Faith leaders urge PM to further action on debt

Seventeen leaders of faith and other communities today signed a letter to the Prime Minister urging him to take further action on the “affront and injustice of international debt.”

The Archbishop of York was joined by the Chief Rabbi, the General Secretary of the Muslim Council of Great Britain, the General Director of the Evangelical Alliance and the Chief Executive of the British Humanist Association in calling for “processes and decisions which prioritise the rights and needs of people who are poor.”

“We fully recognise that this government has done much to keep the issue on the international agenda, and there has been progress which has brought benefits for the health and education of people who are poor,” the letter says. Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh and Muslim leaders continued: “Without further action the existing international debt crisis will not be ended and the new debt crisis that is brewing will not be averted – and people who are poor will continue to pay the price.”

The letter, echoed in a letter published this morning in the Daily Telegraph, refers both to 2007 as the year “when together we recognise the affront and injustice of slavery and acknowledge the extraordinary commitment of campaigners that made such a difference” and to a renewed vision of Jubilee.

Stephen Rand, Co-chair of Jubilee Debt Campaign, explained “When ten years ago campaigners first proclaimed the vision of Jubilee – a new start for poor people and poor nations – it was a vision of justice, of openness and transparency, of new processes that would hold lenders responsible for the impact of their loans on people and the environment. We have restated that vision in a statement entitled ‘Breaking the Chains’; and we have launched a new initiative to encourage churches, groups of all faiths and schools to commit themselves to doing what they can to work for this vision of a new relationship between rich and poor nations.”

Jubilee Congregations and Schools agree to take at least one action on debt each year, and in return are kept up-to-date with progress by Jubilee Debt Campaign.

“It has been exciting to see the response of these key leaders”, says Stephen. “Many of those in their communities have been campaigning on debt for many years. They will be encouraged by this letter, with its pledge of action: ‘Today we are once again committing ourselves to work for the realisation of that vision of Jubilee, urging our communities to continue to play their part as we call on you, and all world leaders – whether of rich or poor countries – to do the same.’”