Tutu tells Blair and Brown they’ve been ‘mean’

-01/02/06

Archbishop Desmond Tutu ha


Tutu tells Blair and Brown they’ve been ‘mean’

-01/02/06

Archbishop Desmond Tutu has accused the UK of ìmeanness of spiritî in a letter to Gordon Brown asking him to return £1.7bn (3bn US dollars) that the UK will receive from Nigeria as its share of a deal by rich countries to write off much of Nigeriaís debts.

In October last year Nigeria agreed to immediately pay 12.4bn US dollars to rich country creditors in return for them writing off 18bn US dollars. Early in January £811m, the first part of the repayment, arrived at the UK Treasury. The balance of £900m is expected in March.

In his letter (dated 27 January) Archbishop Tutu says: ìWhile it is to be welcomed that much of the debt has been wiped off the books, it is unacceptable that 40% (12.4bn US dollars) must be paid in a one off payment.î

ìFor rich creditors to be claiming such a vast amount of Nigeriaís savings at this time smacks of a meanness of spirit which stands in stark contrast with so many of the sentiments expressed in 2005.î

ìI urge you to show leadership by returning your countryís share of this money, and so save and enhance the quality of life of millions of my fellow Africans.”

ìProgress has been made in 2005 towards the noble cause of ending extreme poverty in our world. Let this unacceptable deal not be black mark on an historic year.î

In December religious leaders in the UK wrote an open letter to the press and the Directors of twelve UK charities and campaigning organisations wrote to Tony Blair and Gordon Brown demanding that the UK refuse to accept its share of the debt deal ñ which amounts to almost twice the entire UK aid budget for Africa – and instead return it to Nigeria where it could be used to reduce poverty.

Earlier this week Tony Blair replied (letter dated 23 January 2006) to charity heads, saying that the UK did not intend to return the money.

Jubilee Debt Campaignís Stephen Rand said: ìWhen the Government dubbed 2005 the year for Africa we didnít realise they meant that their commitment would end on 31 December. Taking this money makes a mockery of the high minded rhetoric we heard from the Government last year about saving Africa. Now they face a simple moral choice. This is literally a matter of life or death for the poor of Nigeria.î

Jonathan Glennie, senior debt analyst at Christian Aid said: ìIt is significant that Archbishop Tutu has chosen to support this campaign so outspokenly.

“Let us hope that his weight as one of the worldís most respected campaigners for justice will awaken the governmentís conscience. This is an iniquitous deal. I fail to understand how the government can argue that taking billions from some of the worldís poorest people will help them out of poverty.î


Tutu tells Blair and Brown they’ve been ‘mean’

-01/02/06

Archbishop Desmond Tutu has accused the UK of ‘meanness of spirit’ in a letter to Gordon Brown asking him to return £1.7bn (3bn US dollars) that the UK will receive from Nigeria as its share of a deal by rich countries to write off much of Nigeria’s debts.

In October last year Nigeria agreed to immediately pay 12.4bn US dollars to rich country creditors in return for them writing off 18bn US dollars. Early in January £811m, the first part of the repayment, arrived at the UK Treasury. The balance of £900m is expected in March.

In his letter (dated 27 January) Archbishop Tutu says: ‘While it is to be welcomed that much of the debt has been wiped off the books, it is unacceptable that 40% (12.4bn US dollars) must be paid in a one off payment.’

‘For rich creditors to be claiming such a vast amount of Nigeria’s savings at this time smacks of a meanness of spirit which stands in stark contrast with so many of the sentiments expressed in 2005.’

‘I urge you to show leadership by returning your country’s share of this money, and so save and enhance the quality of life of millions of my fellow Africans.”

‘Progress has been made in 2005 towards the noble cause of ending extreme poverty in our world. Let this unacceptable deal not be black mark on an historic year.’

In December religious leaders in the UK wrote an open letter to the press and the Directors of twelve UK charities and campaigning organisations wrote to Tony Blair and Gordon Brown demanding that the UK refuse to accept its share of the debt deal – which amounts to almost twice the entire UK aid budget for Africa – and instead return it to Nigeria where it could be used to reduce poverty.

Earlier this week Tony Blair replied (letter dated 23 January 2006) to charity heads, saying that the UK did not intend to return the money.

Jubilee Debt Campaign’s Stephen Rand said: ‘When the Government dubbed 2005 the year for Africa we didn’t realise they meant that their commitment would end on 31 December. Taking this money makes a mockery of the high minded rhetoric we heard from the Government last year about saving Africa. Now they face a simple moral choice. This is literally a matter of life or death for the poor of Nigeria.’

Jonathan Glennie, senior debt analyst at Christian Aid said: ‘It is significant that Archbishop Tutu has chosen to support this campaign so outspokenly.

“Let us hope that his weight as one of the world’s most respected campaigners for justice will awaken the government’s conscience. This is an iniquitous deal. I fail to understand how the government can argue that taking billions from some of the world’s poorest people will help them out of poverty.’