Popular Forum declaration

Foreign debts have dragged Indonesia into a prolonged multi- dimensional crisis, leading Indonesians into the grip of poverty and misery.

The main culprits in this crisis are debt-financed development policies and projects funded by foreign countries. Debts have systematically ruined traditional values, women and children, who have had to make the biggest sacrifices to shoulder the decline in welfare such as health, economy, etc.

Obviously, debts that both the government and private sector owe are made not in the interest of wider society but for those from the political and business elite. The programs dedicated to eradicating poverty, which are financed by debt, are merely aimed at the political interests of authorities. Poverty, therefore, is reduced to a commodity. Eventually, funds aimed at assistance have resulted in a lack of morale among bureaucrats and the general public, destroying autonomy and solidarity among members of society.

In spite of the contradiction to the public interest, foreign debts have become subject to widespread corruption and collusion, irregularities, which are well known by donor and creditor countries. However, they allow such bad practices to continue because they themselves benefit from the situation.

We hereby make the following statements:

1. Reject all corrupt debts and loans made without the agreement and in contradiction to the public interest.

2. Turn down any assistance that utilize people and poverty as commodities through a program of eradicating poverty and improving the welfare of women that is financed by foreign debts.

3. Probe into and bring Soeharto and his cronies to justice as well as confiscate their wealth.

4. Revoke all government policies, both central and regional, which support foreign debt and capital.

A. ISWINARTO

Formulating Team

of Popular Forum Declaration

Anti-Debt Coalition

Jakarta