As the G8 was busily consigning both Africa and the planet to the rubbish dump of history, and as NGOs sat with their heads in their hands, distraught over the terrible G8 communique, two reliable friends of Blair, Brown and Bush were putting on a stellar pro-G8 performance at the post-summit press conference at Gleneagles. Cue, Bob Geldof and Bono.
Reaction from Bono, leader singer of U2 and co-founder of DATA
(Debt AIDS Trade Africa)
"A mountain has been climbed only to reveal high peaks north of us. But for this moment, let's stop and look back at just how far we've come. The world around us has changed. What does $550 billion mean to the poorest of the poor, $25 billion of which is going to Africa? As examples, it means the financing is in place to halve deaths from malaria by 2010. Six hundred thousand people will be alive to remember this G8 in Gleneagles who would have lost their lives to a mosquito bite. Three thousand Africans -- mostly children -- die every day from malaria. Every country who delivers a credible plan to put their children in school will have the money to do so. If the words are folllowed through, 9 million people across the globe will have access to lifesaving AIDS drugs, which brings us to the most important lesson learnt over the past weeks. The world spoke, and the politicians listened. Now, if the world keeps an eye out, they will keep their promises. It is down to the hundreds of thousands -- indeed millions - who have assembled on this issue to make sure they don't just sign the cheque, but that they cash it. If an Irish rock star can quote Churchill, this is not the end of extreme poverty, but it is the beginning of the end,"
On the US:
"We always want more on the numbers but there's no questioning the man's [Bush] commitment to Africa. His money on malaria has been matched leaving this President in the enviable position of leading the charge against the world's most wanted killer diseases -- HIV and malaria. I wish he would have matched the Europeran challenge on overall assistance. He has a great idea for every country with a credible plan to put African children in school but by today's numbers, the Europeans are mostly paying for it."
Reaction from Bob Geldof, member of the Commission for Africa and creator of Live 8:
"It is only time that will decide whether this summit is historic or not. What is true is that never before have so many people forced a change in policy onto the global agenda, and that policy has been addressed. The beginning of the end of Make Poverty History starts now. The summit at Gleneagles is a qualified triumph. A great justice has been done. We are beginning to see the lives of the poor of Africa determined not by charity but by justice. It's been a long walk from Live Aid's $200 million 20 years ago to Live 8's $25 billion today. This has been without equivocation the greatest G8 summit there has ever been for Africa. Today gives Africa the opportunity of beginning to end poverty over the next 10 years. We need Live 8's 3 billion people to make sure it gets done."
(Debt AIDS Trade Africa)
"A mountain has been climbed only to reveal high peaks north of us. But for this moment, let's stop and look back at just how far we've come. The world around us has changed. What does $550 billion mean to the poorest of the poor, $25 billion of which is going to Africa? As examples, it means the financing is in place to halve deaths from malaria by 2010. Six hundred thousand people will be alive to remember this G8 in Gleneagles who would have lost their lives to a mosquito bite. Three thousand Africans -- mostly children -- die every day from malaria. Every country who delivers a credible plan to put their children in school will have the money to do so. If the words are folllowed through, 9 million people across the globe will have access to lifesaving AIDS drugs, which brings us to the most important lesson learnt over the past weeks. The world spoke, and the politicians listened. Now, if the world keeps an eye out, they will keep their promises. It is down to the hundreds of thousands -- indeed millions - who have assembled on this issue to make sure they don't just sign the cheque, but that they cash it. If an Irish rock star can quote Churchill, this is not the end of extreme poverty, but it is the beginning of the end,"
On the US:
"We always want more on the numbers but there's no questioning the man's [Bush] commitment to Africa. His money on malaria has been matched leaving this President in the enviable position of leading the charge against the world's most wanted killer diseases -- HIV and malaria. I wish he would have matched the Europeran challenge on overall assistance. He has a great idea for every country with a credible plan to put African children in school but by today's numbers, the Europeans are mostly paying for it."
Reaction from Bob Geldof, member of the Commission for Africa and creator of Live 8:
"It is only time that will decide whether this summit is historic or not. What is true is that never before have so many people forced a change in policy onto the global agenda, and that policy has been addressed. The beginning of the end of Make Poverty History starts now. The summit at Gleneagles is a qualified triumph. A great justice has been done. We are beginning to see the lives of the poor of Africa determined not by charity but by justice. It's been a long walk from Live Aid's $200 million 20 years ago to Live 8's $25 billion today. This has been without equivocation the greatest G8 summit there has ever been for Africa. Today gives Africa the opportunity of beginning to end poverty over the next 10 years. We need Live 8's 3 billion people to make sure it gets done."
Comments
Hide the following 5 comments
Play the Game
09.07.2005 11:31
The problem is, if Bono and Bob stand up and say "well that was a very poor effort, fuck off" then the ministers won't listen to them again. They have to play the part of the grateful and humble. If they say "thankyou, this is a good start, but we will be back on your shoulders at the WTO talks" etc., then they are more likely to make a difference again.
I think they know that, and I think they are playing a game with our politicians. And fair play for that... manipulating the manipulators is no small feat. to be sure.
Comrade
ha
09.07.2005 12:41
occam
Occam's Razor
09.07.2005 18:07
It is my suspicion that these celebrity figures are appeasing the government to keep them on-side. Which is significantly more likely to be listened to than a bunch of Black Bloc people kicking over bins, who most people will dismiss as trouble-makers or worse; or CND hippies who turn up waving their banners at any and every protest, regardless of what it is for.
Which is why last Saturday's events are likely to have made a bit of an impact: because most people there were normal people who aren't protest-regulars. The government know what the Anarchists and CND and SWC want, and they aren't going to deliver it (which is a shame, because war and nuclear missiles are immensely bad things).
There is far more to be done by the G8 and WTO, IMF and World Bank. I, as most people here, think they are the scum of the earth. But we are not going to change their minds by pissing them off. They have bigger egos than most rock-stars, and the way to get what we want is to massage them (no matter how vile a principle that may be).
Comrade
what would Bob Marley say
10.07.2005 07:53
"De only ting gonna stop da poverty is a dead8 marn!
...none but ourselves can free our minds."
I'm sure John Lennon would have something interesting to add:
"...as far as I'm concerned you're all f__cking peasants to me"
but not now John we've got to get on with this
Bush's New Wars on Iran and on America with Scott Ritter
If what Scott Ritter says is true, and let's face it, I think he's got cred here, I predict some artists are going to wan't to create a little distance from Uncle Sam and the Empiracle8. I urge anyone interested to make the program on that radio4all link your next download, why not make it a podcast. Specially you journalist types who might feel the urge to write about it. I don't think my tone would be very well recieved on this subject. [ie: I'm no journalist I'm just some bleedin' heart and artist]
Remember to squeegy your third eye.
Bill Posters
Geldof and Bono inc
11.07.2005 01:29
They have some voice and some(mainstream?) street cred which, at the very least, raises the profiles of the issues.
They were "invited" or "allowed" at the G8 summit, along with the World Bank, IMF, WTO, Kofi Annan and a handful of africans/indians.
Then again, Tony Jupiter, head honcho of FOE England and Wales was there too, and I shouldn't think he would be up for licking Bush or Blairs bottom at all.
Theres more than one way to skin a cat.
Fluffy flag waving is one, shouting in the streets is another. Maybe head on the shoulder of an illegitemately elected PM, like a court jester, is another.
Bono and Geldof have money and positions of power, possibly egos too.
I have rarely had two pennies to scratch my arse with - but I read a lot of BBC rubbish and indymedia too. It keeps me in touch with what is going on, or how people perceive what is going on, truthful or otherwise. There appears to be a lot of perception out there.
Maybe, the ones without ego, the ones who have true humility, just GET ON with their lives and the pursuit of actually helping and loving other people through giving and caring and they dont have time or inclination to read this media s**t.
Love will tear us apart.
Conrade
Fence sitter/flag waver