SAVES is not affiliated with Exit International / Dr Philip Nitschke and opposes the public availability of a 'peaceful pill'.

As you know from my earlier reports, this has been a rather busy year for me and I hope you will bear with me if I confine my annual report to SAVES to my attendance at the World Congress of the International Humanist Ethical Union held in Mumbai (Bombay) l0th-l4th January 1999.

I was invited to present a paper on the establishment of the World Federation and the growth of the Voluntary Euthanasia movement worldwide. The WF Board felt that this was a fine opportunity to speak at a world conference of an established and reputable organisation which would be likely to support our aims. It has consultative status at the UN, UNESCO and the Council of Europe which are areas in which our Development Officer (yet to be appointed) will carry out research and promote VE on our behalf.

I went to Mumbai very uncertain if I could make any impact but left content with what I had achieved. The experience was uplifting and challenging, and one I would not have missed despite my appre- hension beforehand.

I was afforded warm hospitality by the President of the VES of India, Dr Buji Collabawalla and his gracious wife Maryoo. The Treasurer of the Society, Feroze Patch, put his car and driver at my disposal for the first two days prior to the start of the Congress. That gave me a feeling of security and of being part of a "family" since I was on my own in a very different culture and a long way from home.

Buji had arranged an interview with the Deputy Editor of the Times of India, Vithal Nadkarni. We recorded the interview for about 2 hours. He showed a keen interest and support for the legalisation of VE. He said I had given him an abundance of material and he did not know which to choose for the article. I suggested it may need a series and he replied he thought it needed a book. I urged him to seriously consider that because there is, as far as I know, no material on the subject from the Indian perspective.

The article complete with my photograph was on page 3 of the Times on the first day of the Congress. Someone had put it on the noticeboard and so everyone knew me even though they didn't know many others. I was overwhelmed by the handshakes and support, which continued all week. I had to forgo some parts of the sessions as people wished to talk or record an interview. I was glad to do that because that was why I had gone all that way. I spent most of the time talking with Indians, mainly men, from all over India. There were also people from Nepal, Tibet, Europe, UK and USA and one representative each from Uganda, Costa Rica and Argentina. All supported our aims and this was well borne out during the Resolutions session on the last day. It is interesting that four days after my article there was another with the heading "Deal with mercy killing with an open mind: MP" It was a report from Lucknow about Rajya Sabha, member and former high commissioner "exhorting" a gathering of professionals at the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences.

Since I was only a guest, I was hesitant about putting in a resolution. To my delight it was accepted and I asked a delegate from the UK to present it on my behalf, which he did. I had to leave while the debate was in progress but my resolution was passed by 200 votes to 10. It read:

"That the l4th World Congress of the IHEU supports a change to the law in every country. This law would allow a competent person who is incurably ill and suffering, to ask a willing doctor to assist them to die quickly and peacefully"

What this means for the World Federation and for all of us is that this influential body has an official policy in support of voluntary euthanasia and, as I understand it, any IHEU representative must oppose those in the UN etc condemning voluntary euthanasia or seeking support for it to be banned.

During my talk at the plenary session I pointed out that a number of our member societies were started by a local Humanist Society and urged local groups to consider getting one started in their own area. There's good reason for us to live in hope.