There is no need for ICAAP suppressing the voice of people living with HIV/AIDS at the tench ICAAP Conference, in Pusan, South Korea, 2011. Over 80 organisations have signed this joint statement condemning the use of riot police, and the detention without charge of up to 6 activists.
- Today at 2:00 pm AIDS activists and people living with HIV/AIDS from all over the world joined Korean activists in a peaceful anti-FTA march. FTA blocks the production of generic drugs and causes high drug prices. This can result in people living with HIV/AIDS not having access to ARV drugs. FTA means the death sentence of people living with HIV/AIDS. FTA is the reason of AIDS epidemic.
- In the middle of the march, we witnessed that disguised police men took pictures of people joining the peaceful march in the Bexco conference hall.
When we protested to the police about illegal photo taking, more than 25 people from the Busan police station and special security team from the president office who supposed to provide security service for the Fiji president attacked people joining the march and tried to arrest people. All the participants of the community conference―PLHIV, sex workers, trans genders, IDUs, and sexual minorities―, were united to join the anti-FTA march and to stop the police violence. We tried to stop brutal police violence against peaceful march and speech and protected people from the illegal arrest.
Jang Seo-yeon, a member of the joint civil action group for ICAAP and a public lawyer, was arrested while protesting the illegal photo taking and police violence.
To block arresting her, people from the conference, PLHIV, sex workers, drug users and transgenders lied down in front of the police car to stop the police car. During a hour long confrontation, several people were physically abused by police men and security guards from the conference building. Also, several women and transgendered women were dragged by police and in by these violent police actions, their clothes were ripped. Several people living with HIV/AIDS were also beaten badly and verbally abused. Two people attending the conference had to be taken to the hospital.
We are asking why the police is present in the ICAAP where the place for discussion and finding solution for HIV/AIDS issues.
We also asking the why the organizing committee allowed the police presence and did not take any action to protect people from police harrassment.
Finally, we are asking to all of UN agencies including UNAIDS and WHO’s to respond and prevent this unjustifiable police actions against basic rights of people living with HIV/AIDS.
■ We ask the head of Busan police office to formally apologize for the illegal police surveillance and violence.
■ We also ask the head of the Busan police office to formally apologize for the brutal police action on women, sex workers and transgender people.
■ We ask Jin Suhui, the head of the ministry of health and welfare, to apologize that public discussions and peaceful demonstrations at ICAAP conference were threatened and intimidated by the police.
■ We ask the organizing committee of ICAAP, the head of the Busan police office, and the head of the ministry of public health to prevent any further police surveillance and violence and to ensure that every participants at ICAAP can join any kinds of civil actions and public discussion without any harrassment and intimidation by police.
27th August, 2011
Supporters (84 organizations and individuals)
ShalinaAzhar (India)
Rajsherhor Ng (india)
ANAND (India)
Anrew Hunter (APNSW, Thailand)
LaurindoGarch (Philippines)
AlejanolrdTsossero (Malaysia)
Greg Nunro (United Kingdom)
Albion Street Center (Australia)
SeunShwin (NAPWA, Australia)
NiwatSuwanphtthama (Thailand)
Scarlet Timor Collective (East-Timor)
Monica
Agnes Khoo (Leeds University, United Kingdom)
OKUP (Bangledesh)
Caram Asia (Malaysia)
Friends Frongipani (Papua New Gunea)
Spiritia Foundation (Indonesia)
Thai People who Living with HIV/AIDS (TNP+, Thailand)
AIDS Access Foundation (Thailand)
Foundation for AIDS Rights (Thailand)
Thai NGO Coalition on AIDS (TNCA), Thailand
Raks Thai Foundation
Thai Positive Women Network
Fiji Network Plus (FJN+)
Pacific Islands AIDS Foundation (PIAF)
OPSI (Indonesia Social Change Organization, Indonesia)
Performs (Network of People Who Use Drugs in Indonesia)
APNSW (Asia Pacific Networks of Sex Workers)
Empower Foundation (Thailand)
SWASH (Japan)
Sathisamuha (Nepal)
WanthongRattansongkroam (Thailand)
Thai Pastive Women Network
Waanthong2509@gmail.com
Habiba_aas@yahoo.com
Info_aas@org.bd
Humbenleha-health.org
mojin@naver.com
adipbarus.sunu@gmail.com
India HIV/AIDS Allance (India)
Gjarat State Network of PLHA (GSNP+, India)
World Vision India (India)
Udaau Trust/Nipashat (India)
JorapornTonypablle (Thailand)
Theu Positive Women Network (Thailand)
ArerahOumim
RishitaNandagin, WGNRR (Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights)
TJF (Malaysia)
Scarlet Alliance (Australia)
UNAIDS (Nepal)
National Association of PSHA in Nepal (Nepal)
Nava Kirau Plus (Nepal)
Fiji Network for PLHIV (Fiji)
IGAI Hope – Network for PLHIV (Papua New Guinea)
Chow Sce let (Mynamar)
RameiBeejn (India)
HIV/AIDS Alliance (China)
RamirAhbab (Philippines)
- Sisters (Thailand)
KasalBhardoaj (India)
FRA WCIWH (India)
Nava Kivar Plus (Nepal)
Niraj Singh (Fiji Island)
Zula (UNFPA, Mongolia)
APNSW, Malaysia
APNSW, Japan
YAP UNFPA, Thiland
NFWLHA, Nepal
Grassrooted (Sri Lanka)
ITPC (Thailand)
Scarlet Alliance, Australian Sex Worker Association
APTN (Malaysia)
Garldon Youth Community (India)
Jason Mikkell (Fiji)
Rani Railatikau (Fiji)
Simon Kanger Forde (New Zealand)
Jason Lee (Australia)
Jun Hui Lee (Korea)
Yeon Kim (Korea)
Ariel Herrera (USA)
Shy AmalDutta (Bangladesh)
Shin-ae Care (Korea)