Edinburgh kicks off the march of people around the world against debt, as 10,000 people defy rain to form Human Chain around Edinburgh Castle Jubilee 2000 Coalition

12 June 1999

It couldn't have been scripted better. The Edinburgh sky was leaden grey, the rain had drizzled steadily all morning - and then at 12.59 hours precisely, the sun broke through.

Not for long, but long enough to shine on a chain of Jubilee 2000 campaigners stretching along Princes Street, up the Mound to the Meadows park and round again - the biggest demonstration on Third World issues in Scotland in living memory.

The full 10,000 people hoped for had defied the weather to raise a racket, ensuring that the reverberations of the One O'clock Gun fired from Edinburgh Castle would echo in the G8 conference halls of Cologne seven days later.

"This event kicks off the march of people around the world against debt," said Jubilee 2000 UK leader Ann Pettifor. "By next weekend a million will have voted with their feet for debt cancellation. And the first 10,000 were in Edinburgh."

Typical of those lining the streets was Lesley Langlands, who had driven her family across-country from the Dumfriesshire town of Annan, in south-west Scotland, to stand in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle and let the world know that debt relief matters.

Edinburgh's notorious reticence had not been stood down entirely for the occasion. "We tried to get a conga line going, but people were a bit reluctant," she said.

But it was relaxed enough for tourists and locals to have their attention grabbed by a cacophony of whoops, cheers, drums, bells, tambourines and whistles. "We just made as much noise as we could for half an hour," said Lesley.

Earlier, in the historic quadrangle of New College, home of Edinburgh University's divinity faculty, the sounds had been more mellifluous. The student body's Revelation Choir sang inspirationally before the Rev Donald Reid, convener of the Jubilee 2000 Scottish Coalition, made a keynote speech from the steps leading to Scotland's new Parliament hall.

He offered a sombre reminder. "As 10,000 people gather waiting for the signal to form a chain, we should remember that already today some 10,000 children around the world have died from preventable diseases," he said.

"Debt is poverty, and poverty is death. The relief package of 50 billion dollars which the G8 leaders are likely to deliver will fail even to write off the unpaid debts let alone eat into monies being paid to us.

"It is not enough. The UK government should act unilaterally if the G8 do not come up with the goods, and the 10,000 gathered here represent a huge constituency who don't want us to collect these odious debts from the poorest people in the world."

Even more direct was Khotso Makhulu, Archbishop of Central Africa. "We do not want to hear platitudes from the G8," he declared. "We want action to eradicate poverty in our world.

"The response so far is pitiful. HIPC is too slow, too little and too late. Our children want to have life, and have it in abundance, instead of having it whittled away in settling debt."

As the gun boomed over Edinburgh, the Archbishop handed over a Jubilee 2000 petition, symbolic of 100,000 signatures collected in Scotland, to one of twelve cyclists gathered in the rainy square.

Moments later, they filed out of New College and down the Mound on the first leg of a 500-mile ride to Cologne and an appointment with Chancellor Schroeder.

The enthusiasm of those who cheered them on their way was undampened by hours of waiting.

Cecilia Boccorh of the Scottish Churches Agency for Racial Justice, said: "I wouldn't have missed it for the world. It's so important to get the G8 to realise how the debt crisis is crippling whole countries."

With her was Maryanne Ure, national secretary of the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission. "It's been absolutely brilliant - so exciting and very moving," she said. "It was very important to be here - now we have to see what happens in Cologne."

Deacon Blue band members Ricky Ross and Lorraine Mackintosh were there with their two daughters. "The old days of rich nations having poor countries in their pockets are surely over," said Lorraine. "If enough of us make our voices heard, something will be done."

Ricky added: "I think if the world is going to move on we have to free up the debt so that countries are operating on a level playing field."

Later in the day, there were more events. Local bands IndigoEcho and Nervous Passenger took part in The Vox, a multi-media music event at the Traverse Theatre.

A mile away, the choir of St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral was augmented by that of Durham Cathedral for choral evensong.

And throughout the day hundreds of families enjoyed music, stalls and children's activities in the Meadows.

Meanwhile, serious business was being done at three debt hearings - on political and economic issues, inter-faith perspectives and the impact of debt and the relief of debt on world development.

Among those participating were two UK government ministers - Barbara Roche, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, and the Minister of State for International Development, George Foulkes.

A month ago their colleague and Roche's boss, Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown, made clear his personal commitment to Jubilee 2000's cause in a passionate address to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, again in Edinburgh.

"Debt relief is an economic issue, because of a mountain of inherited and hitherto immovable debt stands in the way of economic development in Africa and elsewhere," he said.

"Debt relief is also a moral issue - unsustainable debt is a burden imposed from the past on the present, which is depriving millions of their chance in the future

"Preventing them from breaking out of the vicious cycle of poverty, illiteracy and disease. Preventing the investment in what is really necessary - the healing of the sick, the teaching of the children, the advancement of economic opportunity - for those denied it."

He spoke with the voices of those 10,000 on Edinburgh's streets and the millions around the world they represented. The G8 heads of government had better listen.

Ian Ansdell, Jubilee 2000 Scottish Coalition


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