------------------------- Via Workers World News Service Reprinted from the May 31, 2001 issue of Workers World newspaper ------------------------- "HONOR THE DEAD, FIGHT FOR THE LIVING": CALLS FOR MASSIVE AIDS PROTESTS GAIN IMPETUS By Leslie Feinberg As the world AIDS pandemic enters its third decade, and more than 22 million lives have been lost, plans for two major marches are underway--one in Washington, D.C., the other in New York City. Since the Centers for Disease Control published the first reported case of AIDS in June 1981, more than 50 million people around the world have been infected. Trans mission continues to travel at lightning speed in the most impoverished countries. Recent UN studies confirm that over 25 million Africans are currently battling AIDS. Seventeen million Africans have already died as a result of AIDS or AIDS-related infections. And 20 years later here in the U.S., where the rich live higher on the hog than anywhere else, a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Baltimore, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York and Seattle found an estimated 30 percent of young, gay Black men infected with HIV. Millions more will become infected unless the epidemic is brought under control through a comprehensive global effort. That is why both these planned protests are immeasurably strengthened by their international approach and especially by their solidarity with oppressed peoples both within the United States and around the world. They direct their demands against the U.S. and other wealthy imperialist powers. It is this wealthy elite class worldwide that must fork over the money and resources needed by the peoples and countries most impoverished after centuries of colonialist and imperialist bloodsucking. WASHINGTON, D.C.: 'REMEMBER THE DEAD, RENEW THE STRUGGLE' Hundreds of organizations and thousands of individuals are reportedly planning to take part in a massive march on Washington June 3 to demand swift, compassionate and comprehensive action against AIDS worldwide. The logo for the protest urges, "Remember the dead, renew the struggle." In a statement calling for the demonstration, the June 3rd Action Committee presses the pharmaceutical industry to "make further concessions on the pricing of HIV treatments." And it calls on the pharmaceutical giants to halt their attempts to stymie the distribution of generic HIV treatments by governments in countries like Brazil and South Africa. In addition, "the United States and other wealthy nations must match the pharmaceutical industry's concessions with sufficient contributions to finance infrastructure development and women's economic empowerment programs, fund preventive education campaigns, provide treatment, care for orphans and relieve the national debts of the poorest nations." The mission statement adds that life-prolonging treatment available to many people in the U.S. must be accessible to all around the world. However, "we further believe that the current treatments are inadequate and that research must be better funded and better directed in the search for more effective, less toxic and less expensive treatments." Further, the statement stresses, "We believe that the United States must do more to assist other nations and that there is also much work to be done at home. We call on the President and Congress to recognize and respond to the need for increased research as well as prevention education, care and treatment, particularly within the African American, Latino, Asian/Pacific Islander and Native American communities. We are also deeply concerned by the increased infection rates among women and youth of all races." The statement concludes, "We believe in, and will continue to fight for, a cure and a vaccine." The June 3rd Action Committee notes that worldwide 4.3 million children under the age of 15 have lost their lives as a result of AIDS. More than 13 million children have been orphaned by the epidemic. "We urge all organizations serving youth and children to assist us in encouraging their participation," the mission statement emphasizes. Sponsoring organizations come from cities and towns across the United States--from New Orleans to Detroit, Pasadena to Boston. Women's and youth groups, lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans organizations, health clinics and street outreach organizations swell the sponsors' list. And sponsors include people of color organizations like Africa Action, African AIDS Project of the Boston Global Action Network, Asian and Pacific Islander Wellness Center, Ebony Sisters Campaigning for AIDS Prevention Education, Harlem Directors Group, Iniciativa Comunitaria Puerto Rico, Men of Color Motivational Group, Inc. of Detroit, National Black Leader ship Commission on AIDS, National Black Lesbian and Gay Leadership Forum, National Minority AIDS Council, United Counties Minority AIDS Care and Education Inc.-Pensacola, Fla., and Voice of Women of Color Against HIV/AIDS-New York City. Information about the march is posted on a web site at www.aidsaction20.org. The approximately four-mile-long march will begin at noon. Additional assembly areas will be set up along the route for those unable to traverse the distance. A detailed map of the march will be posted on the web site. NEW YORK CITY: 'STOP GLOBAL AIDS NOW!' A mass march through midtown Manhattan is scheduled for June 23. The march and rally will take place just days before the United Nations Assembly on AIDS convenes for the first time in New York City. The protest will "send a strong message" to the July G8 Summit in Genoa, Italy. The meeting used to be called the "G7" because it brought together leaders of the seven most powerful imperialist powers. Russia was added after the counter-revolution brought its trajectory back into the orbit of finance and industrial capital. The sponsors of the rally are African Services Committee, Global-AIDS-Alliance, the Health GAP Coalition, ACT UP New York and the American Jewish World Services. The groups are working, their web site states, "in cooperation with allies in the Global South including NAPWA South Africa and Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) South Africa." Scores of diverse national and local organizations are endorsing. The demonstration and rally focus on three demands on the U.S. and the other imperialist Goliaths. First, "to invest multibillions in grants to fund national AIDS plans and social infrastructure development projects in developing countries and international agency initiatives in the fight against global AIDS." Second, it calls on the U.S. and other G7 governments to direct the IMF and World Bank to cancel the national debts of all the impoverished countries that are heavily burdened by the epidemic. And last, it calls on these governments "to invest sufficient resources and uphold the rights of sovereign nations to rapidly ensure access to lifesaving medications, including generically manufactured drugs, at the lowest cost." Speakers from South Africa, Thailand, Uganda, Brazil, Kenya and Malaysia are planning to step to the dais at the rally. So will others from the U.S. and around the world who are living with AIDS, grass-roots activists and leaders in the AIDS movement. The call to action adds, "the march takes place during New York City's Gay Pride Week, adding even more voices to an already enormous grass-roots effort." The call for the protest concludes, "We honor the people who have lost their lives or their loved ones due to HIV/AIDS during the past 20 years of this epidemic. We join in struggle with those that are still fighting." More information is available at the web site: www.stopglobalaidsnow.org. - END - (Copyright Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but changing it is not allowed. For more information contact Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org) ------------------ This message is sent to you by Workers World News Service. 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