Letter: Time's up for Third World debt

Sir: Further to your report ("Why 2000 may come too soon for Greenwich", 7 April), you may be interested to know that the Nottingham Asian Christian Fellowship launched their Jubilee 2000 campaign outside St Peter's Church in Nottingham on Saturday last with considerable interest from the local media in what is considered to be a unique campaign by Asians.

They share the same objective as the London Jubilee 2000 in that they are also calling on the Western governments, the World Bank and other commercial banks to cancel the unrepayable debts of the poorest countries as a one-off gesture. In most cases, if not all, these countries have repaid three times the debts they owe in interest payments.

Their campaign, with the support of the Bishop of Southwell, Rt Rev Patrick Harris, involves the signing of a petition by all churches in the county and other interested citizens.

The principle of Jubilee in the book of Leviticus recognises that the people of God were accountable to one another. After every 49 years, there would be a total redistribution of wealth and property.

It was an opportunity to begin anew and have freedom, land and possessions restored.

That time has now come. It is time for a year of Jubilee.

SAMUEL MONDLE

Nottingham Asian

Christian Fellowship

West Bridgford,

Nottingham