Pubdate: Thu, 01 Jun 2006
Source: New York Daily News (NY)
Copyright: 2006 Daily News, L.P.
Contact:  http://www.nydailynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/295
Authors: Rich Shapiro and Paul H. B. Shin, Daily News Staff Writers
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/United+Nations
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction)

UN RAPPED ON AIDS

East Side Rally Demands Funding to Fight Scourge

Hundreds of protesters took to the streets near the United Nations 
yesterday to chastise world leaders for failing to do more to combat 
the AIDS pandemic, which has killed 25 million people.

Earlier, police arrested 21 AIDS activists after they chained 
themselves together in the lobby of a building on E. 45th St. that 
houses the U.S. Mission to the UN.

The activists carried a placard demanding the U.S. delegation to this 
week's General Assembly special session on AIDS commit to more 
funding for AIDS research and "HIV prevention based on science, not ideology."

As the eight women and 13 men were led out of the building in plastic 
cuffs, supporters outside chanted, "End AIDS now."

A handful had to be carried out.

Sean Barry, 24, of Annapolis, Md., said he felt getting the message 
out - that the Bush administration has spent over $1 billion on 
abstinence-only programs - was worth getting arrested over.

"There is no evidence they work, and there's evidence that they are 
actually harmful," Barry said.

World leaders are meeting at the UN this week to hash out new plans 
to combat AIDS, which kills 8,000 people every day worldwide.

But protesters - and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan - said the world 
has fallen far short of fulfilling the pledges made at a similar 
gathering five years ago.

"A lot of people are very, very angry at the UN for not holding up to 
their promises," said Brooklyn-born actress and AIDS activist Rosie 
Perez, who led a rally near the UN in Manhattan.

A U.S. Mission spokesman defended the U.S. contribution to fighting 
AIDS, noting the Bush administration is on track to exceed the $15 
billion pledged in 2002 to fight HIV/AIDS. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake