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Thousands of local Presbyterians from throughout Ireland have joined the Jubilee 2000 campaign for the abolition of Third World debt by supporting a massive Europe wide petition. In signing it, church members will state their belief that leaders of 'lending' nations in the west should cancel debts owed by impoverished countries by the year 2000. The petition also calls for leaders to take preventative steps to stop such high levels of debt building up again.
The petition has been co - ordinated by the Presbyterian World Development Committee which is responsible for raising both resources and awareness of third world problems. The World Development Committee have recently sent an information pack, letter and petition sheets to every congregation in Ireland. Completed petitions are already flooding in to Church House, Belfast ahead of the May deadline.
World Development Chairman Rev Dr Roger Purce minister of Groomsport, will present the petition to the Presbyterian General Assembly which meets week begining Monday 7th June. A collection of signatures from throughout Europe will then be taken to the G8 conference of governement leaders in Cologne on Saturday June 19th. Commenting on the campaign, Dr Purce said:
"The debt crisis in the third world has had a devastating impact since its emergence in 1982. We in the Presbyterian Church realise that our contribution to this problem can be only be effective when combined with the efforts of others. We are therefore happy to support Jubilee 2000 in this petition and endorse their call for the cancellation of unpayable debt."
Jubilee 2000 is an international movement in over 40 countries advocating a debt free start to the Millenium for a billion people. In the UK, Jubilee 2000 represent a coalition of over 80 organisations including all the main church denominations.
Issued by Martin McNeely, Presbyterian Information Services. Info@PresbyterianIreland.org
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