Bono speaks out for trade justice

May 14th 2002

Rock star Bono has added his voice to the campaign for trade justice. The U2 lead singer and global poverty campaigner put his support behind the Trade Justice Movement as it prepares to hold the biggest ever mass lobby of parliament on June 19, 2002.

Bono said: "Away from calamity and physical circumstances, there's often a structural aspect to poverty in the developing world. We've had some success raising awareness about the burden of old debt, and we must now also focus on the unfair trade status of these most fragile seedling economies. 

Oxfam and the Trade Justice Movement have got it right. It wouldn't cost much to change the rules of trade so that poor countries can work their way out of poverty. But the world's leaders won't act unless they hear enough people telling them. 

And every day they fail to act, thousands of people die because they can't afford the basics of survival. Our politicians have to put this right." 

More than 10,000 people from all over the UK are expected to converge on Westminster for a huge mass lobby of Parliament on June 19.

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