Speech

Message of Dr. Prawate Khid-arn
General Secretary, Christian Conference of Asia
to the Hindu Caucus on HIV/AIDS
June1-2, 2008, Bangalore, India

It gives me great pleasure on behalf of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) and the Asian Interfaith Network on HIV/AIDS (AINA) to express greetings to the Hindu Leaders Caucus on HIV/AIDS concern. My special thanks to His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankarjiu for giving blessing and support to this caucus. Thanks to Dr. Asavari Herwadkar, Sawami Sadyojatha, Dr. Richa Chopra and many people for their tireless work that make this caucus possible. Thanks to all colleagues of the Art of Living Foundation Ashram for the warm welcome and hospitality given to all participants.

The year 2008 marks the 27th year in the international and inter-sectoral battle against AIDS and yet the disease continues to spread unabated. The pandemic respects no geographical, ethnic, social or political divides. HIV/AIDS poses physical, psychological, social and spiritual challenges, not only for those living with it, but also to family members, care-givers, support groups and other people who come into contact with them.

Twenty-seven years have gone by, yet the HIV virus and AIDS continue to be a threat to humankind.

Twenty-seven years have gone by, yet the HIV virus and AIDS continue to be a threat to national development and social sustainability.

Twenty-seven years have gone by, yet the rights of the people living with HIV and AIDS continue to be ignored.

Twenty-seven years have gone by, yet the HIV and AIDS continue challenging religious faith and practices.

I humbly confess I don’t know much about Hindu teachings. But like other religion, I believe, Hindu strongly believes in the dignity of human life and the sanctity of human life. The way we view human beings, all beings, and all individuals, is a reflection of the ultimate reality. So everybody, every believing Hindu, or every believer of any religion, should learn to view human life as the reflection of God and the reflection of ultimate reality. In Hinduism, it is always said that one should show compassion to others, as one would want compassion shown to oneself. So it is clear, compassion for others is an important

HIV and AIDS pandemic goes beyond any boundary including religion. Fighting against HIV and AIDS is the responsibility of each and every one. I humbly encourage religious leaders and religious communities to continue to concretize faith and divine teaching in the daily struggle of the people.

The HIV/AIDS continues to be a critical test of our religious faith and practice. It is clear that HIV/AIDS is a life crisis. The struggle against this dreadful disease should be fought with a strong will, support and commitment from all societal organizations, governments and civil organizations, health organizations, business firms, religious communities, community groups along with the people living with HIV/AIDS and their families.

The causes of HIV/AIDS are rooted not merely in the health and physical sphere, but also in life styles, social perspectives and attitude and individual behavior practices. We are all living with HIV and AIDS. Because of our unchanged life style, because of our ignorance, we are also spreading HIV and AIDS.

The challenge of addressing the rising threat of the spread of HIV/AIDS is significant to all. There is a need to ensure sustained access to preventive and treatment services for all high-risk groups. The goal of prevention is best achieved through an ongoing process, open to change and flexible to adaptation.

We must recognize that in many instances there is a gap between religious teaching and practice. The main challenge is how to bridge this gap. In Hinduism, it is always said that one should show compassion to others, as one would want compassion shown to oneself. So comparison, compassion for others is an important principle of our religion.

I would like to share with you that after the 16th International AIDS Conference in 2004, representatives of various religions and faiths met in Bangkok specifically to work out a plan of action to establish an interfaith network named “Asian Interfaith Network on HIV/AIDS (AINA). Subsequently in May 2005, AINA was formally launched regionally at a meeting held in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Its objectives are:

• to encourage religious leaders and faith-based organizations to form an Asian Interfaith Network for HIV and AIDS that aims at creating a common platform for action;
• to work together with PLWHAs to build caring communities, ensuring the promotion and protection of human rights, with support from Governmental and Non-Governmental agencies, international organizations, and multi-sectoral organizations whenever necessary.

For India, Dr. Asavari has served as AINA voluntary coordinator. I am very pleased to see that this network is moving forward successfully and effectively. Through her international sharing, I have learned how much thinking and action is taking place among Hindu communities to make contribution to prevent and control the HIV/AIDS pandemic. AINA India needs your continued support.

The HIV and AIDS crisis is bringing us together here and today because we are all living with HIV and AIDS. We need to share knowledge, understanding and experience from our various communities so that our efforts become more and more effective and inclusive. Through this, we will seek to establish a new culture of co-operation, respecting the uniqueness within each one of us.

We are all here in Bangalore because we want to do something about the threat of HIV/AIDS. We have a most difficult task: to balance the individual interests of our religions with the interest of our society. Thus, we need to cooperate as a global community, as nations and people bonded in this common perilous journey. We know that we cannot act alone; instead, we can and must move forward together in the spirit of cooperation and partnership here in Bangalore and thereafter.

This is why we get together here today. We all come to this meeting with hope and with determination. May this conference be a milestone in our journey. May we leave at the end of this gathering with renewed hope and renewed determination.

Thank you.

NEW DELHI: Former U.S. President Bill Clinton has appealed to the people of India to "embrace" people living with HIV/AIDS in a bid to stop discriminating against them.
"I make a public appeal to the people of Indiato embrace people who are HIV positive, both physically and figuratively, so that no life is lost due to the stigma attached to the disease,'' he said at a function organised here on Sunday.
The function was held to announce a training programme for nurses in AIDS care and treatment through a partnership between the Clinton Foundation and the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO).
Mr. Clinton also met people living with the illness and healthcare workers at the All India Institute of Medical Science, where the function was held.
'Get rid of stigma'
He lauded the Central Government's efforts in dealing with the disease, but said a lot could still be done. "One needs to get rid of the stigma attached to HIV. The focus should be on prevention of the scourge rather than care and treatment,'' he said. "There is nothing to be ashamed of and people must come out to report the case so that they can be treated,'' he added.
Target by 2007
Mr. Clinton recalled that when he had visited India in May last on behalf of his Foundation's HIV/AIDS Initiative, the number of people undergoing treatment under the Government's free national AIDS programme had increased from 7,000 to over 26,000. Impressed with the Government's initiative, he said the target was to reach 100,000 million HIV/AIDS patients in 2007.
"Serious challenges, however, still remain, and it's estimated that over 5 million people in India are infected with HIV," he said.
The Clinton Foundation, as per an MoU signed with the Government of India in 2004, is assisting NACO to increase access to the Government's free anti-retroviral therapy administration programme.
As part of its latest initiative, the NACO will hold training programmes on HIV/AIDS treatment for nurses in Government AIDS treatment centres and faculty of nurse training institutions across India.
"Nurses are a critical link in the treatment of people living with HIV. Nurses not only impart clinical care needed to keep people alive, but also act as counsellors who reduce the myths and stigma surrounding the disease,'' Mr. Clinton said.
Anti-retroviral therapy
Speaking on the occasion, NACO Director General Sujatha Rao said NACO was able to improve its line of treatment due to huge donor support. "The target is to provide free anti-retroviral therapy to 100,000 people in the next three to four months,'' she said.
She said the Government would launch a multi-media campaign on AIDS awareness from next week.