An eclectic collection of more than 200 demonstrators marched through Dublin yesterday in support of the Jubilee 2000 campaign to cancel the debt of developing countries ahead of a G8 summit in Okinawa, Japan, next week.
The protesters, who included students, politicians and representatives from religious and voluntary organisations, handed in letters of protest to the Taoiseach and the Dublin embassies of all the G8 states demanding progress on debt cancellation without conditions that would hurt the poor.
Addressing protesters at the start of the march outside the Department of Finance, Mr Pat Raleigh, co-ordinator of the Jubilee Ireland Committee, said the G8 had promised a lot on debt relief but had delivered little. He called on the Government to put pressure on major world powers to cancel debt before the meeting in Okinawa.
The protesters walked from Government Buildings to the Japanese embassy at the Merrion Centre.
The Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Walton Empey, said it was a scandal that indebted countries still paid more on debt repayments than basic health, education and clean water.
Thousands of "Send yourself to Japan" cards from Jubilee 2000 supporters in Ireland were presented to the Japanese embassy.
