More int'l orgs rally around Prof Yunus
Supports continue being channeled to Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus from around the world after a number of Italian and European parliamentarians, civil society, and microfinance institutions from Pakistan, Peru, and the Philippines urged the government to find a solution to the current crisis.
In a statement, Mario Baccini, president of Italian Committee for Microcredit; Sam Daley-Harris, director of the Microcredit Summit Campaign; Mario Baccini MP; Prof Luisa Brunori of Bologna University; and European Member of Parliament Sylvia Costa; said, “Prof Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Bank have made an important contribution to social development in Bangladesh through microfinance.”
“Prof Yunus and Grameen Bank are leading actors in the fight against poverty. This is why we express deep solidarity with Prof Yunus with the wish that there can be a solution to the situation.”
Their calls came at a workshop on microfinance in Rome, organised by Italian Committee for Microcredit in partnership with Bologna University.
Global Center for Development and Democracy (CGDD), headed by Alejandro Toledo, former president of Peru, expressed full support for Prof Yunus and Grameen Bank.
In an open letter by its executive director, Ana María, it said, “On behalf of CGDD, and particularly, on president Alejandro Toledo's, we wish to express our support in these moments which we believe are not easy for you, your organisation and all the women members of your world-class institution that serves millions of poor people.”
“Our organisation, which cares about international development, has been following very closely the happenings, and is very much concerned about the progress which could be lost if the country's leaders fail to appreciate what makes the Grameen Bank work.”
The Center for Agriculture and Rural Development Mutually Reinforcing Institutions Leadership or CARD MRI of the Philippines, which has more than 15 lakh members and clients, said, “We have witnessed your strong commitment for poverty eradication.”
“We have witnessed how you have inspired many individuals of various professions, different institutions, donor agencies, cooperatives, all sorts of banks including commercial and international, to adopt and implement microfinance as an effective and strong tool for poverty eradication worldwide.”
CARD MRI is a member of the Asia Pacific Rural and Agricultural Credit Association, Thailand, Microfinance Council of the Philippines, and the Women's World Banking, the USA.
Pakistan-based Kashf Foundation said Dr Yunus and Grameen Bank are today global icons and torchbearers for the mission to eradicate poverty and to provide sustainable choices to poor households across the world. The work of Grameen has been replicated across 100 countries and has benefited over 17 crore poor women globally.
“As South Asians, we are all extremely proud that Dr Yunus and the Grameen Bank were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006, a veritable honour that highlights the pioneering role that Bangladesh has played in the field of poverty alleviation.”
“We are opposed to the current campaign to maliciously malign the reputation of Dr Yunus and the government's attempts to remove him from office.”
The foundation urged the government of Bangladesh to retract from its position and allow Dr Yunus and the Grameen Bank to continue their work in the field of dignity building.
It said, “We have always viewed the Bangladeshi government as a supporter of microfinance programmes and it is through the active support of the government that Grameen and other MFI programmes have burgeoned across the country.”
“The current stance of the government is therefore extremely surprising and equally unacceptable.”
Kashf Foundation, the first specialised microfinance institution in Pakistan, said they have seen the positive impact that Grameen has had on the lives of poor people. As a result of Grameen's successes, similar programmes have been established in Pakistan, including the organisations Kashf Foundation and Kashf Microfinance Bank.
The foundation urged the Bangladeshi government to resolve the issue so that the work of Grameen, Dr Yunus and that of millions of women across Bangladesh continues growing stronger.
The supports for Yunus came after Bangladesh Bank terminated him from the office of managing director of Grameen Bank, causing outrage home and abroad, and prompting calls from countries such as the USA to reach a compromise.
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