Campaigners banned from IMF / World Bank meetings

Nearly 30 campaigners on debt and economic justice have been banned from the 2006 annual meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) by the host country, Singapore, and two were refused entry to the country on Wednesday 13 September.

[NB For more details on the IMF/WB meetings and other news during the global 'Month of Action' against poverty, see our blog at www.jubileedebt.blogspot.com.]

The banned activists - who include the co-chair of Jubilee Debt Campaign's board of trustees, the WDM campaigner Martin Powell - began to hear in the last few days before the meeting began that they would not be allowed into Singapore. They had already been given official accreditation for the meetings by the World Bank and IMF, and had been planning a number of lobbying meetings, alternative summit events and other peaceful campaign activities in Singapore. They heard of the ban through their own governments: a full list of those banned has still not been published, although a number of the banned individuals have spoken out. The reasons for the ban are not very clear: the Singaporean newspapers have cited security concerns, although all the individuals concerned are well-known campaigners who work peacefully for economic justice and an end to poverty.

Two campaigners from the Philippines Freedom from Debt Coalition - who had apparently not been previously told that they were on any list of banned activists - were turned away on arrival at Singapore airport, and sent back to the Philippines. Jubilee Debt Campaign works with Freedom from Debt Campaign, and their former general secretary, Lidy Nacpil (now co-ordinator of Jubilee South) was the keynote speaker at our annual conference this year.

There had also been concerns last week that a parallel conference of campaigners, activists and academics being held in Indonesia would be cancelled, prompted by statements from the local authorities. The event is now going ahead, although an accompanying rally and 'cultural night' featuring music have had to be cancelled.

Campaigners from all around the world have been expressing their shock and outrage at the way these campaigners are being prevented from having their voices heard. The ban seems to be disproportionately affecting Asian campaigners, with a number from the Philippines and Indonesia included. It is not acceptable for them to be denied a say in this way - even the limited say provided by participating in these meetings and surrounding events. The World Bank and IMF should have considered this far more carefully before agreeing to hold their meetings in Singapore, a country with a track record of restricting protest and free speech.