120,000 turn out for Make Poverty History rally

More people than expected turned out today to demand action on world poverty at one of Scotland’s biggest ever demonstrations.

According to police, about 120,000 – 20,000 more than predicted – have arrived in Edinburgh by air and coach for the Make Poverty History rally and march, aimed at putting pressure on G8 leaders meeting in Scotland next week.

Speakers at the rally include Cardinal Keith O’Brien, leader of Scotland’s Roman Catholics, his English counterpart Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, and the Rev David Lacy, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

A message from Pope Benedict XVI is being read out, while Bianca Jagger, Daniel Bedingfield and actor Pete Postlethwaite are also addressing the rally at the Meadows park, south of the city centre.

This morning, Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor told reporters: “I’m showing solidarity with those people who feel so strongly about this that they have come up here. My main hope is that the leaders of governments will listen to the people.”

Cardinal O’Brien reckoned today’s event would “make a difference”.

He said: “It will bring to the attention of world leaders the voice of the people. People are acting with one another and realising they have a certain power and they want to use that power in a very positive and peaceful way.”

Baaba Maal, prominent Senegalese musician, UN ambassador and Aids campaigner, added: “The first problem in Africa is the lack of education.

“It is important for people all over the world to see that this is the time to fight poverty. Not later, as it will be really late, not just for Africa but for the whole world.

“The whole world needs action and we hope that the leaders gathering at G8 will do something.”

The rally will climax this afternoon when marchers form a human chain around central Edinburgh.

By mid-afternoon, when the marchers will have encircled the city centre, they plan to link hands to fom a symbolic human white wristband.

Oxfam’s Judith Robertson said: “Scotland has the opportunity to be remembered as the place where the tide of extreme poverty was turned back, where real change to help the world’s poorest began.”

Demonstrators were welcomed by Edinburgh’s first citizen Lord Provost Lesley Hinds.

At a press conference in the media tent at the gathering she said: “Individuals can make a difference. I think this march will make a difference to the G8 leaders so that next week they will get the right decision.”

Walden Bellow, director of Focus on the Global South, told the press conference: “We are not here to march for charity.

“We are here to march for justice, and justice is what this is about. This is a challenge to the structures that perpetuate and maintain poverty.”