Activists urge law to curb fast spreading HIV in Indonesia

Fitri Wulandari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Alarmed by the rapid spread of HIV and AIDS, activists proposed on Wednesday that Indonesia make a law to help curb it.

The law would deal with monitoring the epidemic, establishment of various standards (related to condoms, HIV testing and blood transfusions), intervention and programs (including harm reduction), and protection of HIV/AIDS victims from discrimination.

"An AIDS law is indeed necessary. However, let's make sure that it is useful and does not create new problems," Suriadi Gunawan, chairman of the Indonesia AIDS Care Society, said at a seminar on AIDS.

AIDS activists have been inspired by legislation in Canada, the United States and the Philippines.

The Ministry of Health has reported that as of September 2001, there were 635 cases of AIDS and 1,678 of HIV. AIDS activists, however, estimate that the actual number stands at 80,000 to 120,000, and is increasing.

Suriadi said that at present, discrimination against people with HIV/AIDS was widespread, especially in the workplace, and they had no legal protection.

President of the Indonesian Healthy Life Movement Institute (LAHSI) M. Nasser said that the increasing incidence of HIV/AIDS in Indonesia could allow "criminal transmission" of the virus.

"Deliberately transmitting HIV should be treated as a crime because it poses a health risk to society," Nasser said. "Therefore a law is needed to deal with such a crime."

A person who intentionally transmits HIV can be charged under the law. In Canada, the U.S and the Philippines, which have AIDS laws, such an act can be prosecuted under their criminal codes.

Nasser said he had never personally dealt with such a criminal act but had heard of two incidents.

Nasser said that the law should also respect human rights. For example, the law should make it clear that the result of an HIV test must be kept strictly confidential.

"What happens now is that the identity of many people tested HIV positive is made public and they are then subject to discrimination," Nasser said.

Nasser suggested that if the making of law on AIDS was not possible at present, strategies on preventing it ought to be incorporated into health law.