The Associated Press - August 9, 1999
Norma Love - Associated Press Writer

The activists from ACT-UP have been protesting U.S. trade policies toward South Africa at Gore events for months. They say administration policies increase the difficulty in getting affordable AIDS drugs to people who need them in South Africa.

"Gore's greed kills," they chanted each time Gore attempted to address about 100 voters Sunday. "AIDS drugs for Africa."

"Let's hear it for free speech!" Gore said above the din. "I'd like to talk to you about the risky Republican tax scheme."

But the activists interrupted.

"What about the future of Africa," shouted one man while blowing a whistle.

Gore then offered to meet with them later. "I'll be glad to talk to you all after the event if you want to have a conversation," he said.

One woman stood and dumped what looked like pills on the floor. Others shouted for him to answer questions about U.S. AIDS policies. Each was escorted out of the building, but no one was arrested.

The crowd then shouted down the activists, cheering when Gore resumed speaking.

"I have asked repeatedly to talk to these people," Gore said. "They don't want to talk. I'm proud the United States of America is doing more than any nation in the fight against AIDS."

The United States wants South Africa to amend a 1997 law that grants the South African government unspecified power to obtain cheaper, generic AIDS drugs for the country where more than 3 million people are HIV positive. South Africa wants to import AIDS medicines from countries where they are sold more cheaply under patent agreements, or license production within South Africa.

About 40 pharmaceutical companies worldwide are challenging the law in South African courts, fearing it may be used in a way that violates patent rights.

In a letter in June to the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, Gore said he does not oppose South Africa's attempts to produce or obtain generic AIDS medicines as long as those efforts do not violate laws protecting patents.

Gore said he was trying to resolve the dispute with then-Vice President Thabo Mbeki, who is now South Africa's president. Mbeki and Gore co-chair a commission on U.S.-South African relations.

Gore was the guest of honor at the Belknap County Democrats' picnic in Laconia and then the Merrimack County Democrats pig roast at a Hopkinton home. Nine AIDS activists confronted Gore inside St. James Episcopal Church in Laconia, where the picnic was moved due to rain. The group followed him to Hopkinton, but was not allowed onto the grounds. The protesters chanted and handed out leaflets to passersby.

ACT-UP member Eric Sawyer, one of those escorted from the building, said millions of African lives are at stake.

"It's a catastrophe," he said. "If this happened in Europe, the U.S. would be funneling billions of dollars to help European countries stop the epidemic. Instead, the U.S. government, led by Al Gore, is actually fighting South Africa's effort to save the lives of its own citizens." Sawyer said South Africans can't afford the cost of the expensive, name-brand AIDS drugs and delays in making cheaper generic drugs available is costing lives.

Afterwards, Gore's vice presidential office sent 18 pages of quotes and news stories defending Gore's policy and quoting officials as saying he is not blocking any drug policies.

"This is a situation where their emotions are overriding the actual facts of the case," Gore spokesman Chris Lehane told reporters. "The vice president is leading the effort to help South Africa fight AIDS. The vice president stopped an effort by some U.S. drug companies who wanted the U.S. to impose sanctions on South Africa."

Last month, Gore outlined a $100 million initiative to fight AIDS in Africa. The spending proposals included $48 million for AIDS education, counseling and testing. That involved a Defense Department program to train African militaries how to provide AIDS prevention training.

The remaining funds would be targeted at home- and community-based care, caring for children orphaned by AIDS and helping other countries build infrastructure to confront the spread of AIDS.
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