LONDON, Feb 3 (AFP) - Former South African president Nelson Mandela Thursday demanded freedom for the millions of "slaves" of poverty worldwide on the eve of a meeting in London of the world's richest nations.
"Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural," Mandela told a cheering crowd at London's Trafalgar Square before meeting the finance ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) industrialized nations on Friday.
"It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings. And overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice," Mandela said.
During the rally, the 86-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner endorsed the 'Make Poverty History' coalition, which seeks to pressure world leaders into fulfilling promises to increase aid for the poor, improve trade justice and provide further debt relief.
He urged action from the gathering of G8 leaders in Scotland in July, during the rally in Trafalgar Square, the scene of many anti-apartheid demonstrations in the 1970s and 1980s.
"It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life. While poverty persists there is no true freedom," Mandela said.
Mandela, who visited British finance minister Gordon Brown on Wednesday, described massive poverty and obscene inequality as the "terrible scourges of our times".
And this is unforgivable in an age when the world boasts breathtaking advances in science, technology, industry and wealth, he said.
"They have to rank alongside slavery and apartheid as social evil," he said.
Adrian Lovett, of British charity Oxfam, part of the 'Make Poverty History' coalition, said: "Mandela's presence in London sends a clear signal from one of the world's greatest heroes that 2005 is the year when we strike a huge blow against world poverty.
"His presence is not only a rallying cry to the public to get involved, but serves notice to rich countries that the world will not put up with false promises, delays and hollow soundbites."
'Make Poverty History' is hoping the G7 meeting will work towards cutting the debts of developing countries.
The coalition groups charities, religious groups, trade unions and celebrities, including the likes of Irish singer and debt campaigner Bono, US actress Scarlett Johansson and supermodel Claudia Schiffer.
02/03/2005 13:12 GMT - AFP