September 20, 2005

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina/GENEVA – An international consultation on illegitimate external debt called for by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) member churches in Latin America and the Latin American Council of Churches (CLAI), will take place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, September 21-23. The meeting's objective is to improve the ecumenical partners' knowledge of the Latin American perception about the illegitimacy of external debt.

Thirty-five participants from Latin American LWF member churches, from Germany, Kenya, Norway, Sweden and the United States of America are expected at the consultation. The church representatives hope to develop common goals and strategic programs concerning illegitimate debt with a view to achieving the cancellation of external debt.

The meeting will be organized by the Argentina-based program on illegitimate debt sponsored by the LWF member churches in the Latin America and Caribbean region, in cooperation with the Latin America and Caribbean Desk of the LWF Department for Mission and Development (DMD). The working theme of the consultation is "Illegitimate External Debt: From Prophetic Denunciation to Political Action."

Keynote speakers include Argentinean Nobel Peace Laureate Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, honored in 1980 for his non-violent action to protect human rights in Argentina and other countries in Latin America. Also expected to address the conference is local economist and debt expert, Claudio Lozano, also a Member of Parliament; as well as former Ecuadorian Minister of Economy and Finance, Dr Rafael Correa.

According to Rev. Juan Pedro Schaad of the Evangelical Church of the River Plate in Argentina (IERP), the conference will focus on the illegality, illegitimacy and injustice of the Latin American countries' immense external debt, which has led to the impoverishment of millions of people over the last 30 years. Schaad and Rev. Angel F. Furlan of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in Argentina are jointly responsible for the Latin American churches' program on illegitimate debt.

Schaad said that the record should be set straight regarding the fact that most of the countries have long since paid off their external debt. He pointed out that since 1985, Argentina alone has paid 2.4 times the amount of its original debt. The former president of the IERP emphasized that the illegitimacy of external debt needed to be proven with examples of solid evidence.

Rev. Martin Junge, LWF/DMD Area Secretary for Latin America and the Caribbean, said the aim of the consultation was to discuss and reflect on the various approaches to debt management used by churches and non-governmental organizations. "We also want to develop concrete steps and models in order to drive forward the issue of illegitimate external debt and to encourage political action at regional, national and international levels," he explained. A broad international campaign supported by the churches and partner organizations was required, he noted.

Junge underscored that debt relief or any type of debt management that failed to take into account the illegitimacy of external debt would not be viable from the point of view of the Latin American churches.

Junge particularly welcomed the participation of Bishop Zachariah Wachira Kahuthu, Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church, who has been invited with the aim to link the Latin American illegitimate debt discussion process with that of the African LWF member churches.

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