Unconditional Debt Cancellation Now!

UPDATE: The ASA endorsed the joint statement to call the northern and international creditors should cancell the debts of the south and poor countries especially those who are suffering from the Tsunami attacked. This statement initiated by the Jubilee South, network that advocates the debt relief from the south and poor countries.

With the Tsunami tidal waves attacked the countries like Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Maldives, Malaysia etc, the relief efforts are taking place around the world. The pledge from the world is increasing day by day. Countries around the world have opened their hearts and pockets to help tsunami survivors. More than $4 billion has been pledged so far.

If there is any measure of sincerity in the outpouring of compassion from North governments for the peoples of the South, let this be through concrete action. In addition to emergency relief operations and rehabilitation, what we need immediately is UNCONDITIONAL DEBT CANCELLATION NOW!

Accroding to Business Report, South Africa, "G7 agree to tsunami debt relief" with the subtitle that "UK's Gordon Brown get industrialized countries to agree to freeze the repayment"

"We need to not only do all we can to aid the reconstruction of those countries devastated by the Asian tsunami, but we must make a wider offer as bold as the offer that was made in the Marshall Plan of the 1940s," Brown said in Eidinburgh.

Brown proposed that in 2005 the richest countries match 100 percent bilateral relief and offer 100 percent multilateral relief on the $80 billion of debt the poorest countries owe to the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the African Development Bank.

The ASA welcome this positive response from the G7. As we all know, many developing and poor countries are suffering from the debts. Debts just like the Tsunami for those countries everyday. The impacts of the debt to those countries are serious and affected the livelihood of the people.

As we emphasize on the Tsunami relief operation, we need to ensure the structural solution for the south and poor countries. We demand the north and international creditors eliminate their hypocrisy and concentrate to the truly relief operation in the south!