Jubilee 2000 campaigners re-commit to fight for end to debt slavery Jubilee 2000 Coalition

The banner lit up in front of Nelson's Column, Trafalgar Square said it all: "UNSTOPPABLE." The speakers from North and South, the drama, the musical contributions and most of all the energy which made up Jubilee 2000's final event conveyed the same message: that the movement for debt cancellation could not and would not go away until debt slavery is ended.

Almost 5,000 people from all around the country, and even from as far away as Finland, France, Nigeria and Uganda, came to London to participate in the historical day which marked the end of the Jubilee 2000 campaign and the launch of new initiatives to work on debt in 2001.

The line-up at the two parallel meetings as well as the rally reflected the breadth and internationalism of the Jubilee 2000 movement, as well as its ability to have an impact on the highest political powers. Chancellor Gordon Brown spoke alongside Ann Pettifor and Adrian Lovett of Jubilee 2000, top Italian pop star Lorenzo Jovanotti, Bishop Diarmuid Martin representing the Vatican, Sir Bob Geldof and leading campaigners from Zambia and Zimbabwe as well as regional activists.

Many speakers looked back at what Jubilee 2000 had achieved, as well as forward to the work that still needed to be done. Julian Filochowski, Director of CAFOD, reflected on the massive shift of opinion that had been initiated by Jubilee 2000: "Where yesterday our calls for debt cancellation were dismissed as a well-meaning idealism, today the Jubilee campaigners are counted as leaders of an emerging consensus that the world has to change." Adrian Lovett joked that he had “seen more vicars in chains than is probably healthy” in the course of the campaign, but then stressed the belief that has been central to the success of the campaign: “Because we believed that a movement of ordinary people could change the world, that movement became a reality. Through hard work, yes. Through the incredible personal sacrifice of many gathered here today. But most of all, because we believed. And that belief, fuelled by the exhilaration in Birmingham, confirmed by breakthrough in Cologne, sorely tested by betrayal in Okinawa – that belief is what unites us now.” Ann Pettifor said "that one of the key lessons we have learnt from campaigning on debt is that the unpayable debt will not be cancelled until we have changed the process whereby debt cancellation is agreed." She pledged that her new initiative, Jubilee Plus, would focus on tackling these deep structural injustices.

Gordon Brown, who spoke at both meetings, received loud applause when he announced that Britain would either cancel or hold in trust debt service payments from all 41 countries, classified as Heavily Indebted Poor Countries. In an emotional speech, he paid tribute to Jubilee 2000 and spoke of the enormous amounts of correspondence that he has received on the issue of debt: "The success of Jubilee 2000 can be attributed to your idealism and tireless strength."

All the speakers commended Gordon Brown on his initiative, but also made clear that they would not rest until all the unpayable debts were cancelled. Credo Theatre Group from Hull demonstrated through a dramatic sketch on William Wilberforce and his support for the abolition of slavery against considerable opposition, that historically struggles for justice have taken time but ultimately have been successful.

The good news delivered by Gordon Brown added to the heightened sense of occasion as people moved out of the two Westminster venues as dusk fell, to assemble for the march. In a typical display of 'Jubilee' creativity, people had turned out with banners, horns, candles, lanterns, whistles, as well as large carnival costumes to put their message across on the march down Whitehall past both the Treasury and Downing Street. To the dance-inducing beat of the Quilombo de Samba band, a five-thousand-strong crowd had soon filled most of Whitehall. Nineteen children led the march holding lanterns to symbolise the continuing stark fact that 19,000 children lose their lives each day because of the debt crisis.

As Trafalgar Square filled with light from a blazing 4 metre high beacon and candles and lanterns throughout the crowd, Bob Geldof welcomed everyone by addressing Gordon Brown's announcement, "No longer will the fourth richest country on the planet be a nation of spivs, debt collectors, bailiffs and meter men." He said the victory was one for ordinary campaigners who had taken " this opaque financial argument and made it the conversations of kitchens and taxis and drawing rooms around the world. He added: "Today, after a year of your effort, you can genuinely think of your self as the moral centre of this country and as a result of this, move forward to Genoa in Spring next year, where we will demand, unlike in Okinawa substantive change in the way this planet is run and in our relationship with the poorest people. These institutions have every reason to fear you tonight, every reason."

Leading Nigerian campaigner, Skidd Ikemefuna reminded the crowd of the fact that there was a long way to go before Jubilee 2000 achieved its objectives: "Human slavery may be over but economic slavery is certainly not over. Check this out! Nigeria borrowed $7 billion and as for today has repaid $15 billion and now owes $30 billion. What is this, if not economic slavery? This is why we are saying that it's unacceptable. This is man's inhumanity to man and is unjustifiable before God or man."

Italian pop star, Jovanotti issued an invitation to the crowd to come to Genoa in July 2001 and expressed his hope that the G8 would act on debt in a way that would lead to true celebrations: " We wait for you there in Italy, everybody, we're going to celebrate the debt cancellation and we hope that our politicians will work until that date to have a big celebration in the G8 and not just a protest, but a big peaceful celebration."

The afternoon finished with the samba band orchestrating a noise reminiscent of Birmingham two and a half years earlier. With flares blazing in the four corners of the square, and the bells of St Martin's chiming along, the noise was probably audible in Downing Street and will no doubt have sent a clear message to the UK Government and the world: that campaigners around Britain will continue their fight to ensure “The World Will Never Be the Same Again.”

Video Clips of Final Event

Photos of Final Event

For a selection of photos click here
For photos of the entire day, please visit http://www.cix.co.uk/~petermarshall/j2000/

Peter Marshall, the photographer has also photographed other Jubilee 2000 events - please check his website - http://www.peter-marshall.com/

Speeches


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