank!  
Launched on April 10, during the Mobilization (and attracting substantial
press attention), this effort focuses on the fact that 80% of the money
the World Bank uses to make its loans actually comes from the sale of
bonds to institutional investors (pension funds, universities,
municipalities, etc.). The campaign, initiated by activists in Haiti and
South Africa, demands that the Bank immediately cease its structural
adjustment programs, including suspending existing SAPs.  Until it does
so, we will call on those who buy and sell those bonds to suspend their
business with the World Bank.  For more information, visit
<www.worldbankboycott.org>.

	(iv).  We expect to very soon have devised a legislative strategy
with a real chance of beginning to erode the power of the IMF and World
Bank to impose the conditions known as "structural adjustment."  Our first
step -- getting Congress to prohibit any use of its funds to impose "user
fees" on health services and primary education -- may appear modest, but
it could be a real life-saver.  It is also meant to educate Congress about
the criminal behavior of the institutions and lay the foundation for
eliminating all oppressive conditionalities soon.  Please check our
website and listserv for alerts as the strategy is devised over the next
few weeks.

(v)  Get ready for Prague!  The IMF/World Bank Annual General Meetings,
held each autumn, will take place in Prague, Czech Republic from September
26-28. 50 Years sent a representative to a planning meeting in Prague last
week to discuss how to build on the momentum of Washington and Seattle.  
The Czech organizers are planning parallel events - a "counter-summit,"
public forum and debate, and demonstrations - starting on September 20.  
Here in the U.S. we anticipate that there will be parallel events in
Washington to remind the staff left behind to keep the institutions
running that we haven't forgotten about them and the impact of their work.  
Details on our website and listserv.  (There is a listserv for more
detailed planning as well -- subscribe by sending a blank message to
<antiimf2000@egroups.com).

It always feels awkward to say "Thank You" to fellow activists for their
commitment and work, but there are no other words to express the awe,
admiration, and appreciation that we feel for fellow activists who
hearten, challenge, and so inspire us in our work.  So, THANK YOU!  For
making the Mobilization for Global Justice such a success and for the
opportunity to work side by side with some of the most talented and
committed people around.

We promise to do our part in keeping activists informed and involved in
the struggles to end the reign of tyranny of the IMF and World Bank, the
WTO, and multinational corporations.  Its been said before, "We are the
ones who will change the world, the ruling classes tremble!"

In Solidarity & Struggle,

Njoki Njoroge Njehu & Soren Ambrose
50 Years Is Enough Network
Washington, DC  USA




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