Concert raises AIDS awareness

Ni Komang Erviani ,  Contributor, The Jakarta Post ,  Denpasar   |  Tue, 11/25/2008 11:42 AM  |  Bali

Thousands of people -- old and young -- packed the Pemuteran village soccer field in Buleleng regency Saturday evening for a free concert aimed to increase public awareness of the risk of AIDS.

The event, "Humanity Music Concert Stops HIV/AIDS", featured artists and musicians who drew crowds from outside the village, including residents of Sanggalangit, Sumberkima, Goris and Seririt, spreading a ripple of excitement through the usually quiet region.

Dewi Mekar took to the stage with a bondres performance, a traditional Balinese performing art used to spread messages, tickling the audience with witty and meaningful jokes that also sent the message of the danger of the spread of HIV.

The Balinese musicians also gave visitors information about how to prevent the virus from spreading and asked them not to discriminate against people living with HIV.

"Our target is the youth because a music campaign is more interesting and also more effective than, say, asking them to go to a seminar or counseling," event producer I Gusti Agung Bagus Mantra said.

He said the concert, supported by a number of businesspeople, the Bali AIDS Commission (KPA) and NGO Citra Usadha Indonesia foundation (YCUI), was held in the village because of an increase in the number of HIV/AIDS cases recorded in Buleleng.

In September this year, Buleleng, in which more than 500 cases and 38 deaths were recorded, was ranked second after Denpasar in terms of the number of cases.

Data from the Bali Health Agency show the island's cumulative number of reported HIV/AIDS cases had reached 2,323 with 211 deaths. In Pemuteran alone, the virus has been detected in four people.

"More people may be infected with the virus but they have not been detected because they have yet to undergo a blood test," Siti Mariani, a volunteer from YCUI in Buleleng, said.

One of the concert-goers, I Made Arya, 18, said he had got a lot of information from the concert, which also screened a documentary about a sex worker living with HIV and distributed condoms to the visitors.

"I am afraid of getting infected," he said, adding he hoped for more concerts that educated people about HIV.

Musician Joni Agung of Double T said he was proud to perform in the campaign.

Other Balinese entertainers who brought the stage alive included Bintang Band, Ed Eddy and Residivis, Ray Peni, Agung Wirasutha and comedian Lolak.