World Bank No More

Members of Sri Lankan civil society organizations staged a protest against the World Bank (WB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) today near the Cinnamon Grand Hotel, where the Commonwealth Finance Ministers are discussing issues related to the Commonwealth countries to be raised at the WB/IMF Group meeting being held in Singapore.

More than two thousand activists from many areas of the country gathered at the Colombo Ceylon Mercantile Union Hall, several hundred metres from the venue of the Commonwealth Finance Ministers Meeting. After a rally they marched towards the World Bank country office near Galle Face and a delegation handed over a petition to the World Bank Country Director.

Sarath Fernando, the Co-Secretary of the Movement for National Land and Agricultural Reforms, said they have joined hands with civil society organizations of other countries that are protesting the WB and IMF Group meeting that commenced in Singapore today. He further claimed that the WB and IMF should be abolished, as he said they have failed to alleviate world poverty through their policies over the past sixty years