Nearly 1,000 Indian prostitutes marched through the streets of Calcutta on Thursday condemning the terrorist attacks in the United States and offering to donate blood for the victims.
The women marched to the American Centre in the eastern city where they handed in a memorandum denouncing Tuesday's "heinous attacks" on the World Trade Centre in New York and the Pentagon.
"We have organised this procession to protest such terrorist activities, show solidarity and stand by the family members of the bereaved and the injured," the memorandum said.
The march was organised by the Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee (DMSC), a leading sex workers organisation in South Asia.
DMSC secretary Putul Singh said the prostitutes had also offered to donate blood to the victims of the tragedy.
"We are aware that the blood of sex workers would be seen to carry a high risk of infection, but the donors would all be clinically tested beforehand," Singh told AFP -- CALCUTTA, India (AFP)
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
