Associated Press Newswires
NEW YORK, June 19 (AScribe News) -- Shocked by the backlash against the movement to speed AIDS treatment to developing nations, a powerful new coalition of U. S. religious groups, militant AIDS activists including ACT UP, African organizations, students, human rights groups and Jubilee anti-debt activists are joining forces in a mass demonstration and rally at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 23, 2001. The march is timed to coincide with the start of the United Nations Special Session on HIV/AIDS, and activists from around the world will be demonstrating in the streets.
Thousands will gather at Washington Square Park, Manhattan and march to the Bryant Park rally, which will include speakers, music, banners, and chanting. Invited speakers include Linda Chavez-Thompson, Executive Vice President of AFL-CIO, Sonia Sanchez, noted American writer and AIDS activist, and Mercy Makhalemele, an AIDS activist from South Africa and international celebrity.
Noted AIDS activists from around the world will be available for interviews in Washington Square Park and also in Bryant Park in a backstage press area reporters can access by entering the park on 40th Street.
In recent weeks, US Agency for International Development head Andrew Natsios, US Treasury officials, and other US officials have spoken out publicly against focusing on treating people with AIDS in developing nations. As early as April, an unnamed "senior Treasury official" claimed in the New York Times that "Africans lacked a requisite concept of time, implying that they would not benefit from drugs that must be administered on tight time schedules."
"It's like living through World War II and hearing US groups speak out against bombing the trains to Auschwitz," said ACT UP's Peter Roberts. "It's incredible to live in a time when health officials can speak publicly about letting 27 million people die when there is treatment that could save them."
Kofi Annan, Harvard University, and others have asked the US to contribute 25 percent of a proposed $10 billion to the new Global AIDS Fund for prevention, treatment, and orphans response. Instead, the Bush administration has committed only 1/10th of that amount.
Comments the Health GAP Coalitions Paul Davis, "$200 million is about $3 for treatment for each person with AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa: enough to buy dinner, maybe not enough to save a life." Following the US's dubious lead, several other countries have contributed much smaller amounts, jeopardizing the ability of the fund to make a meaningful impact against the epidemic.
Says Paul Zeitz, Executive Director of the Global AIDS Alliance, "The sponsoring groups aim to encourage the growing consensus that AIDS is a catastrophe that merits a massive infusion of cash for prevention, treatment, and orphans response. Although the Bush administrations response has been extremely disappointing, we are encouraged by new bipartisan initiatives in Congress to boost US funding into the billions of dollars."
"Developing nations continue to endure crippling debt that reduces their ability to combat the epidemic. African nations currently pay $13 billion per year in debt servicing costs. Even the 22 Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) nations, among the poorest in the world, still pay $2 billion per year despite debt relief measures passed for them in the US last year. This is the same amount requested of the Bush administration for the Global AIDS Fund."
Comments Jubilee USA's Tim Atwater: "The $200 million which Bush has pledged for the Trust Fund is the same amount as sub-Saharan Africa spends on debt payments in less than a week. Congress writes the check on Monday. By Friday Africa's paid it back."
The march has been organized by ACT UP, Jubilee USA Network, African Services Committee, the Health GAP Coalition, the Global AIDS Alliance, American Jewish World Service, and Africa Action. The march is supported by the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) of South Africa and the National Association of People with AIDS in South Africa.
Without treatment, the 27 million people dying of AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa will quickly die. Currently, more than one million people are dying every three months. Life expectancy in the region for people with AIDS is 6 to 8 years.
ACTIVISTS DEMAND:
-- The United States Government and economically-advantaged Group of Seven (G7) Governments invest BILLIONS in grants to the Global AIDS Fund and to national AIDS plans and social infrastructure development projects in developing countries. Currently, the US has invested only one-tenth of the monies requested by the United Nations.
-- The United States Government and the Group of Seven (G7) Governments use their influence and voting power to call on the IMF and the World Bank to use their own resources to implement full cancellation of debts owed to them by all impoverished countries heavily impacted by HIV/AIDS.
-- Wealthy countries invest in treatment access strategies and health care infrastructure, including vaccine distribution systems. These strategies include parallel importing, generic production, and a system of global bulk generic drug procurement.
For background information on the campaign, go to:
www.globaltreatmentaccess.org and www.j2000usa.org
JUNE 23 MARCH BACKGROUND:
"It's so politically incorrect to say, but we may have to sit by and just see these millions of (already infected) people die," (said an unnamed international health official), acknowledging that this was an option that would be considered unacceptable in the developed world. "Very few public health professionals are willing to take on the wrath of AIDS activists by saying that. But a whole lot of them talk about this in private." Washington Post, April 23, 2001
BUSH ADMINISTRATION: PURSUING TWO POLICIES ON AIDS TREATMENT
Secretary of State Colin Powell and President Bush have orchestrated several recent photo opportunities and voiced interest in helping address the AIDS crisis. At international meetings, however, the United States is aggressively pursuing a different policy, supporting US drug company interests that seeks to block developing nations from procuring AIDS drugs at low prices.
In recent meetings of the World Health Assembly (which advises the World Health Organization on policy issues), the meeting of the UNAIDS PCB (the UNAIDS governing body) and the May preparatory meetings for UNGASS, the US government has sent large delegations (15 people, compared to 2 or 3 for other nations) to fan out in sessions to intimidate developing nations. They repeatedly sought to strip official documents of language that supports bulk drug procurement, including participation by generic manufacturers. They have been largely successful, as the current language of the UNGASS declaration and the World Health Assembly resolution demonstrate.
In a related example from the spring WHA meeting, NGO representatives overheard Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson actually tell one representative from the International Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association: "Dont worry, we're looking out for your interests. We know you're worried about the database, but we'll take care of it." (Brazil had asked the WHA to compile a list of drug prices and offer other technical support to developing nations seeking to procure AIDS drugs.)
Accredited UNGASS representatives from NGOs from around the world were also prevented from speaking to UNGASS delegates during the May preparatory meetings. In some cases, accredited NGO representatives were actually removed from meetings where treatment access was discussed. The language they crafted, as well as other input, was ignored during crucial decisions about the language of the UN declaration (delegates were not informed that these documents, prepared using UNGASS rules, existed).
"In the middle of this horrific public health catastrophe, the US government played a shameful role, protecting Big Pharma at the expense of the poorest and least powerful persons, millions of whom are going to die. Brazil was a real hero in this meeting," said James Love, Director of the Consumer Project on Technology.
IMMEDIATE NEED FOR TREATMENT: 4.8 MILLION PEOPLE
Of the 27 million people infected with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa at the end of 2000, 4.8 million are in immediate need of treatment, the United Nations estimates. Of those 4.8 million, all but 30,000 can expect to die without the drug cocktails that prolong life and reduce suffering associated with AIDS.
Activists are calling on wealthy countries to invest in treatment access strategies and health care infrastructure, including vaccine distribution systems. These strategies include parallel importing, generic production, and a system of global bulk generic drug procurement. Supported by data from Uganda and Brazil, international health experts report direct links between increasing drug access and strengthening infrastructure, establishing viable HIV prevention efforts, and solidifying provisions for care and support.
Activists condemn the United States and pharmaceutical industrys attempted prohibitions against using global fund resources bulk purchases and against affordable generic drugs. The march will also demand that rich countries make GNP commensurate contributions to the Global AIDS Fund, calling attention to the paltry donations made by the Bush Administration.
For background information on the campaign, go to: www.globaltreatmentaccess.org
The march and rally is sponsored by a diverse range of national and local organizations with a long-standing commitment to AIDS including:
Sponsors: African Services Committee, the Health GAP Coalition, Global-AIDS- Alliance (GAA), ACT UP New York, American Jewish World Service, Jubilee USA Network, Africa Action in cooperation with allies in the Global South including NAPWA South Africa, and Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) South Africa.
Endorsers include: ACT UP Philadelphia, New York City Coalition Against AIDS in Africa (NYCRAA), International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC), Global ACCTS, the Americans Mobilized Against the Spread of AIDS in Africa (AMASAA), Bailey House, Student Global AIDS Campaign, AIDS Treatment Data Network, AIDS Research Alliance/Los Angeles, ACT UP/East Bay, River Fund, Latino Commission on AIDS, Africa AIDS Initiative, Mobilization Against AIDS International, ACT UP/Cleveland, AIDS Treatment Data Network (ATDN), GNP+ North America, Global Exchange, POZ Magazine, Sierra Foothills AIDS Foundation, South Africa Development Fund, Survive AIDS (ACT UP/Golden Gate), The New York AIDS Coalition (NYAC), NYC AIDS Housing Network (NYCAHN), Jews Against Genocide, Sisters Mobilized for AIDS Research and Treatment (S.M.A.R.T. University), Queers For Racial & Economic Justice, Solidarity Against the HIV Infection in India (SAATHII), Kathleen Chalfont, Gay Mens Health Crisis (GMHC), BGAN Africa AIDS Project, National Summit on Africa/Africa Society, International Socialist Organization, Body Positive, Freetown-New Haven Sister Cities, New York Community Trust/Royal S. Marks Foundation Fund, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Dutch Stichting AIDS Fonds, National Organization for Women, The North American Taskforce on Prostitution, Housing Works, Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church, Audre Lorde Project (ALP), Mothers Voices, International Action Center, Boston Global Action Network/African AIDS Project, Mississippians With HIV/AIDS, Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, New York City Gay & Lesbian Anti-Violence Project (AVP), Oxfam, Title II Community AIDS National Network, NY Pride at Work AFL-CIO, Global Action on Aging, Heritage of Pride/NYC, Arianna Huffington, Constituency for Africa, Global AIDS Action Network, Union of New York Free Youth (UNYFY), Metropolitan Community Church of New York, Neighborhood AIDS Advocacy Group/Aisha Muhammad, Church Ladies for Choice-NYC, United Church of Christ and Disciples of C
hrist Global Ministries Africa Office, Treatment Action Group (TAG), Mary Knoll AIDS Task Force, National Minority AIDS Council (NMAC), UCC Wider Church Ministries, Margaret Sanger Center International at Planned Parenthood of New York City, Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate-U.S. Province, International Council of AIDS Service Organizations (ICASO), Dignity/USA, God's Love We Deliver, Family Health Project, Life Force, Conscious Movements Collective, Visual AIDS, End AIDS Now!, International Presentation Association of Sisters of the Presentation, Connecticut Radical Queer Caucus, National Association of People with AIDS/USA (NAPWA), Division for Church in SocietyEvangelical Lutheran Church in America, Union of American Hebrew Congregations and the Central Conference of American Rabbis, Jubilee Northwest Coalition in Seattle, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Grupo Pela VIDDA/Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Washington Office on Africa, St. Luke AME Church Good Samaritan HIV/AIDS Ministry, Radical Women, Florida AIDS Action, Washington Office on Africa, Grupo de Apoio e Prevencao a AIDS, FUNDAMIND/Buenos Aires, AIDS Treatment Access-Cuba, International Harm Reduction Development/OSI, Goddard Riverside Community Center, Global Ministries (United Church of Christ/Disciples of Christ), WOFAK (Women Fighting Aids in Kenya), Canadian AIDS Society, The Momentum AIDS Project, Q.U.E.E.R. (Queers United To Eradicate Economic Rationalism)/ Melbourne, Australia, PATRONATO DE LUCHA CONTRA EL SIDA, INC. (PLUS), Freedom Socialist Party (list in formation)
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Media Contact: Jubilee USA Network: Mara Vanderslice, 202-783-0129; Tim Atwater 617-746-2103
Global AIDS Alliance: Paul Zeitz 267-254-5857 (Tel); pzeitz(at)earthlink.net
Health GAP Coalition: Katie Krauss, 215-985-4448 x168
ACT UP: (Philadelphia) Paul Davis, 215-833-4102; (New York) Eric Sawyer, 917-951-5758
American Jewish World Service: Julia Greenberg 212-273-1640 (tel); juliag(at)ajws.org
Africa Action: Aisha Satterwhite, 212-785-1024 (tel); africafund(at)igc.org
African Services Committee: Neil Sachs, 212-222-3882 x 123 (tel); neil-sachs(at)hotmail.com
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