AMTC press conference in Calcutta: March 1, 2005

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends

This is a note on a press conference called today by SAATHII, Lawyers

Collective, BNP+, SPARSHA and AMTC at the Calcutta Press Club today. The

conference had been called to register a strong opposition through the media

against the Patents Amendment Ordinance 2004.

The conference marked the start of a more concerted mass media-based campaign in

Calcutta to protest the contents of the Ordinance and the non-transparent

amendment process.

The conference was addressed by Mr. Apurba Ghose from West Bengal Voluntary

Blood Donors Forum, Mr. Bappaditya Mukherjee - SAATHII / AMTC volunteer and Mr.

Pawan Dhall from SAATHII. While Mr. Mukherjee and Mr. Dhall pointed out the

problem areas with the Ordinance - essentially the TRIPS-Plus provisions, names

of several life saving drugs that are likely to be impacted in the immediate run

and the non-transparent amendment process, Mr. Ghose focussed on how the

campaign against the Ordinance should be taken forward. He suggested approaching

political leaders and urging them to present the general public's opposition to

the Ordinance in the Parliament. He said all NGOs should send in letters of

protest to the political parties on their letterheads. Mr. Mukherjee added that

Lawyers Collective was already conducting a signature campaign and perhaps NGOs

in West Bengal could carry out a similar campaign.

Mr. Samir Biswas from BNP+ spoke on behalf of PLWHA, urging all PLWHA

individuals and networks to strongly protest against the Ordinance. Earlier Mr.

Dhall had pointed out how the Ordinance stood to reverse the gains made in

pricing of ARV drugs in India, and why it was crucial for all AIDS service

providers to oppose the Ordinance.

The conference organisers had earlier invited some political leaders but it was

not certain if any of them would be able to attend. It was therefore a pleasant

surprise when Ms. Shyamali Gupta, a member of the Central Committee and

Politburo of the CPI (M) arrived and addressed the conference. She promised the

conference organisers all support on behalf of the CPI (M), and said that

opposing the Ordinance was very much on her party's agenda in the interest of

the general public. Ms. Gupta also mentioned that she was the West Bengal State

Secretary of Ganatantrik Mahila Samiti, a women's organiszation affiliated to

the CPI (M). She was particularly concerned about how the Ordinance would affect

drugs crucial to women's health.

Ms. Gupta also highlighted the impact the new patents law would have on Indian

firms' ability to export inexpensive generic drugs to other developing

countries.

The conference was attended by several NGOs and PLWHA networks. Apart from

SPARSHA, KNP+, En-Joy and SAATHII representatives, there were representatives

also from West Bengal Voluntary Blood Donors Association, Drugs Action Forum,

FXB India Society, Gana Unnayan Parishad and MANAS Bangla network.

Among the media agencies present were Bangla Ekhon, ZEE News, Ek Nazar, Indian

Express, Sambad Ghare Baire, Bisesh Khabar and Prantabhumi.

SAATHII, in partnership with Lawyers Collective and AMTC, will soon be calling a

larger meeting of all health and human rights NGOs to deliberate on how the

campaign can be taken further. Apart from other means, the meeting details will

be conveyed also through the e-forums to which this note has been sent to.

With best wishes

Pawan Dhall

SAATHII

E-mail: <pawan30@...>