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Bob
Geldof- the Saint or Sinner of Debt?
-What impact do you think Geldof had on
debt at this years G8 summit?
-Considering that only 18 countries are to recieve debt cancellation
and of these 18 only 40% of their debts will be written off, what
do you think of Gelfof's statement on the G8 debt deal "8
out of 10..mission accomplished frankly"
YOUR REPLIES
1. I am
sure that Bob Geldof and the others mobilised public opinion
in a way that nobody else could have done. They might have
been over-congratulatory towards political leaders, but then
public statements always are 'over the top'. Live 8 didn't
achieve everything - it would have been unrealistic to expect
it to.
2. 'Mission Accomplished' was a euphoric
statement, not a balanced judgement. I'm really not interested
in being critical of such things; there's far too much else
to do. |
I think Bob Geldof was a breath of fresh air in drawing attention
to the scandal of world debt, but the hot air of the G8 summit has
gone to his head. The months since Gleneagles have shown that the
promises were not what they seemed, and indeed the subsequent actions
of bodies such as the World Trade Organisation have proved they
were all but worthless. Bob's 'mission accomplished' statement now
makes him look naive and indeed his Live Aid concert proved a major
diversion from the less glamorous but more meaningful efforts of
so many thousands in Edinburgh
Mission is not accomplished.
Geldoff did raise the profile of the debt of developing countries
but at the end of the day he did not truly represent the voices
and demands of the movement he helped to mobilise.
I was disgusted actually to see him fawn over George Bush
and Tony Blair.
I was not happy to see Gordon Brown taking a lead in the MPH
march either but I don't know what the MPH organisers could
have done about that. I hopw he was not invited to join the
march.
Midge Ure does seem a more genuine person in touch with the
reality of the situation.
However allowing any personality to front
a movement like MPF was always going to be a gamble.
Please don't let Geldoff run away with the
marketing of the movement again.
Yours sincerely
Denise Morton |
When Bob trvelled around Africa it was always "oh look this
is a bl--dy disgrace how the person is suffering" or "oh
look at the triumph of courage in this other person in overcoming
such hardship". What about normal life? There is plenty of
normal life going on here, you know.
The worst thing about all the UK's publicity was
that none of it challenged stereotypes. It just reinforced them.
It was pornography of poverty or patronising praise. I don't think
we'll ever get anywhere unless we start at the roots, at the mentality,
at the stereotypes.
Ali
Some Africans who think that Bob Geldof
was wrong to have taken the place of African artists and musicians
in lobbying and fundraising in the name of Africa.
Today we're part of a moverment social which
has no frontieres, and the people taking part in it have the
same interests - there's no divergence in their interests.
However, a group of individuals, set up by neoliberal forces,
has exploited the movement, and the people in it.
It is right and good that activists all over
the world are campaigning on behlaf of their own people. Faced
with the global neoliberal system, the campaign cannot be
won by groups working in isolation.
Ibrahim
Mali
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