AIDS Treatment News #159, September 18, 1992
Dave Gilden

"The Conference still didn't 'get it.' Organizers don't understand why people with HIV are central to the fight, and we remain in a ghetto, never fully integrated," observed Arawn Eibhlyn of ACT UP/San Francisco.

Moreover, Eibhlyn, noted, "Every year, we get together and whine and complain. There's never a mechanism for an ongoing effort. It will really be a drag to have the same meeting in Berlin as we had in Amsterdam, Florence and San Francisco."

Perhaps because of the liberal atmosphere, though, international grassroots networks sprung up at the conference as never before. They especially aim at making future international sessions more useful to people looking for treatment information that they can take home and use immediately.

Here are four examples of the way activists around the world are connecting up:

* A pre-existing "Global Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS" was reorganized and reinvigorated, reports Cindy Robins of Toronto, who is president of the network's new management committee.

After a tumultuous session with the steering committee for next year's conference, in which 100 demonstrators barged into the steering committee's meeting during the Amsterdam conference, the global network is trying to arrange a more central position for people directly affected by the epidemic. In addition, the network is planning another in its yearly series of international conferences by and for people living with HIV/AIDS. Next year's event will take place in Acapulco, Mexico in September.

Past such conferences have been criticized for their haphazard organization; also, they have had few participants from the U. S. Acapulco promises to be different on both counts.

The Global Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS is in the process of obtaining a central coordinating address. In the meantime, its U. S. representative, Peter Uitdenbosch, can be reached at: 813/922-9286. The address of the local organizing committee for the Acapulco conference is: Sixth International Conference for People Living with HIV/AIDS, Queretaro no. 219-H, Col. Roma, Mexico, DF 06700.

* Women have felt a lack of visibility even at past international meetings of people with AIDS. Before the official Amsterdam conference, an international pre- conference of 59 women meeting over four days discussed women's particular needs as the epidemic continues. A new network, the "International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS," grew out of that meeting.

"There never has been an international organization of women, but our issues won't be addressed if we don't link up. The compassion and commitment [at the preconference] was incredible. This will be a great resource for women," said Sharon Lund, the network's West Coast representative.

Besides trying to send material aid directly to HIV-positive women in poorer countries, the network will function as an information exchange on treatment as well as reproductive, family and psychosocial issues. It will also set up women's gatherings before future international AIDS conferences.

The International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS can be contacted by leaving a message for Sharon Lund in Los Angeles (213/624-3448) or Wendi Modeste in Syracuse, NY (315/472-6955).

* The above women's group is particularly interested in traditional and alternative therapies because they are treatment strategies women around the world can apply "right now." Many of the traditional herbal pharmacopeias are largely the work of women, and women also function as the planet's chief dieticians and nutritionists.

To ensure that basic therapeutic information is disseminated, the Center for Natural and Traditional Medicine in Washington, D. C. (as well as other groups) pressured international AIDS conferences to include a "fifth track" on alternative medicine. Although that effort has not been successful, the Center has obtained permission to organize an alternative medicine caucus within the International AIDS Society, the annual conferences' official sponsor. The caucus will give proponents of alternative, low-tech medical strategies more input into conference decisions, helping to ensure that the IAS faithfully keeps its promise to incorporate more alternative medicine presentations in all the present conference tracks.

"The participation this year of people from developing countries, women and AIDS activists made for a turning point. Scientists now realize that every medical idea at least has to be considered," said Kaiya Montaocean, co-director of the Center.

The caucus is just establishing itself on a regional and democratic basis. It seeks participation from medical doctors, alternative health practitioners, people with AIDS, activists, social scientists, legal experts, and others. Those wishing more information can contact Montaocean at the CNTM, PO Box 21735, Washington, D. C. 20009 (telephone: 202/234-9632).

With partners in four Third World countries, the Center has also applied to the World Health Organization for funding to found the "Healing Roots Network" which would connect traditional medicine groups in an anti-AIDS information and training exchange.

* Finally, here is an idea for a meta-network from ACT UP/New York. It is meant to link existing networks together and was presented at the official "global town meeting" that took place at the Amsterdam conference.

According to Eric Sawyer of ACT UP/New York, the concept is to contact existing AIDS networks and hook them together through a fax and electronic mail system. HIVNET, a computer bulletin board based in Amsterdam, is coordinating the European component of this effort.

Such a system would be comparable to the PEACENET computer network that has joined together a range of peace and environmental activists for some years. The hi-tech nature of the proposed global HIV network will allow for quick and close coordination between distant groups when campaigning around specific points. In particular, Sawyer mentioned all the concerns raised about the Berlin conference.

To join the mailing list or contribute ideas, contact Eric Sawyer (attn.: Global Network Committee) at 135 W. 29th St., tenth floor, New York, NY 10003 (telephone: 212/564-2437).

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