NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JULY 11, 1996

XI International Conference on AIDS
-- One World? One Hope?

"It's time to get serious
about human rights"

-- Peter Piot, Executive Director UNAIDS, at the Opening Ceremony of the XI International Conference on AIDS, Vancouver.

The Network of Sex Work Projects (NSWP) and the Sex Workers Alliance of Vancouver have written to the Conference co-chairs asking them to cancel a presentation about sex workers by the Department of Health of the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), the military regime of Burma.

Abstract: Th.D.460

HIV Prevention Among Commercial Sex Workers Using
Peer Education and Outreach Strategies, Myanmar
Kywe B., Nyunt Nyunt, AIDS/STD Control,
Department of Health
Thursday, July 11
D3, Room 1/2/3, VTCC, 3:30 p.m.

In April 1992, there were well-corroborated reports (Human Rights Watch/Asia, UPI April 2, 1992) that the Burmese military had executed 22 HIV-positive prostitutes being forcibly repatriated from Thailand. The NSWP protested this atrocious violation of human rights at the VIII International Conference on AIDS in Amsterdam in 1992.

Cheryl Overs of the NSWP is appalled that the XI International Conference on AIDS could be so negligent and naive as to accept a presentation from this regime. "Where does this fit with Peter Piot [the director of UNAIDS] saying 'It's time to get serious about human rights'?"

The NSWP and SWAV will also be asking delegates to express a crucial view about the connection between vulnerability to HIV/AIDS and human rights by leaving the session for the duration of this presentation.

Note to Editor

Information about Burma is available from:

Free Burma Coalition
c/o Department of
Curriculum and Instruction
225 North Mills Street
University of Wisconsin
Madison WI 53706
FreeBurma@POBox.com
glen@electromedia.com

http://199.172.178.200/
freebrma/freebrma.htm

http://sunsite.unc.edu/
freeburma/

 Canadian Friends of Burma
145 Spruce, #206
Ottawa, K1R 6P1
(613) 230-0860
(613) 563-0017 (fax)

Human Rights Watch/Asia
485 5th Ave.
New York, NY
10017-6104 USA
hrwatchnyc@igc.apc.org

Amnesty International
322 Eighth Ave.
New York, NY, 10001

 SWAV

SEX WORKERS
ALLIANCE OF
VANCOUVER

Box 3075,
Vancouver, BC
V6B 3X6

604/488-0710

swav@walnet.org

http://www.walnet.org/
csis/groups/swav/

The Sex Workers Alliance of Vancouver was founded in 1994 to fight for sex workers' rights to fair wages and working conditions that are safe, clean and healthy.

SWAV provides information about sex work as it relates to laws, sexual health, commerce and culture.

SWAV opposes any law that criminalizes work in the sex trade.

SWAV is not an agency of the government nor does it receive any government funding.

Report on XI Int. Conference on AIDS... [NSWP] [health menu] [main menu]
Created: August 4, 1996
Last modified: February 7, 1997
 SWAV Sex Workers Alliance of Vancouver
Box 3075, Vancouver, BC V6B 3X6
(604) 488-0710
Email: swav@walnet.org