WASHINGTON DC, 9/28/02 -- The Philadelphia ACT-UP feeder march to the Mobilization for Global Justice rally in Washington DC against IMF and World Bank policies gathered across from the Treasury Department at 15th and G Streets. As John E. from Baltimore was waiting for the march to start he said that he was at the IMF/World Bank protests because "the way the drug companies, with their interest in profits, have responded to AIDS treatment is a travesty." Marcos Bisticas-Cocoves, also from Baltimore, elaborated that "in many of the so-called developing countries, immobilizing debt" prevents governments from adequately dealing with situations like that in Botswana where 25% of the population is HIV+. Bisticas-Cocoves argued that the "neoliberal policies of the IMF and World bank increased the debt in such countries. This weakens the health care systems which in turn exacerbates the AIDS crisis." AIDS treatment costs thousands of dollars a year, but the health care budget of many developing countries is less than $1 per citizen annually. "There is something very wrong about this," said Bisticas-Cocoves.

THE MARCH

The march began with the chant "ACT-UP fight back! Fight AIDS!" "People with AIDS are under attack. What do we do? Fight back, fight back!" About 500 protesters marched slowly and closely down 15th Street to the southeast area of the park of the Washington Monument.

The chant "Stop the debt. Spank the Bank. AIDS treatment now!" made the connection to the IMF/World Bank polices. As did the banner carried by Leonard Wainstein and others from Seattle Washington. The slogan was "Debt is slavery. Break the crisis of debt!" The image was geographic and institutional. Latin America was linked with chains to Africa which was linked with chains to the IMF and World Bank which was linked with chains to six multinational corporations and banks. Wainstein, from the Pacific Northwest chapter of Jubilee, had brought the banner originally to the 1999 protests against the World Trade Organization.

THE RALLY

At the rally we talked to Paul Zeitz, a public health physician who had spent ten years in Africa fighting the AIDS crisis. According to Zeitz, who directs the Global AIDS Alliance, "the political battle is here in the United States. We already have the know-how, but we need to get the programs." He was here at this protest for global justice because "AIDS is such a clear example of global injustice." According to Zeitz, drugs could be sent to Africa, but they're not. "Why not? Because the United States government, the IMF, and World Bank block access to the drugs." As an AIDS activist, Zeitz believes that "globalization must be joined with the justice movement to get the drugs to save lives. This movement is not, as the mainstream media says, against globalization." The debt is the issue. According to Zeitz, $14.6 billion a year goes to the IMF, World Bank, and wealthy countries from the countries in Africa. "We want this money to stay in Africa to fight AIDS." Zeitz pointed out that this is not only a moral issue, but also a security issue. "There is now serious civil unrest in 10 African countries. The CIA estimates that this number could be 30 in the near future." Where do these civil wars come from? According to Zeitz, neoliberal policies have seriously damaged public infrastructures, thus increasing insecurity and unrest. "What happens to Africa ultimately happens to us," Zeitz concluded.

From the stage of the Mobilization for Global Justice, we heard John Bell of Phily ACT-UP criticize the secret meetings of the IMF and World Bank and the consequences of their policies. 40 million people live with AIDS. The big question for Bell is "whether the AIDS crisis can be turned around or whether it will engulf the entire continent of Africa." "We cannot," said Bell, "allow the IMF, World Bank, and Bush administration to make the only choices in these decisions."

Bell mentioned some horrors, like the fact that morgues in Zimbabwe are operating 24 hours a day to deal with AIDS victims lost to the world. The Bush administration can "spend $14 billion to save the airlines industry," but its policy towards the AIDS crisis is "shameful." Bell pointed out that two times the amount spent on health and education in the poor countries is spent on servicing foreign debt. "That's not greed," said Bell, "That's murder!"

John Bell, a Vietnam War veteran, concluded by saying that he "fought for his country, but today he fights against the policies of his country." The demands Bell and ACT-UP make include debt cancellation for the poorest countries, $2.5 billion from the United States government to fight the global AIDS crisis, $2 billion of which would go into a global fund for treatment, and the prioritization by the U.S. and multinational corporations of the development of generic drugs for the treatment of AIDS. "Today," Bell proclaimed, "we hold these people accountable. Act-up, fight back, fight AIDS!"