[stop-imf] G8 Campaign Update: June call in days; 4 Things you can do!

[robert weissman]

Date: Thu, 26 May 2005 14:09:32 -0400
From: Neil Watkins <neil@jubileeusa.org>


Dear Jubilee supporters,

As the G-8 summit is now just over a month away (it begins on July 6) we
are preparing for our final push to achieve a bold deal on debt this
summer. Though signs have been disappointing in recent months with IMF
debt cancellation looking tenuous and fewer countries being considered,
we MUST keep the pressure on.

In addition to the post card campaign, we are announcing two call-in
days in June. On June 7, please call Treasury Secretary Snow=E2=80=99s offi=
ce.
(We are also encouraging those that can to join with Catholic Relief
Services/US Catholic Conference of Bishops in a call in day on June 2 -
see below). On June 29, while Jubilee delivers thousands of postcards to
the White House/Treasury, we ask that you call the White House one week
before the summit begins.

Please find below and attached flyers on the call-in day as well as a
flyer with =E2=80=9C4 things you can do=E2=80=9D to ensure debt cancellatio=
n at the G-8
summit. Please circulate broadly.

For Jubilee Justice,
Neil

Below (and attached):
1) National call in day info and script - June 7 and 29
2) 4 Things you Can Do from now until the G-8 Summit on Debt!
3) June 2 call in day by Catholic Relief Services and others

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

National Call In Days -- June 7 and June 29

Call on President Bush and Treasury Secretary Snow to Wipe Out Debt at
the G-8 Summit!

The summit of the G-8 will take place in Scotland from July 6-8. Thanks
to your efforts and campaigning over the years, additional debt
cancellation is on the agenda of G-8 leaders. But nations have not yet
reached an agreement, and a bold deal on debt is at risk of being
replaced by a limited approach.

The Bush administration needs to hear from you at two key moments in the
next month. They need to hear your call for a bold deal on debt. For a
deal to be worth celebrating, it must be for 100% cancellation of all
multilateral debts including the IMF, it must be for all impoverished
nations, and it must come without harmful conditions that have been part
of previous debt relief schemes.

JUNE 7 =E2=80=93 CALL TREASURY SECRETARY JOHN SNOW

The G-7 Finance Ministers (including our own Treasury Secretary John
Snow) will meet in London on June 10 =E2=80=93 11.
On June 7, call Treasury Secretary John Snow at 202-622-1100. You may
also send a FAX to 202-622-0073.
When you call, ask that he:
=E2=80=A2 Work with other G-7 Finance Ministers to agree on a deal for 100%
cancellation of debts owed by impoverished nations to the World Bank,
the IMF, and the African Development Fund.
=E2=80=A2 It is critical that the IMF be included in a deal on debt as paym=
ents
to the institution represent one third of debt service payment by poor
nations over the next 5 years. Limited sale of IMF gold could be
combined with IMF reform to finance cancellation
=E2=80=A2 The cancellation should include countries that are not part of th=
e
HIPC Initiative like Nigeria, Haiti, and Sri Lanka, and it should not be
conditioned on harmful structural adjustment policies

JUNE 29 =E2=80=93 CALL THE WHITE HOUSE ONE WEEK BEFORE THE G-8 SUMMIT

On June 29, Jubilee USA Network, Africa Action, American Friends Service
Committee, and the 50 Years is Enough Network will gather outside the
White House in Lafayette Park to deliver thousands of postcards calling
on the President to Wipe Out Debt in 2005. While we are outside, Jubilee
and debt cancellation supporters should flood the White House phone
lines with a demand for a bold deal on debt.

On June 29, call the White House at 202-456-1111.

Wheen you call, ask that President Bush:
=E2=80=A2 Work with other G-8 leaders to announce a bold new deal on debt a=
t the
G-8 summit.
=E2=80=A2 A deal on debt cancellation must fully wipe out the debt =E2=80=
=93 by
providing 100% cancellation of IMF, World Bank, and African Development
Fund debt owed by all impoverished nations.
=E2=80=A2 Debt cancellation must not be conditioned upon economic condition=
s of
any kind.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

On July 6th the G-8 Will Meet in Scotland...
We Have Until Then to Convince them to WIPE OUT THE DEBT in 2005

This year=E2=80=99s meeting of the G-8 provides a rare opportunity to addre=
ss
the debt crisis that is hurting the World=E2=80=99s poorest people in Asia,
Africa, and Latin America.

Under pressure from Jubilee campaigns across the globe, the G-8 has
admitted that measures must be taken to alleviate the debt.  They=E2=80=99v=
e put
it on the agenda for this summer=E2=80=99s meeting, but they must be convin=
ced
to change their rhetoric into action.  Now is the time to call on the
G-8 to make a plan for full debt cancellation from the IMF, World Bank,
and other creditors for all impoverished nations without any harmful
economic conditions attached.  The people affected by a crushing debt
burden cannot afford for the G-8 to put off a solution any longer!

What you can do:
Join with Jubilee USA Network today to work for freedom from debt and
global economic justice

1 =E2=80=93 Call in to the Treasury Department on June 7 and to the White H=
ouse
on June 29!  Tell Treasury to support 100% debt cancellation =E2=80=93 incl=
uding
IMF debt. See www.jubileeusa.org for more detail.

2 =E2=80=93 Join in our postcard campaign: President Bush and Secretary Sno=
w
need to hear your voice!  There are three ways to take action:

Order dozens or hundreds of postcards to share with your friends,
family, congregation, or school.  This summer, set up a table at a local
festival or even at your family reunion!  We=E2=80=99ll mail them to you an=
d you
can return them to our office by June 25.  Contact Morrigan Phillips at
coord@jubileeusa.org for more information
Sign a postcard on-line at www.jubileeusa.org

Download a pdf version of the cards and print them out yourself =E2=80=93 w=
e
just need them back by June 25th.  It=E2=80=99s that simple!

3 =E2=80=93 Write a letter to the Editor or Op-Ed
Writing a letter to the editor is easy, and letters are an effective
tool to reach people in your community as well as decision-makers with
our message. Visit www.jubileeusa.org for tips and samples of an
effective Op-Ed or letter to the editor.

4 =E2=80=93 Stage your own local action
You could organize a viewing of =E2=80=9CLife and Debt,=E2=80=9D stage a te=
ach-in, or
organize kids in a community or church summer camp to do street theatre
and draw local attention to the debt and the G8 summit.  Contact Jakeya
Caruthers at jakeya@jubileeusa.org for more summer action ideas!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Call Treasury Secretary Snow on June 2:
Urge Him to Reach a Deal with His G-7 Colleagues on New Debt
Cancellation for the World=E2=80=99s Poorest Countries

May 24, 2005

REASON FOR THIS ALERT: We have an important opportunity to make major
progress in relieving the debt of the poorest nations. Plans for debt
relief for poor countries will be on the agenda as US Treasury Secretary
John Snow and the Finance Ministers of the other major industrial
countries, also known as the G-7, meet on June 10. This meeting will be
in preparation for the July 6- 8 Heads of State meeting of the G-8,
(which includes the G-7 countries plus Russia).

This is our chance to urge our leaders to do more to help the world=E2=80=
=99s
poorest people.

Contact Secretary John Snow on June 2, 2005 and urge him to press for an
agreement on major new debt cancellation for the poorest countries at
the June meeting of the G-7.

BACKGROUND: Pressure has been mounting for deeper debt relief for poor
countries, recognizing that the current debt reduction program has been
insufficient. Any cancellation of the debt owed to the World Bank and
other international financial institutions (the so-called IFIs) requires
the agreement of the governments of the G-7, which includes the US,
United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, Italy and Japan. The UK is
anxious to reach a deal at the meeting of G-8 leaders that it will host
in Scotland this July. A critical step in this process is the Finance
Ministers meeting in June.

The US and the UK have put forward proposals on debt relief that are
similar in that both embrace the principle of 100 percent cancellation
of debts owed to the World Bank and African Development Bank. However,
some key differences remain. The US wants to limit further debt relief
to those countries previously defined as heavily indebted under the
Heavily-Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. The UK proposal would
include non-HIPC countries and would also cancel debts owed to the IMF.
The US has backed away from canceling the debt of the IMF, in part
because of disagreements about how it would be financed.

The UK (along with other G-7 members) is pushing for an increase in
development aid to accompany IFI debt cancellation; however, the US
points to recent increases in US foreign aid, most notably for combating
HIV/AIDS. The US opposition so far to new financing may be the major
sticking point.

The Jubilee USA Network continues to call for justice and equity in
relationships between rich and poor countries and relieving the
burdensome debts of low income countries is a key way to achieve this goal.

Because IFI debt cancellation would free up major new resources for
investments in health, education and poverty reduction in some of the
world=E2=80=99s poorest countries, we strongly support a new debt relief
agreement that would provide 100 percent cancellation of debts owed by
Heavily Indebted Poor Countries to the major IFI=E2=80=99s, including the
International Monetary Fund.

Fairness dictates that other, non-HIPC very poor countries should also
be included in any new agreement. Finally, we urge the Administration to
join the UK and other G-7 members in offering new financing in order to
secure a deal on 100 percent IFI debt cancellation.

TAKE ACTION ON JUNE 2! Jubilee USA Network is urging you to add your
voice to others (including the United States Conference of Catholic
Bishops and Catholic Relief Services) and contact US Treasury Secretary
John Snow on June 2 and urge him to do the following at the June 10
meeting of G-7 Finance Ministers:

=EF=82=A7=09Push for an agreement on 100 percent cancellation of poor count=
ry
debts owed to international financial institutions.
=EF=82=A7=09Offer new funding to demonstrate US commitment and to help secu=
re a
debt deal.
=EF=82=A7=09Include the debt of the International Monetary Fund, using the =
IMF=E2=80=99s
own resources to pay for it.
=EF=82=A7=09Ensure fairness to all of the poorest countries by including no=
n-HIPC
poor countries struggling with heavy debt burdens.
=EF=82=A7=09Make sure that any debt relief goes to help the poorest people =
in the
countries involved.

HOW TO CONTACT Secretary Snow on June 2: PHONE: 202-622-0656 (ask to
leave a message with the receptionist) OR send a FAX to 202-622-0073 OR
EMAIL him at john.snow@do.treas.gov.
For more information contact:

Neil Watkins
National Coordinator
Jubilee USA Network
(202) 783-0129
www.jubileeusa.org