Maravi

50years Newsletter (Vulture Fund)

Dear all, thanks to all who responded to yesterday's call-in action. Though the phone at Debt Advisory International's office was not being attended, a number of you left messages on the answering machine or sent in emails. We will be following the case of "Zambia's debt and the Vulture Fund" closely and are considering other ways to put pressure on the company before March 9, when the British high court is expected to rule on the amount that the company will be awarded.

I'd also like to remind you that these actions and updates are made possible by the hard work of our small but dedicated staff. When we have visitors from abroad, they are often shocked to see that our office consists of only two staff people and a handful of volunteers. Like other progressive organizations, we survive on a shoestring budget that is only made possible through the generous contributions of supporters like yourself. If you value these updates, the analysis we provide and having a progressive voice opposing corporate globalization in the heart of the U.S., please consider making a contribution through our website, at www.50years.org/donate . You can also contribute by calling our office at (202) IMF BANK or by sending a check or money order to the address below. March is the last month of our financial year, and we need your support to make it to the next one. If everyone who receives this email donates just ten dollars, we will reach our fundraising goal for this month. Of course we recognize that many people on this list are not in a position to contribute, and therefore if you are able to contribute, please consider making the biggest donation you can. If you contribute $35 or more, you will be eligible for one of our premiums, which include:

Ten Things You Really Should Know About the World Bank, a rebuttal to the World Bank's widely-distributed public relations vehicle, 10 Things You Never Knew About the World Bank. Our booklet lays out the facts and corrects the misinformation circulated by the World Bank.

The Grassroots Guide to the IMF and World Bank, which offers an in-depth and easy to understand look at the international financial institutions and the global economic system they dominate.

Most importantly, you'll be showing your support for the work that the 50 Years Is Enough Network does in exposing the workings of the IMF and the World Bank and joining the global community calling for an alternative, sustainable and just global economy. In the coming months, that work will include:

Supporting the U.S. Social Forum in Atlanta, Georgia. From June 27 to July 1, U.S. social movements will converge on Atlanta. Under the banner of "Another U.S. is Possible" we will be among those talking exploring how structural adjustment affects communities in the U.S. and abroad and working to reclaim our rights - to affordable housing, to good education, to a better tomorrow - that governments and corporate elites have stolen from communities in the U.S. and around the world. For more information, click here.

Global Economic Justice Workshops. Together with some of our allies in the progressive community, we will be sponsoring a series of global economic justice workshops from mid-March to mid-April. The trainings are designed to link together communities of struggle around the U.S. and come to an understanding of grassroots work in the U.S. as part of a grassroots movement for social and environmental justice around the world. If you would like to host a training in your community, please contact us at 202 IMF BANK as soon as possible or fill out this online form.

The IMF: Shrink It Or Sink It Campaign. Together with allies in the Global South, we are taking part in an exciting new initiative to curb the powers of the infamous International Monetary Fund. For too long, the IMF has projected its market fundamentalism onto development theory without any evidence to back up its views. While governments in the Global South say "enough", we will be pushing new campaigns and possibly legislative initiatives to clip the IMF's wings. This is a project we're really excited about, but it's one of our new initiatives that may be in danger if we cannot find funding for it. For the latest article on the IMF by myself and former 50 Years Is Enough Policy Analyst Soren Ambrose (now with the Solidarity Africa Network) click here.

Thanks again for your support. Like all the work of the 50 Years Is Enough Network, these initiatives are made possible through your contributions. If you are as excited about these initiatives as we are, please make the best contribution you can.

In Solidarity,
Sameer Dossani
Director, 50 Years Is Enough: U.S. Network for Global Economic Justice.

Labels: VULTURE FUND

posted by MrK @ 3:27 AM