UNITED KINGDOM: PROTESTORS HOLD "G8 " SUMMIT AHEAD OF "MAKE POVERTY HISTORY" MARCH IN EDINBURGH

Record ID: 338107

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: PROTESTORS HOLD "G8 " SUMMIT AHEAD OF "MAKE POVERTY HISTORY" MARCH IN EDINBURGH
  • Date: 2nd July 2005
  • Summary: (BN09) EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JULY 2, 2005) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. SLV DEMONSTRATORS WEARING LARGE MASKS IMPERSONATING G8 LEADERS BLAIR ,KOZUMI, CHIRAC, PUTIN ,BUSH / 'MAKE POVERTY HISTORY' BUS IN THE BACKGROUND 0.03 2. VARIOUS CLOSE UP VIEWS OF MASKS WORN BY DEMONSTRATORS 0.12 3. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNIDENTIFIED D
  • Embargoed: 17th July 2005 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND
  • City:
  • Country: United Kingdom Scotland
  • Reuters ID: LVA265AXF951O5XST51RPQ1Q7ZAU
  • Story Text: A carnival atmosphere rings through Edinburgh as
    marchers prepare to rally for G8 action against world
    poverty.






    Thousands of demonstrators gathered on Saturday
    (July 2) to urge leaders of rich nations to smash global
    poverty when they meet in Scotland next week.

    Many of them wearing white, the official colour of the
    Make Poverty History campaign, streamed to the large
    Meadows park to march through the city centre.

    Several protesters wore large masks, impersonating G8
    leaders.

    One of the protesters wearing a mask of U.S. President
    George W Bush expressed his opinion using sarcasm and
    imitating the American leader, saying: "Well, what's good
    for America is good for the world. It's all about security."
    The mass rally in the Scottish capital Edinburgh was
    part of a day of linked events, including the Live 8 rock
    concerts, to push the Group of Eight (G8) major
    industrialised nations to take action on poverty,
    particularly in Africa.

    Demonstrators carried white balloons and sported large
    white paper ears bearing the slogan "G8 are you listening?"
    Bagpipers and bongo drummers provided an international
    musical mix.

    Organisers hope around 100,000 people will form a human
    white band -- symbol of the campaign which groups aid
    agencies, churches and other organisations -- around the centre of the
    historic city.

    The campaigners say the G8 leaders have a unique chance
    to stop 30,000 children dying every day due to extreme
    poverty.

    Referring to reported sums of money mobilised in the
    U.S.-led war in Iraq, Kumi Naidoo, a South African activist
    who heads the Global Call to Action Against Poverty, said:
    "When we for example look at the reality - the three
    hundred billion dollars can be mobilised virtually
    overnight for what Kofi Annan calls an illegal war in Iraq,
    we then have to say there is an absence of political will
    to actually cut the kinds of resources that will have a
    real and enduring impact on poverty."
    The campaign wants the G8 to cancel poor countries'
    debts, double their aid -- a boost of about $50 billion USD
    per year, around half of it for Africa -- and knock down
    trade barriers which prevent them getting access to Western
    markets.

    The campaigners' message has won wide support in
    Britain, this year's president of the G8, and is largely
    endorsed by Prime Minister Tony Blair.

    But some aid experts say African countries may struggle
    to absorb a sudden and massive increase in cash and that
    writing off debt could encourage irresponsible financial
    management among African governments.




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