For Immediate Release – April 18, 2007

Contact: Medea Benjamin: (415) 235 6517
Sameer Dossani: (202) 340 0216

Civil society organizations will protest in front of the World Bank today at 12pm to demand the immediate removal of World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz, and that steps be taken to democratize the institution.

“Paul Wolfowitz’s only message for the last two years has been that the World Bank will not tolerate corruption,” said Sameer Dossani of the 50 Years Is Enough Network. “It’s time for him to put his rhetoric into practice. If the World Bank is to attempt to eradicate corruption, he must step down and there must be an end to the authoritarian policy of allowing the U.S. administration to choose the head of the World Bank.”

Other organizations will be calling attention to the policies that Wolfowitz advocated while he served as a senior advisor to the Bush administration. "Nepotism is not the most serious of Paul Wolfowitz's crimes," said Medea Benjamin of Code Pink, a leading anti-war organization. "He masterminded the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq and is a leading representative of the Bush administration's failing diplomacy-through-militarism ideology. He must get out of the World Bank and be put on trial for war crimes, along with a host of others in the Bush administration."

Though Wolfowitz has come under increasing pressure to resign in recent days, he has found some support from an unlikely source: some African governments. Responding to these developments, Ruth Castel-Branco, a Mozambique- born activist and campaigner for the Mobilization for Global Justice said “Wolfowitz claims that there is to be no tolerance for corruption in Africa. If that is the case, how can we tolerate it inside the World Bank? We demand transparency, accountability and democracy for our governments and especially for these institutions.”

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Determined to keep the pressure on Wolfowitz to resign, 50 Years Is Enough and allies will be organizing actions in front of the World Bank EVERY Wednesday until he resigns!! This is an opportune time. Wolfowitz should get the sack-- we demand transparency, accountability for corruption, and reparations for damage done. So, join us....

What: Guerrilla theater and singing, in front of the World Bank Building.
Theme: "Wolfowitz Pack Your Bags!" We will be rolling around suitcases. Enlarged bagage
tags will hold slogans.
When: Wednesday, April 25th @ noon.
Where: Gather at Murrow Park, 1818 H St NW