|
|
 |
The
Bishop of Exeter, the Right Reverend Michael Langrish, is to visit
Senegal in February 2005 as part of the international
Make Poverty History campaign.
The anti-poverty campaign is being backed by Church of England bishops,
who have
called on the UK Government to "deliver on its Millennium promise
to halve global poverty by 2015."
It is believed that 30,000 people die every day because of poverty.
One of the big issues is trade justice, which is seen as vital if
the economies of poorer nations are to improve. The Church of England
is a member of the Trade Justice Movement.
The Rt Revd Michael Langrish is a member of the Board of Christian
Aid, which is also a major partner in the Make Poverty History campaign.
He will be visiting Senegal at the end of February to look at the
impact of Trade and Development policies on rural poverty there.
 |
| Actress
Dawn French (aka the Vicar of Dibley) is backing the campaign
|
The
livelihoods of tomato, rice, and onion and poultry farmers are threatened
as the Senegalese government has been forced to open its markets
to cheap foreign imports.
This is making it impossible for local farmers to sell their produce
in their local markets.
The
Church of England bishops have welcomed the worldwide response to
the plight of those suffering after the Asian Tsunami disaster.
However, they have contrasted that response to the lack of of political
will to push back poverty elsewhere in the world.
In a statement, the bishops said: "With poverty claiming a
child's life every three seconds, a man-made and preventable disaster
on the scale of Tsunami happens every single week.
"World poverty is sustained not by chance or nature, but by
our human failing.
"Our
Christian calling demands us to speak out on behalf of those without
a voice and to challenge unjust structures that keep people poor."
The Make Poverty History campaign is calling on people to press
Tony Blair to change the practices of unjust trade, cancel poor
countries’ debts, and deliver more and better aid.
Article first published: 18th January 2005
|
Each week BBC Radio Devon records a 
Listen to BBC Radio Devon's Sunday service - recorded in a different
religious community each week.