The National Conference of Viet Nam Veteran Ministers, an organization composed of clergy and full time religious workers who served in Vietnam , meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico October 12-16, 1988 1998, in anticipation of the Jubilee Year 2000 (Leviticus 25), issued the following statement concerning Jubilee 2000 (a program to ease the crushing debt burden of the 41 poorest, debt-burdened countries):
Many years have passed since the end of the Viet Nam War, yet we who were part of that conflict still carry painful memories of passing images. An image we would conjure is that of a soldier, burdened with weaponry, soaked with sweat, eyes ever-watchful, walking into a small village to find it seemingly deserted only to discover that the inhabitants are hiding in their homes for fear of the Americans. At this moment, our soldier from past learns what it is to be seen as the "enemy."
We do not want the children and grandchildren of other nations to fear our children and grandchildren as enemies, but rather to welcome them as friends.
Harsh experience has taught us that one manifestation of an "enemy" is the one who comes in power to compel others to accept a vision of the future, and arrives bearing weapons to ensure compliance. However, over the years we have also learned that some of the deadliest weapons do not shoot bullets and draw blood. Well-intentioned programs of years past which have lost sight of the original vision and goals and have become entrenched in self-perpetuation are just as deadly.
The growing burden of international debt, financed and encouraged by prosperous nations and such multinational entities as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, is an example of the deadly effect of programs and policies offered by institutions which have lost vision and now operate out of self-interest. This debt burden has made representatives of these entities unwelcome "enemies" in many countries as these representatives arrive to enforce and negotiate various contract provisions designed to insure payment and extend debt. These representatives are seen as enemies for they arrive in power to enforce a false economic stability based upon the sweat of the poor and beneficial only to the creditor entities.
Recognizing that our children and grandchildren are the beneficiaries of our current policies and are citizens of an influential international creditor, and may be, in their time, regarded as the "enemy," and dreaming that our children and grandchildren may be able to engage others in the world in safer roles we call upon the following: