G8 Starts in Edinburgh
The G8 summit starts in Gleneagles, Edinburgh this week. There seems to be a lot of good intentions for these talks, helping Africa and what to do about climate change, but I'm waiting to see what the eight countries can decide. I'm not impressed to hear that Bush will dismiss any agreements that are similar to the Kyoto agreement because "The Kyoto treaty would have wrecked our economy". Talk about being short-sighted.
But it looks like the nations could agree to drop Africa's debt, which would be amazing if it could happen. Anyone who thinks otherwise should have a look at this photo diary of a Tanzanian villager.
UPDATE: Can't get to Edinburgh to protest? Sign this online petition.
But it looks like the nations could agree to drop Africa's debt, which would be amazing if it could happen. Anyone who thinks otherwise should have a look at this photo diary of a Tanzanian villager.
UPDATE: Can't get to Edinburgh to protest? Sign this online petition.
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8 Comments:
shortsighted? Its just fucking selfish!
As long as America's ok, Mr Bush, then fuck the rest of the world eH?
Im off on one. Oops....that shit about rejecting another kyoto style agreement really got on my nerves, the man is unbelievable. I realise his job is to do what's best for America, but dear god......
i gotta go and punch a wall!
Those photos make that place look like Hyde Park compared to the reality of some of the townships even in a richer country like South Africa. Those pictures really do no justice to how bad it really is... Christ the people are smiling and wearing full sets of clothes and have access to farm land... They should have shown pictures of people living in shacks made from coregated iron sheets and branches and have no way of earning money to survive than by stealing and having to resort to killing people just to feed their children...That would have got more attention...
don't get me started. wrecking their economy? what about the rest of the WORLD. apparently he 'doesn't believe in climate change', so therefore wont do anything about it. and i'm not optimistic bout the debt either, you know he'll come up with some shit excuse at the last minute. grrrr.
still, at least he's not been dissing our food! bloody french. meh.
i know they aren't the worst off in africa, but that isn't the point. their situation is still awful, and soemthing needs to be done about it. everyone has seen pictures of famines and people living in shacks already, the photo diary was highlighting a different story, that's all.
Ryan,
Africa's a big continent. The photos are representative of one person in Tanzania. There will propbably be other people in Tanzania in a similar situation. You describe the situation of a group of people in South Africa. The rest of Africa will be in similar or completly different situations. That is the way the world works and the main reason why an easy solutions can never be found.
There are some people who don't agree with dropping Africa's debt. They think that if the debt is removed, a country become corrupt and use teh extra funds irresponsibly. I linked the photo diary because the text that was with the photos told how some debt relief in Tanzania benefited her and her family (school fees were dropped so her children could be educated).
Now, I'm not saying that dropping the debt will sudden make everything in Africa alright, but it's a big step in the right direction.
You misunderstood... I was saying that that is enough to get people upset but it gets far far worse than that and thus as upset as THAT makes people they should treble that feeling for the reality of the situation... How could you possibly think I would not want to see debt relief occur when I have lived my whole life seeing refugees coming from countries who are so fucked because of poverty but still have these massive `reparations` to pay... I didn`t mean that at all... I just meant that you were highlighting that situation in Tanzania but from my experience, even in a country like South Africa that is far wealthier than Tanzania, those pictures were mild and thus in Tanzania itself things are probably a lot worse... i.e. be horrifies and then remember to multiply it exponentially for how bad it really is... I think stories like that are to explain to people who have never seen central Africa how bad some of the places are in terms of stuff they can picture instead of the reality which I don`t think most people who haven`t been there can until they`ve seen it... So I didn`t mean what you thought at all, I was just adding a degree to it...
I guess in highlighting such a website, it's shows that GOOD things can be done.
UNfortunately there are ALOT of cynics out there, and in fairness, sometimes their pessimism is justified.
I happen to know friends at home who write off all this 'live 8' and raising awareness/money as bullshit. It makes me angry. Of course WE the people cannot MAKE governments less corrupt or make them use the money we provide wisely BUT in publishing such pictures i think it's to show those cynics that every little thing DOES count.
Too many people complain about Africa's shitty position, famine/debt, whatever, but half of them do jack shit to help, simply saying that thir efforts dont mean shit. But sometimes they do....and that's important to highlight.
yes, Kat EXACTLY. everyone knows taht a lot of aid does go to africa and if they can't see some glimmer of hope and some peoples situations getting slightly better, then they'll wonder where their donations have gone and not bother.
i also think stories like this stop people lumping the whole of africa together and stereotyping it as 'poor people with no food, clothes or water'.
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