[stop-imf] Tell the IMF and World Bank to Seal and Expand the Deal!

[Robert Weissman]

Jubilee USA UPDATE
September 1, 2005
www.jubileeusa.org
<http://www.jubileeusa.org/>
Dear Jubilee supporters,

September is upon us, which means the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
and World Bank will be gathering in Washington, DC for their annual
meetings. Prior to that, more than 170 country delegates will come to
New York for the UN Millennium Development Goals summit from September
14-16.

The IMF and World Bank Executive Boards are scheduled to consider the
G-8 debt agreement during their September 24-25 meetings. But the G-8
agreement =96 limited as it is =96 has been under attack by some countries
and IMF and World Bank staff. Over the next few weeks, we need you to
contact the IMF/World Bank Executive Directors to urge them to implement
the G-8 debt agreement, which will result in 100% irrevocable debt
cancellation for the 18 initially eligible countries

At the same time, we=92ll need to continue to educate the public and
policymakers that the G-8 deal is but a first step on a long journey
towards the end to the debt crisis for impoverished countries and that
we must expand the deal to including all impoverished countries, other
creditors like the Inter-American Development Bank, and that it must
come without harmful economic conditions. See the items below for more
information on the G-8 action, recent debt news, and other Jubilee USA
updates. And contact our new Outreach and Congregations Coordinator
Kristin Sundell, kristin@jubileeusa.org, to participate in the next
grassroots working group call on Monday September 12 at 8pm EST.

Thank you for your continuing support =96 it is appreciated, and necessary!

BELOW:
1) Tell the IMF and World Bank to Seal and Expand the Deal
2) Update on October Tour: =93Drop the Debt, Invest in People!=94
3) Support Sojourners=92 30,000 Campaign
4) Announcing Latest Jubilee USA Materials: Fall Newsletter, Odious Debt
Factsheets
5) Op-ed: How the G-8 lied to the world on aid
6) Donate Now to support Jubilee USA Network!

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

1) Tell the IMF and World Bank to Seal and Expand the Deal

The IMF and World Bank Executive Boards are to consider the G-8 debt
agreement during their September 24-25 meetings. But the agreement =96
limited as it is =96 has come under attack. Over the next few weeks, we
need you to contact the IMF/World Bank Executive Directors to urge them
to implement the G-8 debt agreement, which will result in 100%
irrevocable debt cancellation for the 18 initially eligible countries.
At the same time, we=92ll need to continue to educate the public and
policymakers that the G-8 deal is only a first step towards the end to
the debt crisis for impoverished countries.

What You Can Do:

a) Write to the IMF/World Bank Executive Directors urging them to
implement the G-8 debt agreement. See www.jubileeusa.org
<http://www.jubileeusa.org/> for a sample letter and the
emails/faxes/addresses of the Executive Directors. We will partner with
Africa Action on September 13 to have an automated online email/fax
letter to these Executive Directors, but please send your own letters by
e-mail/fax or regular mail in the interim. Watch out for our
announcement of that action in the next couple weeks.

b) 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 <http://www.jubileeusa.org/> for tips and sample
language for an effective op-ed or letter to the editor.

c) Join Jubilee USA Network staff in Washington, DC to help outreach to
the public around the peace and justice events taking place the weekend
of the IMF and World Bank annual meetings, September 24-25. We are
especially looking for people to distribute information at the Global
Justice Feeder March and subsequent Peace and Justice Fair on Saturday
the 24th. Contact Kristin at kristin@jubileeusa.org
<mailto:kristin@jubileeusa.org> for more information.

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

2) Update on October Tour: =93Drop the Debt, Invest in People!=94

Jubilee USA Network is excited to announce the Fall 2005 Global
Connections Tour: Drop the Debt, Invest in People! which will be kicking
off in October. Three leading debt and development campaigners from
Latin America, Asia, and Africa will travel with the tour to educate the
public, make connections between debt and other global justice issues,
and provide action opportunities for people around the United States to
engage in activism and advocacy.

The tour will stop in five areas: San Diego, California; Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania; Western Chicago, Illinois; Miami, Florida; and Columbus,
Ohio. Each city is planning three to four days of education and advocacy
including teach-ins, forums, film screenings, discussions, dinners, and
activist strategy sessions as well as meetings with the press and local
congressional offices.

For more information on how to get involved, see www.jubileeusa.org
<http://www.jubileeusa.org/>.

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

3) Support Sojourners=92 30,000 Campaign

Sojourners, a Jubilee USA Network Council Member, is calling on more
than 30,000 people to declare to President Bush their intention to fast
and pray during the UN Millennium Development Goals Summit September
14-16 in New York. The fast can be as simple as sacrificing one meal
during the course of the Summit, which can serve as a spiritual and
personal act of solidarity with the billions of people across the world
who go without food and basic necessities every day.

For more information see: http://go.sojo.net/campaign/30000_children.

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

4) Announcing Latest Jubilee USA Materials: Fall Newsletter, Odious Debt
Fact sheets

Visit the frontpage of www.jubileeusa.org <http://www.jubileeusa.org/>
for our Fall 2005 Newsletter and see in the Resources section for the
new odious debt fact sheets.

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

5) Op-ed: How the G-8 lied to the world on aid

Mark Curtis, former director of the World Development Movement, writes
in the Guardian (UK) that the agreements on debt and aid reached at the
July G-8 summit will not result in the deep poverty reduction without
more resources, debt cancellation for more countries, and the
elimination of harmful economic conditions that are currently tied to
aid and debt relief programs.

For the full op-ed see:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1554311,00.html.

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

6) Donate today to Jubilee USA Network

We have succeeded in pressuring the G-8 leaders to take a step forward
on debt. For the first time, the Group of Eight (G-8) wealthy nations
have established the principle of 100% debt cancellation for some
impoverished countries. But much more remains to be done.

Unfortunately, all of this great work and the resources we are providing
cost money and we are stretching every penny to the limit. We need your
support today to build on the agreement and expand our campaigns. Thank
you for your ongoing commitment to this important work!

Donate online at: http://www.jubileeusa.org/jubilee.cgi?path=3D/donate.

You may also mail a check to Jubilee USA Network, 222 E. Capitol St.,
NE, Washington, DC, 20003.

******
Debayani Kar
Communications and Advocacy Coordinator
Jubilee USA Network
222 E Capitol St NE
Washington, DC 20003
(202) 783-0215