AIDS in Irian Jaya<\/p>\n
Congratulations on your fine and accurate reporting on the
\nHIV\/AIDS situation faced by the community at Merauke, Irian Jaya
\n(The Jakarta Post, Dec. 14, 1994\/Features).<\/p>\n
However, to avoid another kind of scapegoating Yayasan Mitra
\nIndonesia feels it necessary to comment on two allegations
\nreported to be made by our team members while working there. The
\ntwo stories, (1) that \"(people) put (news)papers on bus seats (to
\navoid contracting AIDS by casual contact)\" and (2) that \"the
\n(Thai) fishermen are former criminals (with disproportionately
\nhigh rates of HIV infection) who provide cheap labor for the Thai
\nfishing companies\", have been around for some time and were told
\nby the locals to our team members.<\/p>\n
Had your correspondent interviewed the local people instead of
\nour team members, she would have heard the same stories told.
\nTherefore, we are not the origin of the stories, nor are we
\naccountable for the accuracy of those allegations.<\/p>\n
Not reported in your article, however, is another allegation
\nthat has been around for some time, and is much more
\ndisconcerting. It has been said that some women of the indigenous
\ntribe around Merauke--who were not prostitutes by
\nprofession--often boarded the Thai ships to exchange sex for
\nmoney. It has been said that the local health authorities did not
\nhave the means to access these people. They could only access the
\nprofessional prostitutes--who were transmigrants from Java and
\nother islands--who resided in the local officially designated
\nprostitution area.<\/p>\n
Currently, a local indigenous non-governmental organization
\n(NGO) is very much concerned about this situation. Should HIV
\nenter this community, and no prompt actions taken, it could cause
\nmajor devastation, the magnitude of which is comparable to the
\none suffered by this same tribe during the 1910s when a
\nconsiderable segment of its population was wiped out by venereal
\ndisease. At this time the leaders of the said NGO are preparing
\nto launch an educational campaign among the people of this tribe,
\nand we at Mitra Indonesia are committed to help them. The
\neducational material will take into account the cultural habits
\nof the tribe, and condom use will probably comprise its main
\nmessage.<\/p>\n
Hopefully your fine article will enlighten the government and
\nother parties on the seriousness of the HIV\/AIDS threat faced by
\nthe local community--especially the local indigenous tribe.<\/p>\n
Hopefully they will take appropriate, prompt, and adequate
\nactions to eliminate the threat completely.<\/p>\n
HUDOYO HUPUDIO<\/p>\n
Director<\/p>\n
Yayasan Mitra Indonesia<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/aids-in-irian-jaya-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }