Re: Narmada Controversy and AIDS

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum,

I understand that all of us here at the forum are bound by some

amount of commitment to alleviate the pain of human beings. I also

understand that we need to focus on the tasks ahead of us, and

HIV/AIDS related issues are our focus of attention. We aim an HIV

free world through various angles with acute specialization and

expertise that let us forget the world itself.

If we dare to take a break from looking through the microscope and

look around the world, we may save our feet from the worms that

creep in to suck profit out of our blood stream and all the efforts

that we do collectively.

20 days have past since Medha Patker and Jamsing Nargave started

their indefinite fast demanding the project affected people's rights

to secure a fare deal before throwing themselves on a poverty

vaccination trial. I greet them for their indomitable spirit in

fighting for the rights of families face the threat of submergence

without rehabilitation.

We talk of a struggle to arrest the spread of HIV and secure the

rights and lives of an estimated 5.1 million who live with HIV and

more affected by the pandemic. We talk about patent act that would

allow pharmaceutical products to get patent and deprive people

living with HIV to affordable medicines. We too realize that the

lives of people are no more important before profit of a few. Is our

fight different from that of the survivors of Bhopal tragedy

demanding supply of safe drinking water to the community living in

the vicinity of union carbide factory? Is that HIV/AIDS advocacy

inherent with discrimination against on going peoples' struggle in

India?

Even after 20 days of their fasting, if the mighty continue unmoved

with their decision to flood the people of Narmada Valley out of

their home without rehabilitation, can we anymore remain with our

own isolated struggle. Is it not people's lives? Are we not part of

this struggle? Are there no parallels that we need to extend our

solidarity? Is it not necessary that we dare to condemn the

government's apathy towards people who demand their basics needs and

right to survive?

I agree with Pawan Dhall that there is a need to have database on

Sardar Sarovar Project oustees or other Project Affected People and

as he said rightly that such a database should inform the advocacy

policies of service providers, including NACO. That is, indeed

advocacy with other arms of the government on their development

policies.

There are controversies be it preventive vaccine initiative verses

therapeutic OR Modi verses Medha, somewhere we need to take sides

and place our focus on people before profit.

E-mail: <awaazdho@...>