Don't write off the debt campaigners
9:05am Thursday 29th June 2006
A year ago, a quarter of a million people, many from the North-East, descended on Edinburgh to beg world leaders to Make Poverty History. Twelve months later, Olivia Richwald speaks to someone who took part and reports on why more debt cancellations are needed.
IT HAS been a year since 36 million people in over 70 countries united, demanding world leaders take action to overcome the injustices of world poverty. In this country, on July 2 last year, a quarter of a million people marched in Edinburgh to ask the G8 - the world's eight most powerful countries who were holding a summit nearby - to cancel debts that were strangling the world's poorest countries.
One of the most abiding memories is of Sir Bob Geldof in his linen suit, begging and pleading with people across Britain to make their way to Edinburgh for the march. Then, two billion people across the globe tuned into Live 8, the biggest music event the world has ever seen.
For more than a decade, the North-East has been the most outspoken region in Britain in campaigning for debt relief and fair trade for the Third World.
It started 20 years ago, when Traidcraft and Tearcraft were set up in Gateshead to sell fairly traded goods from some of the world's poorest countries to a Western market. Then, in 1998, the North-East had the biggest regional launch for the Jubliee 2000 campaign - which called for debt cancellation - and later paved the way for Make Poverty History in 2005.
In 2002, a petition calling for debt relief, which started at Newcastle University, got more than 100,000 signatures - including thumbprints from illiterate villagers in Africa. And in July last year, about 2,000 people from the North-East headed to Edinburgh to take part in the mass rally to end poverty.
Middlebrough and Stockton town halls, churches and the Angel of the North were wrapped in white bands - the Make Poverty History symbol.
Then with the eyes of the world fixed on them, four days after the march in Edinburgh, the G8 leaders did make history when they responded to people power by agreeing to cancel debts owed by 40 of the world's poorest countries.
The leaders also promised to increase aid to poor countries by $50bn.
Debt cancellation means millions of dollars can now be redirected into basic infrastructure, food supplies and health care. It has already had an impact. On March 31, the President of Zambia, where a $5bn debt will be cancelled, announced that from that day on, basic health care would be free to everyone.
Dr David Golding, development coordinator of Make Poverty History North-East, has spent a decade campaigning for debt relief for the Third World. In some circles he is known as the man who hired 1,000 coaches to go to Edinburgh. In reality, Dr Golding only hired 28, but he did lead more than 1,400 people and Drumdin, a North-East samba band, on the pilgrimage to Edinburgh last summer.
"Going up to Edinburgh was one of the best experiences of my life," he says. "What has mattered and what has made the impact is not a small group of so-called leaders but the vast number of people who made their support for Make Poverty History so clear."
On Saturday, 18 of the world's poorest countries will have their debts to the World Bank cancelled - a total of $37bn. This will be followed by another ten in the next year or two, bringing the total to $50bn.
But this isn't enough, according to Oxfam, which claims that, since July 2005, some rich countries, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) have made attempts to water down the deal. A report marking the anniversary of the Edinburgh march and G8 summit, says: "In order to save money, the World Bank deal now only covers debts up to the end of 2003; a stroke of a pen costing poor countries $5bn in debts that will not now be cancelled."
It goes on: "Much more debt cancellations are needed; massively indebted countries such as Bangladesh and Kenya remain excluded."
Dr Golding agrees. He says: "Even after the debts of these 18 countries have been cancelled, the poorest countries will still be paying more than $100m a day in debts. And for those who will get their debts cancelled, we are taking away some aid because of the debt relief. On top of that, for any other countries that want to join the process, the IMF is also imposing conditions on them - like they have to open up their markets."
His views are echoed by Piers Elias, international officer for Unison in Stockton. Last year, Mr Elias was one of about 100 people who helped wrap Stockton Town Hall in a giant white band as part of Make Poverty History.
He says: "Any relief is better than nothing, but debt relief is the tip of the iceberg. It is trade issues that are the problem. Developing countries have to be allowed to protect their workers when they open their markets up."
These are fears shared with people across the country who have been involved in the campaign.
The Rev Kit Widdows, of St Thomas' Church, in Newcastle, wrapped his church steeple in a white band and was one of a coachload from St Thomas' who went to Edinburgh last year. His involvement with the campaign started with Jubliee 2000.
"I am pleased with what we have achieved. If we look back ten years who would have thought we would have got this far?" he says. "But it is difficult to be too positive because there is always a gap between promises and delivery. Dropping the debt is only the beginning. We have to enable the Third World to progress and develop and give it the same chance that we have through things like Fairtrade."
His view is echoed by Oxfam, whose report reads: "Without a deal on trade that allows poor countries to grow, the benefits of aid and debt cancellation will be short lived."
Kim Tan, of the charity, says: "People in the North-East have been very active in campaigning around debt and development for many years now and they played a very important role in raising the issues at last year's G8 rally in Edinburgh. The Make Poverty History North-East group has continued to campaign and keep the spotlight on to make sure the Government keeps its promises."
The campaign shows no signs of abating, especially in this region.
Newcastle has been a Fairtrade city for three years and all the Tees Valley authorities have, or are in the process of gaining, Fairtrade status - which means they use Fairtrade products in their council run shops and restaurants.
North-East campaigners will use the impetus gained last year to reinforce the message on Saturday when there will be an outdoor celebration at Grey's Monument, in Newcastle, from noon.
Looking back at when he first started campaigning for a fairer deal for the Third World, Dr Golding says: "Back then I wasn't optimistic about our chances. I thought, look what we are up against. I was convinced Jubliee 2000 was right, but I didn't think at the time we had a hope of getting anywhere.
"2005 was an amazing year and we achieved so much, but it's vitally important that we keep the pressure on and make sure the politicians stick to the commitments made last year at G8."