Candlelight Memorial rebuilds bridges

By Chris W. Green

JAKARTA (JP): It all started with a vision by Gary Walsh, a psychologist in San Francisco, in March 1983. The condition had recently been given a name, AIDS, but its cause had not yet been determined. Less than 500 people had died of the condition with another 700 diagnosed as infected by it, among them Gary. It was clear to activists like Gary that too little attention was being given to it. Nobody cared. Something dramatic was needed.

A candlelight march! The thought came suddenly. A stream of candles glimmering down the street. The point could be made in a peaceful, non-threatening way, one that brought out the best in people.

And so it occurred. The first Candlelight Memorial took place on May 2, 1983, with thousands taking part. The aim of that first Candlelight remains the same today: to honor the memory of those lost to AIDS and to demonstrate support for those living with AIDS.

In 1985, with numbers dying from AIDS around the world rising dramatically, the event was revived, this time internationally. It has been held every year since then. Today, it is billed as the world's largest annual grassroots AIDS event. And today, on May 16, the 16th International AIDS Candlelight Memorial and Mobilization, global since 1985, will be observed throughout Indonesia, in solidarity with similar events to be held in more than 50 other countries.

As far as we know, 1991 marked the first year that Indonesia took part, with a commemoration by a group of several organizations in Surabaya. Jakarta joined for the first time in 1993, at an event attended by more than 300 people.

In 1996, the National Coordinating Group for AIDS Mobilization in Indonesia was formed, with the aim of promoting the Candlelight and encouraging participation throughout the country. The name Malam Renungan AIDS Nusantara (Indonesian Night for AIDS Reflection) was adopted, and around 80 organizations in more than 30 towns and cities took part. In Jakarta, 33 organizations joined together in unprecedented unity to stage a moving program in Taman Ismail Marzuki, with involvement from several well-known artists. It was estimated that over 1000 people attended.

In the following two years, the security situation forced more low-key events, in 1997 because of the elections and last year due to the unrest following the Trisakti shootings. Nevertheless, the event has continued to grow, both in numbers of organizations and in numbers of towns taking part -- last year over 40, from Medan to Kupang. And for this year's event, more than 120 organizations from 70 towns are expected to take part, more than in any other country including the U.S. For the coordinating group, it is a geography lesson, locating places like Hadekewa and Wulanggitang. Again, low-key events are planned, once more as a result of security concerns.

With only 855 people identified as being infected with HIV in Indonesia, and a little over 100 known to have died of AIDS, what is the significance of the Candlelight to people here, and why has Indonesia become a leader in this commemoration?

For one answer to those questions, we can go back to the original philosophy of the event. As the international organizers note, "The Candlelight Memorial is an excellent opportunity to build coalitions and networks to connect people living with AIDS, communities disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS, communities of faith, non-governmental organizations, schools, health care professionals, business communities and others." Commemorations in Indonesia bring together all such groups.

And this philosophy is especially important this year. The sorts of challenges raised by AIDS are so easily forgotten during times of crisis -- it seems that there are many more pressing matters. The Candlelight helps to remind us of this, and to highlight the concerns of other groups of marginalized people -- sex workers, street kids, drug users, gays -- who are so often at special risk from infections like AIDS.

But this year, there is another reason: As Nafsiah Mboi puts it so clearly in letter published in The Jakarta Post on May 6, in this country so riven by inter-communal strife, the Candlelight provides the opportunity "to rebuild bridges broken by rumor, fear and violence", and commit ourselves "to stand together against ignorance, discrimination and injustice".

How can we demonstrate this commitment? The essence of the event is to light a candle. On the evening of May 16, a candle on the porch or in the front window can provide a glow that stretches far out into the night. Nafsiah, who among her many responsibilities is Special Raconteur with the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, asks us, as we take this small action, to "think of the children in strife-torn areas across the country". "If you light a candle," she requests, "do it with a child."

"Talk to the child about it. Tell him or her why you are doing it and what it means to you, what it means to the world, and what it means to those living in injustice, isolation, fear. Let the child live and take pride in an act of courage, love and solidarity."

The theme of this year's event, "Building Global Solidarity against Injustice and Fear for a World without AIDS", is especially relevant to Indonesia. Injustice and fear have been a constant thread running through the lives of so many people throughout the country. May the glow of our candles on May 16 shine through this gloom and lead us toward a better world.

The author is a writer on AIDS, and a member of the National Coordinating Group for AIDS Mobilization in Indonesia.