Protesters slam proposal to tag people with HIV/AIDS

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Tue, 07/31/2007 12:16 PM

Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura

At least 100 people representing non-governmental organizations, people with HIV/AIDS and health observers staged a rally at the Papua Legislative Council in Jayapura on Monday, opposing a regulation to install microchips in people with HIV/AIDS.

The protesters demanded the omission of Article 35 on health development in a draft currently being deliberated at the council.

""People with HIV/AIDS are ordinary human beings... why are they being treated like sharks which have to be monitored using microchips. Chipping people with HIV/AIDS violates human rights,"" said Esther Wanda, director of the Masirey Bible Association Foundation.

Esther said that the installation of the microchips constituted a waste of money. If the Papua provincial administration really had the money to implement such a policy, it would be better if the funds were spent comprehensively preventing the spread of the disease, she said.

""We want the article dropped as it is not humane,"" she said.

Esther said that people with HIV/AIDS were human beings who could not be eliminated and that the one that needed to be wiped out was virus. Installing microchips in such people meant that the people who had been marked could be treated arbitrarily by those who were not infected, she said.

The protesters were received by Demas Patty, head of the council's legislation committee.

""All draft regulations which contradict the upholding of human rights will be ignored because all citizens regardless of their backgrounds have to be equally treated,"" Demas said.

Demas said the draft regulation was still being discussed and that the council would later invite representatives of NGOs, people with HIV/AIDS and technical institutions to provide input.

""We consider such a demonstration as input which will be used in taking any decision. If in its discussion it is found out that regulation violates human rights, the article will be disregarded,"" he said.

""It's only the Bible which cannot be changed, while regulations can be altered in line with the public's needs,"" he said.

The number of people with HIV/AIDS in Papua continues to increase. According to data at the Papua Health Office, 1,870 people have HIV and 1,507 have developed AIDS. Out of the total 356 have already died.

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