(November 22, 2004) Patricia Adams, executive director of Probe International, writes: "Most debts created by Saddam Hussein in the name of the Iraqi people would qualify as ‘odious’ according to the international Doctrine of Odious Debts.
Major creditors in accord to waive 80% of Iraq debt
(November 22, 2004) The world’s leading industrial nations agreed Sunday to cancel 80 percent of the nearly $39 billion debt owed them by Iraq, a critical step in rebuilding the country’s devastated economy and an important precedent for its other creditors to follow.
Iraqi debt forgiven: analysts debate the significance
(November 22, 2004) Political and economic experts in Iraq are at odds as to whether the move will help bring greater stability to the country, where insurgents wage daily attacks throughout Iraq.
Bush applauds Iraq debt pledge, calls for more
(November 22, 2004) US President George W. Bush has applauded the decision by the so-called Paris Club of creditor nations to slash 80 per cent of the money Iraq owes them, and urged non-member countries to do the same.
Bulgaria: Iraq’s debt relief not negative, says Finance Minister
(November 22, 2004) The decision of G7 countries to write off up to 80% of Iraq’s Paris Club debt will not have effect on Bulgaria, since the country is not a member of the club, Finance Minister Milen Velchev said.
Australia agrees to cancel 80 pct of Iraq’s debt
(November 22, 2004) Australia will cancel 1.1 billion-dollar (858 million US dollars) debt owed by Iraq.
Whistles blown out of the water
(November 21, 2004) If 2002 was the ‘Year of the Whistleblower,’ 2004 can only be deemed the ‘Year of the Gagged’ when it comes to patriotic civil service whistleblowers challenging abuses of power by federal bureaucracies, say analysts.
Paris Club statement on Iraq
(November 21, 2004) The Paris Club press release announcing its decision to cancel 80% of its portion of Iraq’s US$120-billion external debt.
Iraqi debt, Europe helps out
(November 21, 2004) Germany, France and Russia have agreed to eliminate 80% of Iraqi debt.
Mekong commission downplays impact of Chinese dams
(November 20, 2004) A regional water management body of the Mekong basin has downplayed the impact of Chinese dams on water levels in the Mekong river, but an environmental group has criticised its analysis.
Action Alert: Argentina’s debt-swap in dispute
(November 19, 2004) Send a message to the US Securities and Exchange Commission in support of Argentinian MP and debt campaigner Mario Cafiero’s challenge questioning the legal soundness of Argentina’s massive debt-swap proposal.
IUCN in firing line for backing dam
(November 19, 2004) Activists say the World Conservation Union (IUCN) risks irrelevance for ignoring plight of elephants.
Iraq oil corruption ‘tops $21bn’
(November 19, 2004) Smuggling oil provided the main source of corrupt revenue.
Creditors still debating Iraqi debt
(November 19, 2004) Nations owed money by Iraq continue negotiations on how much of Iraq’s debts to waive.
Nam Theun 2 dam will destroy the livelihoods of poor villagers
(November 18, 2004) Ten years ago, the World Bank helped finance Thailand’s Pak Mun dam. Many of our supporters will remember that this mega-dam wiped out a productive fishery, flooded farmland, and impoverished dozens of thriving communities in northeast Thailand. The World Bank promised the villagers fair compensation and new rural livelihoods in model resettlement villages. In fact, the villagers were given mostly barren land, on which they could not survive. Most left the resettlement villages in search of jobs elsewhere.
Patricia Adams
Dai Qing
Fan Xiao
Lawrence Solomon
Mu Lan
Probe International
Lisa Peryman
Probe Media
Other News Sources
Probe International 