PHA-Exchange> Global Events around Feb 26th 2005, The Global Day of Action against the Indian Patents Amendment

[Prasanna Saligram]

Dear Friends, 

 

Greetings from the Global Campaign Against Indian Patents Amendment (GCAIPA)!

 

On Feb 26th 2005, we had given a "Global Call" against the Present form of Patents Amendment brought out by the Indian Government through a Presidential Ordinance (decree). We are very happy to say that globally there have been tremendous response and Solidarity from United States of America to Burkina Faso. This is a sort of a compilation of all the events that we have come to know of as on 10.03.2005 and there might have been many more as we have been receiving daily some more actions that have happened. 

 

People could use this piece of information in lobbying /advocacy efforts at their ends.  We thank all the people who have worked towards making this a successful campaign.

 

At the Global Level: 

 

1.      The International Humanitarian Organisation Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors without Borders) sends out a letter to the President of India, the Prime Minister of India and Ms. Sonia Gandhi opposing the Amendments. They have also released it to the Indian Media

2.      Geneva: NGO Forum for Health sends a letter to the Indian Government through the Ambassador of India at the UN opposing the Amendments

3.      Germany: 

a.       BUKO Pharma Campaign sent out protest letters to the various ministers and the Indian Embassy in Germany. 

b.      German network against AIDS (where all major NGOs in Germany are part of) sent a fax to the Indian Embassy in Germany

4.      Morocco: The Coalition for the Right to Care and Access to Medication in Marrakech, Morocco, issued a press release condemning the Amendments and also sent an open letter from an HIV/AIDS patient to the Indian Ambassador to Morocco

5.      Burkina Faso: There was a rally taken out in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso by people with AIDS who use Triomune a lot and some of the slogans were "Génériques toujours !" = "generics forever !" "Inde : sauveur hier, criminel aujourd'hui" = "India : saviour yesterday, criminal today"

6.      United States of America: The Association for India's Development, Insaaf, Global AIDS Alliance and such other organizations organized a rally in front of the Indian Embassy in Washington. Some of the individual chapters of these organizations are also sending out press notes to the Indian media. 

7.      France: Act-up Paris, ATTAC and Solidarite Sida organized a protest Rally in front of the Indian Embassy in Paris. 

8.      South Afica: Treatment Action Campaign in South Africa picketed against the Patents Amendment and submitted a memorandum addressed to the President and Prime Minister of India. 

9.      South Korea: A group in Korea, People's Health coalition for equitable society and Human Right Advocacy Group NANURI+ in response to the Global Call submitted a memorandum to the Indian Ambassador. 

10.  UNAIDS: UNAIDS, a Geneva based Joint UN Program against HIV / AIDS, has written a letter to the Commerce Minister urging him to make use of the flexibilities offered within TRIPS and modify the Bill accordingly. 

 

At India level (not necessarily on 26th but some in the build up to the 26th and beyond as well):

  1.. 21st Jan 2005 - A Patents Convention was held in Chennai 
  2.. 9th Feb 2005 - A workshop was held on the Indian Patents Amendment with other Trade Unions by AMTC India in Mumbai 
  3.. 12th Feb 2005 - A City Meeting was held at Hyderabad against the Indian Patents Amendment 
4.      13th Feb 2005 - At a meeting held in Mumbai, of the Western Regional Organisations supported by AID India , the Indian Patents Amendment issue was taken up for debate.

  5.. 15th Feb 2005 - A Workshop was held in Kolkata against the Patents Amendment 
  6.. 19th Feb 2005 - A Patents Convention was held in Pune 
  7.. 20th Feb 2005 - A Patents Convention was held by FMRAI in Mumbai 
  8.. 21st Feb 2005 - A workshop with the Health Care workers held in Bangalore and as a follow up now a workshop is going to be held separately at St. John's Medical College and NIMHANS 
  9.. 21st Feb 2005 - Dharwad: Dr. Gopal Dabade and others from Drug Action Forum Karnataka met the 2 Members of Parliament from Dharwad and detailed them about the issue and the MPs have promised to look into it and raise questions on what the Health Ministry has replied to the letter from WHO 
  10.. 21st Feb 2005 : Dharwad: The group in Dharwad decides to form a study circle on the issue with many legal people also joining in to give legal opinion and offering to redraft the legislation and submit it to the Government. A follow up meeting is planned for March 13, 2005. 
  11.. 21st Feb 2005 - Bangalore: Bangalore North MP Mr. Sangliana contacted and handed over information. The MP after reading the material calls back for a second meeting to understand what questions could be raised on the issue 
  12.. 24th Feb 2005 - Complete information passed on to Shri Ananth Kumar, Bangalore South MP 
  13.. 25th Feb 2005 - A Protest Convention was held in Pune one day before the Global Call
On 26th Feb 2005

 

  14.. Delhi: A huge protest Rally happened on the streets of Delhi on 26th Feb, 2005 and there was a lot of media coverage of the event as well. People as far as from Kerala traveled to Delhi to participate in the event 
  15.. Mumbai: A Dharna was organized at Azad Maidan on 26th Feb, 2005 and it was very well attended. As a follow-up to the protest a coordination committee has been evolved to chalk out future strategies. 
  16.. Bangalore: A Dharna was held at the MG Statue on MG Road on 26th Feb 2005. It was followed by a memorandum submitted to the Governor by the group. 
  17.. Bangalore: An 18 Minute program was recorded and aired on 26th Feb 2005 by the All India Radio, Bangalore. Prasanna of People's Health Movement and AID India talked about the issue and mentioned about the Global Day of Action. 
  18.. Kolkata: Opposition to the Amendments by means of a Press Conference was organized by SAATHI and other groups in Kolkata on Feb 26, 2005. 
  19.. Chennai: A protest march was held in Chennai to coincide with the Global Day of Action 
  20.. Hyderabad: A Protest Rally was organized at Indira Park Entrance near Secretariat on 26 Feb, 2005 and a memorandum sent to Shri Kamal Nath 
  21.. Dharwad: A protest Rally was organized on 26th Feb, 2005 under the Leadership of Drug Action Forum Karnataka and a signed memorandum was submitted to the Deputy Commissioner on that day. 
  22.. Panjim, Goa: A protest Rally was organized in Panjim followed by a memorandum to the Governor on 26th Feb 2005 
  23.. Thirupati, Andhra Pradesh: A protest Rally was organized in Tirupati, AP on Feb 26, 2005 
  24.. Kerala: A massive mobilization happened on this issue and some of them traveled all the way to Delhi to participate in the rally 
  25.. Bangalore: A Memorandum was submitted to the Governor on 28th Feb 2005 by the Human Rights Forum for Dalit Liberation (HRFDL). The Governor gave a patient hearing to the plea by the group and also informed that he was a member of the Second People's Commission to look into the Amendment and he was with us in this struggle and promised to forward the memorandum to the Government but expressed his constitutional inability to do anything more. 
  26.. Bangalore: A Radio debate on the issue is slated for Recording on 05.03.2005 by All India Radio, Bangalore. This would be aired on the state hookup so that all the stations in Karnataka would relay this. 
 

 

Note: This compilation still fails to capture the sort of actions that have taken place against this bill. We hope to capture that in a limited way at the website www.gcaipa.org so pls. keep visiting the website as often as possible. It also has the limitation of having been compiled from the information available with the compilers. Any organization's / city's efforts which are not acknowledged here may pls. be brought to the notice of Prasanna by email to prasanna_aid at yahoo.com or Gopakumar at amtc_india at yahoo.co.in 

 

 

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