Churches lobby for debt cancellation in developing world
Canadian
Christians ask world banks
to listen to biblical idea
By Debra Fieguth • ChristianWeek staff
 GERALD TOKE/CANADIAN EUMENICAL JUBILEE INITIATIVE |
An Old Testament
principle is being put into use by a growing
number of church groups around the world.
Concerned about an increasing and unbearable debt
load in developing nations, these churches are
asking governments and world banks to practise
the Leviticus 25 notion of "the year of
jubilee." In Canada, the Canadian Ecumenical Jubilee Initiative is leading the movement by distributing information and posters, and by asking churches to sign a petition which will then go to the federal government. Finance minister Paul Martin "has a lot of sympathy" for the idea, says administrative coordinator Patricia Hayward of Toronto. |
The Canadian Council of Churches, most mainline denominations and other groups such as Mennonite Central Committee and Citizens for Public Justice have endorsed the campaign, while the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada is leaving it up to member denominations to decide whether to participate. "I think there would be sympathy for the call for alleviation of debt," comments Bruce Clemenger, EFC’s public policy director in Ottawa.
The biblical model of jubilee calls for liberty from oppression and release from debts every 50 years. According to Leviticus 25, in the year of jubilee all debts of the poor were cancelled and land was returned to its rightful owner. The modern Jubilee movement calls for governments and banks to forgive the massive debts of developing countries by the year 2000. "The year of Jubilee is a reminder that God intervenes to demand that things be set right again," explains the ecumenical group’s brochure.
The movement has identified about 45 countries that would be eligible for debt remission due to high levels of poverty and debt servicing and low spending on health and education.
But those countries identified for debt cancellation aren’t exactly getting free money, according to the brochure. "Between 1981 and 1997 the less developed countries paid over US $2.9 trillion in interest and principal payments. This is about US $1.5 trillion more or double what they received in new loans."
Even so, it’s a complex issue, Hayward admits, and many western Christians have doubts. How can the banks be sure, for example, that corrupt leaders don’t just siphon off the benefits of debt cancellation for themselves? The Jubilee movement stresses that there must be an internationally agreed mechanism for monitoring debt relief and making sure the benefits reach the most needy.
"It’s not a black and white issue, and we know that," says Hayward. For example, if South Africa’s debt is cancelled, that has to be reflected in the amount of money going into social programs.
Human cost intolerable
For Njongonkulu Ndungane, the Anglican archbishop of Cape Town, the plan would be a welcome turnaround. "The human cost of the international debt burden is intolerable," he told the worldwide gathering of Anglican bishops in Lambeth, England last summer. "Its effects are evil and sinful. Leaders of Western nations remain complacent in the face of the vast human tragedy generated by unpayable debts."
For many countries, Ndungane said, servicing debt repayment takes priority over spending on health, clean water, sanitation and education. "International debt is the new slavery of the 20th century," he said.
"As a follower of Jesus, committed to the health and salvation of every person, regardless of color or creed, I cannot keep silent on this issue. It is a matter of life and death."
As passionate as the archbishop is, his counterparts in Myanmar (Burma) are equally sure debt cancellation is not a good thing for their country. "People working in the churches are saying ‘we don’t want our corrupt government forgiven its debt,’" says Hayward. "It’s a dialogue and a tension."
The Canadian Jubilee initiative plans to gather signatures until the end of April. The group’s long-range plan is to make a presentation to the federal government in May, asking Canada to bring the issue forward when the G8 countries meet in Cologne, Germany next June.
That will be a meeting of the most influential countries in the world, Hayward stresses. "If they can’t speak to the world banks, who can?"
