[stop-imf] JUBILEE GAUTENG DECLARES WAR AGAINST WB AND IMF

[robert weissman]

[Gauteng is the province which includes the Johannesburg area]

JUBILEE GAUTENG DECLARES WAR AGAINST WB AND IMF

Subject: Press Release

Date: 30th September 2004

Jubilee South Africa and Jubilee Gauteng will be embarking on an
economic justice for all campaign against the World Bank and IMF. We are
part of 12 days of action from the 1 =96 12 October 2004 against these
institutions under the banner of IFIs (International Financial
Institutions) Out! This international campaign includes JUBILEE SOUTH
and the CENTRE FOR ECONOMIC JUSTICE.

It is our contention that the World Bank and IMF have utterly failed in
reducing poverty and promoting development. In fact the IMF and World
Bank are instruments of domination and control in the hands of powerful
states whose long standing objectives are to perpetuate the plunder of
resources of the global south, especially Africa. Their structural
adjustment programs are estimated to result in the death of 19 000
children globally each day.

Jubilee South Africa has invited media institutions to this press
conference which its purpose will be to inform the people of South
Africa about the Jubilee program against the World Bank and IMF policies.

Jubilee Gauteng Program for October

Picketing on the 01 October 2004, starting at 11am =96 13pm in
Johannesburg, 57 West Street, South African Reserve Bank offices

March on the 07 October 2004, starting at 10am =96 16pm in Hatfield,
Pretoria, 1166 Park Street, Iparioli Building, IMF offices, and
proceeding to 1250 Pretoria Street, Pro Equity Building, World Bank offices

Jubilee Gauteng Demands:

1 The South African Government should immediately cease its membership
in the IMF and World Bank, and cease giving financial support to these
institutions, given the enormous damage they do in South Africa, the
region and the continent;
2 There must no lending or even advice to Municipalities and Government
Departments from the IMF/WB, and South Africa's role as a guinea pig for
the World Bank "Knowledge Bank" should be evaluated and repudiated;
3 Any outstanding loans owed to the IMF and World Bank, based on nearly
US$1 billion in credits since late 1993, should be repudiated, and
reparations should be made to the South African people for the many
billions of dollars worth of prior, apartheid-era loans made by the two
institutions;
4 Any additional investments - e.g. by the International Finance
Corporation - should be wound down immediately, and the World Bank and
IMF staff should leave South Africa;
5 There must be a halt to the privatisation, commercialisation and
commodification of our basic state services (e.g. water/sanitation,
electricity, telecommunications), and the return of these services to a
more humane public service;
6 A Commission of Enquiry should be established to determine WB/IMF
responsibility for civil wars, social strife, economic collapse and
ecological degradation in Africa, and reparations payments made to the
victims;
7 All IMF/WB debt in Africa should be repudiated, since the institutions
are opposed to debt cancellation.

Ndade Mxunya, Jubilee Gauteng, 073 230 6229, 011 403 4888,
ndadesimon@yahoo.co.uk
Sonto Mthimkhulu, Jubilee Gauteng Chairperson, 073 259 0187
George Dor, Jubilee South Africa General Secretary, 011 403 4858, 011
403 7622, 011 648 7000, george@sn.apc.org