In Memoriam: Wang Xiaoguang (王晓光)

We were saddened to hear of the untimely passing of our colleague, teacher and friend, Wang Xiaoguang, one of the founders of Yunnan Daytop in China. Yunnan Daytop is a leader in China’s efforts to provide voluntary and supportive harm reduction services to people who use drugs, and in that role Wang Xiaoguang has been a consistent advocate for drug users and for Chinese grassroots NGOs that serve them. Asia Catalyst and other international agencies frequently called on Xiaoguang for his insights and advice, and we’ll be at a real loss without him to turn to.

Our (unofficial) translation of Daytop’s obituary for him follows, along with the Chinese original text.

Asia Catalyst

 

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[NEWS] AIDS Activists Arrested, Shoved at ICAAP

Korean and international AIDS activists who participated in a peaceful protest against the Free Trade Agreement and for access to AIDS treatment at the International Conference on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) were shoved and dragged by the police while trying to prevent the arrest of AIDS lawyer Jang Seo-yeon. Two activists, including a staff person of the ICAAP Local Organizing Committee, were hospitalized. Below is the joint statement from Korean activists and supporters about the incident.

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[NEWS] AC, ANPUD, APN+ Call on ICAAP to Provide Methadone in Korea

Asia Catalyst and 25 other regional networks and organizations called this week for methadone and buprenorphine access at the International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific, to take place this month in Busan, Korea.

Lack of access to these key medications in effect creates a discriminatory barrier to participation in the congress by delegates who are people using drugs.

Please help us to circulate the letter and to raise these issues with conference conveners and the Korean government, both before and at ICAAP.

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[URGENT APPEAL] Tian Xi Expected Out from Prison

According to friends of Chinese AIDS activist Tian Xi, he is expected to complete his prison sentence and be released on August 18, 2011. His family income is quite low, and they have no way to meet his medical costs. Friends and family have issued a call for donations to the following account.

Account name:  TIAN Xi

Bank: Bank of China
Runan Branch 中国银行汝南支行

Account number: 254608370972

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[NEWS] Children of the Drug War

‘Children of the Drug War’ is a unique collection of original essays that investigates the impacts of the war on drugs on children, young people and their families.

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