Autumn 2005

Vote forTrade Justice!

Ballot on the Beach atBrighton 26 Sept

CambridgeWDM joined thousands of other anti-global poverty campaigners from aroundthe UK in Brighton for this year’sLabour party conference to protest against the Government’s role in unfairworld trade. They delivered a stark message that free trade is not fair trade& that the Government needs a radical change of direction if it is toaddress the injustices in international trade. Cambridge WDM membersmeet the GATS Monster in the spectacular carnival march.

The Votefor Trade Justice rally was organised by the Trade Justice Movement, acoalition of aid agencies, environment & human rights campaigns, fair tradeorganisations, trade unions and faith groups supported by over nine millionpeople in UK, including WDM, Christian Aid, Friends of the Earth and the TUC.They all think the Government should stop supporting policies that force poorcountry governments to open their markets whatever the cost. You too can Votefor Trade Justice.See www.tjm.org.uk

L to R:Sue Woodsford, Clare & Aidan Baker & Beth Fitzsimmons of Cambridge WDM demandTrade Justice at the Beach Ballot in Brighton.

BrettonWoods 60 Years on

60 glorious or notoriousyears?

In 1944, theWorld Bank and IMF (International Monetary Fund) were set up by the richcountries to manage the postwar global economy. 60 years on they have builtthemselves a stranglehold on poor countries

knowinglymaking decisions that lead to poverty and environmental devastation on amassive scale. The Bretton Woods agreement led directly to Third World Debt.

On10 July2004, hundreds gathered in London to discuss what the future of theseinstitutions should be. Mark Curtis, new Director of WDM, called for a step upin the campaign to reverse corporate globalisation and pursue democraticalternatives. He said the existing alliance of global justice organisationsneeds to work in unity to raise the profile of this campaign. Shamali Guttal,from Focus on the Global South, declared that ‘tinkering’ with the currentsystem was not enough. It needs an entire overhaul of World Bank and IMF to makethem fair democratic global institutions.

John Maynard Keynes –his brilliant idea for an international clearing union to balance inequalitybetween nations was defeated at Bretton Woods.

The systemset up at Bretton Woods run by the World Bank and IMF has led to unpayableindebtedness between nations. For more see:

www.brettonwoodsproject.org/

TradingServices Away

Learning about world traderules.

More than 50 people attended WDM’sregional conference in Cambridge on 22 May to hear :-

* Labour Euro-MP Eryl McNally on EUsubsidies to sugar farmers and its ill effects

* academic David Margolies on the marketideology driving GATS which produces devastating effects on higher education

* WDM's Christina Parsons on why economicliberalisation is not always good for development

* Marlene Barrett on effective lobbyingof MPs and Debra Dilcock on working with trade unions and local authorities(both of WDM HQ).

Plus WDMmembers telling of their own campaigning successes over the past year.

CHASTE - Churches Alert to SexTrafficking Across Europe

Carrie Pemberton of CHASTE gave atalk to Cambridge WDM at their September meeting, outlining their campaign tocombat sex trafficking through church action.

For more see www.chaste.org.uk

CambridgeWDM contributes to debate on IMF & World Bank

Beth Fitzsimmons, Chair of Cambridge WDM, attended the launch of the InternationalParliamentary Petition (IPP) at the House of Commons on the 8 September 2004. Thiswas hosted by the All Parliamentary Group for Heavily Indebted Poor Countriesand International Development, and addressed by Mark Curtis, director of WDM,which played a key role with other NGOs in developing the Petition. The IPPcalls for parliamentarians to be fully involved in the development and scrutinyof IMF and World Bank policies within their countries, and is being launchedsimultaneously in countries throughout the world. By the official launch, thepetition had already been signed by 100 UK MPs, including Anne Campbell, MP forCambridge, after it was brought to her attention by Cambridge WDM.

Cambridge WDM Meetings

If you’d like to campaign forjustice for the world’s poor, why not join us at our meetings? New members arewelcome – at 7.45pm on the third Wednesday of each month.

2004

20 Oct at Ray’s

17 Nov at Helen’s

15 Dec atAidan & Clare’s

2005

19 Jan atBeth’s

16 Feb at Frank’s

16 March atPat’s

SueWoodsford, HonSec 14 Chesterton Hall Crescent Cambridge CB4 1AP

Tel No 01223 – 562983 or see website

www.cambridgewdm.org.uk