Updated on: Wednesday, October 18, 2000 - eMail: secfran@ofm.org
FROM THE 23rd NATIONAL EUCARISTIC CONGRESS TOWARDS THE JUBILEE

Note that the SFO at the OFM General Curia can be reached by e-mail at:
secfran@ofm.org (e-mail address of Fr Ivan Matic OFM, General Assistant)

"LET US FREE THE POOR COUNTRIES FROM THEIR DEBTS"
John Paul II (cf. Lev 25,88ss)

Being deeply involved in the dramatic situation of mankind when on the one hand is suffocated by its richness whilst on the ether hand is increasingly degraded by the egoism of a few with a super abundance, as the Italian Secular Franciscan Order and the Young Franciscans of Italy, we want to take up the challenge of uprooting this poverty by searching for a new form of relationship with wealth that would make it possible for all to sit at the one and only Lord's Table.

Following the 23rd National Eucaristic Congress we are engaged to journey towards the 2000 Jubilee by:

  • Raising our voice to support the proposal for the cancellation of the debt of the 3rd World Countries as a means of restitution ot the enormous social, economic and ethical debt accumulated by the Industrialised Countries;
  • Rethinking the dynamisms of the economy as the dynamisms of fraternal involvement and for a style of life that is both economically and ethically sustainable.

    Our interest is to partecipate directly or indirectly in the contribution to a balanced development in these Countries which are growing and in those poor Countries of the Southern part of the hemisphere by calling for the banning of all forms of labour that do not respect man's degnity, fighting against child labour, aiming at that type of anacceptable development in which the Countries of the "First World" partecipate by putting into practice all the necessary corrections to their own model of development.

    WE ARE THEREFORE JOINING THE APPEAL OF POPE JOHN PAUL II AND,
    BY EXTENDING THE INVITATION TO ALL MEN AND WOMEN OF GOODWILL,
    WE ASK THE AUTHORITIES CONCERNED

    - to free the 41 poorest Countries from their debts, interrupting at once the vicious circle of indebtedness, - that new loans are not utilised to pay off old debts but that they are invested in the struggle against poverty in the recipient countries and furthermore, that these new leans are not burdened in any way will interest until a parity of commercial exchange has been reached by the beneficiary countries and that the condition of a dependent economy with respect to the benefactory countries has been overcome.

    We associate ourselves with other ecclesiastical bodies repeating the request that an intergovernmental commission together with a non-governmental body be set up to collect data concerning the destination and use of any loans granted to those governments suspected of imbezzlement.

    - that the long and continous violation of the right to development, recognised as an individual and collective right by the Declaration of the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1986 and by article 22 of the African Charter of the same year on the rights of the individual man and of peoples are inserted in the list of "crimes against humanity" and as a result are pursved by the permanent International Court and for which we seek a rapid realisation.

    We call upon the Peoples' Court so that a special session is convened that would judge both the responsability of the governments of the countries of the Southern Hemisphere in correctly managing pubblic aid and also the responsability of the Northern Industrial countries in controlling and correctly interpreting the destination and application of pubblic funds for a collaboration in development.

  • Make your voice heard!
    Take a piece of paper - write down your
    NAME AND SURNAME
    ADDRESS
    DATE
    SIGN IT UP
    And send it to
    Centro Nazionale Ofs-Gifra - Via Mura Aurelie 9 - 00165 Roma - Italy
    We will take care of the rest!



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