[UK] Campaigners say Make Poverty History marchers have been let down

from Scotland Today

Today is the first anniversary of the Make Poverty History march which saw a quarter of a million people take to the streets of Edinburgh to call for an end to world hunger.

Timed to coincide with the G8 summit in Gleneagles, the mass demonstration called for more and better aid, debt cancellation and trade justice. Though the world leaders did make pledges for change, campaigners say they have let down those who marched.

Paul Chitnis, from SCIAF, said: "There's been enormous progress since last year and what has happened, the progress that has happened is really down to the campaigners, but yes I think people do feel let down. There was a huge surge of optimism last year, a real feeling that things could change. There was some progress but it's been very patchy and so yes, our expectations are high and so we are let down."