More than two dozen ecumenical bodies on six continents have written to South African officials to call for an investigation after police used rubber bullets, batons and tear gas to disperse a peaceful demonstration by Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) activists in Queenstown, Eastern Cape, on 12 July. Fifty-four people were injured in the attack.

The demonstrators were calling on government to accelerate the roll-out of its antiretroviral treatment programme in the province. Many of the demonstrators were people living with HIV.

In a letter addressed to the Ministers of Safety and Security and Health, the Premiere of the Eastern Cape and the provincial MEC for Health, the organisations said the demonstrators "were taking action on behalf of their whole community and in defence of their human right to have access to health services."

"We join them in calling for full care, support and treatment access for all HIV positive people and we deplore this use of violence which we consider to be unjustifiable, unethical and immoral," they continued.

The organisations have asked that members of the South African Police Services be "trained in good practice for policing demonstrations and have urged that "appropriate disciplinary action" to be taken against those responsible for the attack.

They have also called for a formal apology to be issued to the demonstrators and for government to heed TAC's demands.

"As people of faith, we believe that everyone is created in the image of God and we understand that the recognition of and respect for the dignity of each person is the starting point for living out the love of Christ in the world. All churches are living with or affected by HIV and AIDS. We stand in solidarity with all those around the world living with HIV and AIDS and we call for increasing access to treatment for people living with HIV and AIDS."

The letter was co-ordinated by the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance and signed by the World Council of Churches, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, the Lutheran World Federation and the South African Council of Churches, as well as by ecumenical agencies in Ecuador, Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia, Malaysia, India, Argentina, Norway, Spain, Uganda, the Netherlands, Kenya, Belgium, Indonesia, Canada and Brazil. It will be presented to officials today by the Eastern Cape Council of Churches as part of a march to the Queenstown police station and hospital.

For more information: Rev. Teboho Klaas (082 412 2960)