Un important travail de réflexion collective a été accompli au cours du Forum Social mondial de Nairobi sur la problématique de la dette. Il est intéressant de constater que ces réflexions se sont déroulées dans une ambiance d’unité. La déclaration que nous publions ici a été adoptée par plus de 50 organisations, réseaux et mouvements qui travaillent et militent sur la question de la dette. Les ateliers et conférences sur la dette ont culminé au cours du 4ème jour du Forum avec cette déclaration unitaire qui contient de nombreuses propositions concrètes pour des actions et des mobilisations mondiales, régionales au cours de l’année 2007 pour une annulation totale et inconditionnelle de la dette réclamée aux pays du Sud et la recoonnaissance des Peuples opprimés comme les vrais créditeurs d’une immense dette historique, écologique et sociale.
- Campaigns, social movements, non-governmental organisations, community-based organisations, faith-based organisations and activists from all around the world have gathered in Nairobi, Kenya for the 2007 World Social Forum. Together, we the undersigned participants of the World Social Forum are determined to achieve an end to debt domination. It is a scandal that the rich world demands hundreds of millions of dollars every day from the South in payment of ‘debts’ that have emerged from the unjust economic relations that impoverish the South and enrich the North. These are illegitimate debts and they are still robbing the peoples of Africa, Latin America, and Asia of their rights – their rights to independence and political autonomy, as well as to health, education, water, and all the other essential goods and basic services which should be available to all.
- The debt crisis is not just a financial problem for the countries of the South. It is also a political problem that is based on and reinforces unequal power relations: debt continues to be used as an instrument of control, through conditions attached to loans and debt relief. It is an instrument of leverage used by lender countries and lender-controlled institutions to: aid the entry of their transnational corporations; enforce their foreign policy options and military and invasive strategies; secure favourable trade deals; and promote resource extraction from recipient countries.
- It is also a responsibility of the North: their reckless, self-interested, irresponsible and exploitative lending has fostered this crisis, and their imposition of policies has deepened it. Wealthy governments, transnational companies, and institutions such as the IMF, World Bank, and WTO, must all take responsibility for their roles in creating and perpetuating this situation.
We also recognise the role of unaccountable and corrupt governments in the South in creating this debt. These governments must make restitution for their theft from and exploitation of peoples in the South. - We applaud the Norwegian campaigners, working in partnership and solidarity with Southern movements, who succeeded in convincing the Norwegian government to be the first lender to cancel debts on the grounds of its own irresponsible lending. We know that their years of hard work have brought the Norwegian government to this position. We call on the G8 governments and other lenders to look at the debts which they are claiming, to question the justice and legitimacy of these claims, and to recognise their own responsibility. All lenders – governments, financial institutions and private companies – must take up this challenge.
- We know that our strength lies in the commitment and determination of social movements, campaigns and individuals working in solidarity around the world. The challenge to the injustice of debt domination has come and still comes from these tireless and vocal efforts. This, over many years, has forced the debt crisis from being an issue that few knew about, and that many governments did not acknowledge, to being a subject of debate around the world. It has also brought successes such as that in Norway, and the realisation of official debt audits in Ecuador and other countries. We, Southern and Northern people’s movements and organisations, are determined to work and raise our voices together until our call for an end to debt domination becomes irresistible.
- Given the human suffering caused by historical and continuing exploitation of the countries of the South, the imbalance of economic and political power, and the ecological devastation inflicted on the South by commercial interests, governments and institutions of the North, there is no question that the North is in fact in debt to the South. We assert that the South is the creditor of an enormous historical, social, cultural, political, and ongoing ecological debt. This must be acknowledged, and restitution and reparations must be made.
- We are calling for just economic relations between and within countries. We are NOT calling for lender-controlled initiatives such as HIPC or PRSP to ease the financial flows of some impoverished countries, or for debt relief dependent on conditions set by the institutions of the North. We are calling for the rich and powerful countries of the world to recognise that they are benefiting from and failing to take responsibility for the exploitation of the South. We assert the rights of peoples to hold their own governments to account, and call on governments to uphold those rights. We are calling for official and citizens’ audits of debt and a citizens’ audit of the international financial institutions. We are calling for systematic social control of public indebtedness. We are calling for debt cancellation without the imposition of conditions by lenders and for restitution and reparations. We stand in solidarity with governments who choose to repudiate illegitimate debt. We are calling for the total elimination of illegitimate, odious, unjust, and unpayable debt.
In consequence, we join together to support the following calls to action:
1. A Global Week of Action against Debt – October 14 to 21, 2007
This week offers campaigners the opportunity to mark:
– October 15 – 20th anniversary of the death of Thomas Sankara
– October 16 – World Food and Rural Women`s Day
– October 17 – International Day to Eradicate Poverty
– October 20 – World Youth Day
– October 19-21 – IMF-WB Annual meetings
The call to governments during the Week of Action will be:
– South – debt repudiation
– North – debt cancellation
2. Fasts to protest against debt domination
– A 40-day rolling fast from September 6 to October 15 (week of action)
– « One lunch for Africa »: a proposal for African / Southern campaign groups to fast over one lunchtime, during the rolling fast and for two days before the G8 meeting.
3. Use occasion of governmental summits to raise the call for debt cancellation
– G8, June 2007: media and via mobilizations in Germany and elsewhere
– Commonwealth Heads of Government, November 2007: mobilization in Uganda
4. Call for audits
– Official/government and citizens’ debt audits, and a citizens’ audit of the IFIs
5. Call for endorsements by prominent individuals
– Call on elected representatives, faith leaders and other prominent individuals – both South and North – to associate themselves with these actions and demands.
6. Strengthen the interrelation and joint action among debt campaigners and those engaged in the struggle against unjust trade, privatizations, militarization, and war.
7. Realize a Day of Solidarity on March 29, in support of the people of Haiti in their demand for the cancellation of and reparations for the debt claimed of Haiti and the withdrawal of the UN Stabilization Mission troops (MINUSTAH).
8. Disseminate widely this Declaration and Call to Action, translating into as many languages as possible.
Global Organizations
Jubilee South, Lidy Nacpil
Lutheran World Federation Program of Incidence on Illegitimate Debt, Angel Furlan and Juan Pedro Schaad
Southern Peoples Ecological Debt Creditors Alliance (Spedca), Ivonne Yanez
World Council of Churches, Athena Peralta
Regional Organizations and Networks
Africa Jubilee South, Demba Dembele
Afrodad, Vitalice Meja
Asia Pacific Movement for Debt and Development (Asia Jubilee South), Milo Tanchuling
Eurodad, Alex Wilks
Jubilee South/Americas, Beverly Keene
Organization of African Instituted Churches, Pastor Prisca Apudo
Pan-African Youth Movement, Maureen Nyakeramo
National Organizations and Networks
Jubileu 2000, Angola, Benjamin Castello
Dialogue 2000, Argentina, Beverly Keene
Cdl, Bangladesh, Mohiuddin Ahmad
Cadtm, Belgium, Christine Vanden Doden, Eric Toussaint, Olivier Bonfond
Cncd – 11.11.11, Belgium, Marta Ruiz
Cadd, Benin, Emilie Atchaka
Fundaçao Luterana de Diaconia, Brazil, Angelique van Zeeland
Jubilee South Brazil, Brazil, Marcos Arruda
Pacs, Brazil, Marcos Arruda
Cadtm ,Congo Brazzaville, Isabelle Kikouka, Nianga Rock
Nad-Cadtm, Democratic Republic of Congo, Victor Nzuzi
Ecological Action, Ecuador, Ivonne Yanez
Ethiopian Higher Learning Institutions Student’s Unions, Ethiopia, Hunde Dhugassa
Cadtm, France, Claude Quemar
Blue 21, Germany, Philipp Hersel
PAPDA, Haiti, Camille Chalmers
Vak (Cadtm Intntl. Network), India, Ajit Muricken
Debt and Development Coalition, Ireland, Nessa N. Chasaide
Comboni Missionary, Italy-Brazil, Dario Bossi
Fndp (Cadtm Intntl. Network), Ivory Coast, Solange Kone
Attac, Japan, Yoko Akimoto
Jubilee Kyushu on World Debt and Poverty, Japan, Junko Okura
Catholic Economic Justice, Kenya, Vincent Manginga, Brenda
Lungatso, Magnus Bruening, Andrea Rigon, Christine Mwanwa
Consolata Sisters (member of Cej), Kenya, Sr. Rose Fernández
Chemchemi ya Ukweli, Kenya, Dominic Kanuki
Kendren, Kenya, Njuki Githethwa
Kenya Library Association, Kenya, Caroline Warnae
Tarc-Kenya, Chris Mwamblugu
Youth Agenda for Peace and Development, Kenya, Mokaya Araní
Cad (Cadtm Intntl. Network) Mali, Aminata Touré Barry, Moktar Coulibaly
Attac-Cadtm, Morocco, Mimoum Rhamani
Center for International Studies, Nicaragua, Alejandro Bendaña
Slug (Drop the Debt), Norway, Sigurel Kihl
Lpp,Pakistan, Farooq Tariq
Freedom from Debt Coalition, Philippines, Milo Tanchuling, Elizabeth Paguio
Ibon Foundation, Philippines, Tetet Lauron
Jubilee South Africa, South Africa, George Dor
Umzabalazo we Jubilee, South Africa, Eddie Cottle
Campaign Who Owes Whom?, Spain, Griselda Piñero Delledonne
Observatorio de la Deuda en la Globalización Spain, Iolanda Fresnillo
Aktion Finanzplatz ,Switzerland, Max Mader
Raid-Cadtm, Tunisia, Rathi Chamki
Caritas,Uganda, Vincent Edoku
Jubilee Debt Campaign, UK, Trisha Rogers, Caroline Pearce
Ainsworth United Church of Christ ,USA, Lynne Smouse López
Jubilee Northwest Coalition, USA, Alice Woldt
Jubilee Oregon ,USA, Nancy Yuill
Jubilee USA, Neil Watkins, Kristin Sundell
Jubilee Zambia, Muyatwa Sitali
Maryknoll Missioners, Zimbabwe, Merwyn De Mello
Lillia Okotta, Kenya
Kerstin Bergea, Sweden
Ranaimuye Nkya, Tanzania
Cara Pattison Bola Moyo, USA
Giulia de Ponce