Call for International Action Campaign
-TAC, South Africa
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Forwarded from Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) in South Africa:

CALL FOR INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ACTION FOR A SOUTH AFRICAN HIV/AIDS
TREATMENT AND PREVENTION PLAN - 24 APRIL 2003

Dear TAC supporter,

Call for International Day of Action for a South African HIV/AIDS
Treatment and Prevention Plan- 24 April, 2003

PIcket, Write letters and Challenge South African Government Officials all
over the world to implement a treatment and prevention plan including
antiretroviral therapy

Over 600 South Africans die of HIV/AIDS every day. Many more die
throughout the developing world. This does not have to be. In wealthy
countries and Brazil, people with HIV/AIDS are living longer, healthier
lives because they have access to life-saving medicines.

We need your solidarity and help. As you may know, the Treatment
Action Campaign has been waging a campaign of peaceful civil disobedience
in protest of the South African government's negligence
in the matter of providing treatment to South Africans living with
HIV/AIDS. TAC's decision to turn to civil disobedience has come after
four years of discussions, debates, negotiations, providing research
to government, pickets, marches,court cases and numerous other
attempts at using the democratic instruments of the new South Africa.

However, although some progress has been made, the South African
government remains intransigent, especially over the issue of making
antiretroviral treatment more accessible, but also with regard to the
general improvement of the public health sector.

By pressurising the South African government to implement a treatment
plan, we believe the path to treatment in many other poor countries,
especially in Southern Africa, will become more feasible. The focus
of attention will shift onto the responsibility of the international
community to fund treatment programmes and the experience of the
South African situation will be of benefit to other countries.

A detailed explanation of why we are turning to civil disobedience
campaign is contained in the document "Dying for Treatment", which can be
read at
http://www.tac.org.za/Documents/CivilDisobedience/briefingdocument.htm.

As part of this campaign we are planning a Day of International
Action to demonstrate that the world supports the struggle of South
Africans for universal access to treatment. The Day of International
Action is scheduled for 24 April.

We are hoping that our international friends and allies will help us
in this effort by organizing demonstrations of support in their
countries, such as protests at South African embassies, consulates,
and delegations. To find out where your nearest South African
representative is, go to http://www.dfa.gov.za/sa-abroad/sashort.htm.
We also encourage protests and hard-hitting question and answer
sessions to be organised for South African ministers and government
representatives visiting foreign countries.

If a public protest is not feasible, requesting a meeting with a
local South African official to voice your concern is another option.
We also encourage you to show your support in other ways, such as
sending letters, faxes, and/or email to South African officials. We
are attaching a sample letter with the relevant addresses. Please
copy letters to the South African media and the media in your country.
Let us hear from you how you are going to participate.

We will be posting on the TAC website a list of worldwide actions
(www.tac.org.za), as well as contact information. Feel free to
forward this appeal widely and to tell us about others we should contact.

In solidarity,
Vuyani Jacobs
(TAC Labour Co-ordinator)
Email: [email protected]

*********SAMPLE LETTER TO SA GOVERNMENT FOR 24 APRIL

Mr J Zuma (Deputy-President, South Africa)
Dr ME Tshabalala-Msimang (Minister of Health, South Africa)
Mr A Erwin (Minister of Trade and Industry, South Africa
Dr NC Dlamini Zuma (Minister of Foreign Affairs, South Africa)
120 Plein Street
CAPE TOWN
800124
April 2003
Fax: +27 21 464 2271

Dear Mr Zuma, Dr Tshabalala-Msimang, Mr Erwin and Dr Dlamini Zuma

SOUTH AFRICA NEEDS AN HIV/AIDS TREATMENT AND PREVENTION PLAN

We are deeply concerned that the South African government has not
adopted or implemented an HIV/AIDS treatment plan. Over 600 South
Africans die a day on average of HIV/AIDS. Most of them die because
they cannot afford to buy life-saving medicines. We appeal to you
agree to the demands of the Treatment Action Campaign to sign the
NEDLAC Framework Agreement for an HIV/AIDS Treatment and Prevention
Plan and to make an irrevocable commitment to providing
antiretroviral therapy in the public sector. If South Africa does
this, it will demonstrate that wide-scale treatment can be made
available in the developing world and that there is no reason why the
international community cannot unite to make life-saving treatment
available to poor people everywhere.

South Africa's transition to democracy has been remarkable. Its
Constitution and democratic structures have set a magnificent example
for the whole world. But the South African Government's negligent
response to the HIV epidemic is damaging its international
reputation. We appeal to you: For the sake of millions of lives give
meaning to the Constitutional rights to life, dignity and health-care
by implementing an HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention plan. South
Africa's Freedom Day is in a few days time. This marks the first
democratic election in South Africa. Please use this day as an
opportunity to give hope to millions of people by announcing the
rollout of an antiretroviral treatment programme.

Sincerely,

Your name,
organisation,
full address
CC: Local Consulate-General/Ambassador
CC: Local Media & [email protected]