Expect 30,000 for Cancel the Deb Mobilization April 9-10 in Washington

At press time, Jubilee 2000/USA expects at least 30,000 people on the Mall in Washington Apr. 9 for the first U.S. mass mobilization to support debt cancellation for the world's poorest countries. The Sunday rally and human chain - symbol of the chains of international debt - is timed to precede by one week the Washington meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, whose leaders manage much of the burdensome debt. The Sunday crowds will also stick around for a lobby day on Capitol Hill Monday, Apr. 10, leaning on Congress to budget needed federal funds for bilateral and multilateral debt cancellation.

Reducing Third World Debt also figured in Capitol Hill visits to lawmakers by CTAers and others Feb. 29 (story). Last year Congress authorized cancellation of all debt owed to the U.S. by 33 and perhaps five or six more impoverished nations. It also pledged U.S. support for the Cologne initiative by the IMF/World Bank to reduce all other external debt for these countries by 60 or 70 percent. Now Congress must appropriate the money needed. It voted $110 million last year, but it will take at least another $800 million for the U.S. to do its part in the debt reduction. President Clinton is asking for $210 million this year, and $600 million in the FY 2001 budget, to be used from 2001 through 2003. That's a drop in the bucket for the U.S. budget (over $1.7 trillion a year), but will still be a hard sell among many legislators in an election year.

Contact Jubilee 2000 USA: 202 783-3566. www.j2000usa.org