Catholic church concerned over spread of lethal AIDS
Catholic church concerned over spread of lethal AIDS
JAKARTA (JP): The Bishops Conference of Indonesia (KWI) has
reelected Cardinal Julius Darmaatmadja as its chief in this
week's congress, in which the Catholic leaders expressed their
concern over the spread of AIDS and drug abuse.
Darmaatmadja, whom Pope John Paul II named cardinal this
month, was reelected chief of the eight-member KWI presidium a
third time for another three years in a 11-day congress that
ended here on Thursday.
He is supported by two deputies, Darius Nggawa and Josephus
Theodorus Suwatan, respectively Bishops of Larantuka, East Nusa
Tenggara and Manado, North Sulawesi.
Martinus Dogma Situmorang, bishop of Padang, West Sumatra, was
elected secretary general and G.K. Pareira, bishop of Weetebula,
treasurer.
At the end of the congress, the church leaders issued a four-
point statement expressing concern about the widespread use of
illegal drugs and the fast spreading Human Immuno-deficiency
Virus (HIV) that causes the deadly AIDS.
"Empathy and moral responsibility has prompted the bishops to
seek as much information as possible on the soaring medical
costs, drug abuse and spread of HIV/AIDS," the statement said.
Over the past few years, the fast spreading incurable AIDS has
become a matter of concern for the government and public alike in
Indonesia.
Statistics
According to official statistics, up to July this year, 175
Indonesians tested positive for HIV while 60 others have full-
blown AIDS.
Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Azwar Anas has
acknowledged that the actual figures could be 200 times as high.
The government has formed a commission to curb AIDS.
He predicts that by the year 2000 Indonesia will have to spend
some US$81 million in medical costs for a projected 5,000 AIDS
patients.
KWI called on concerted efforts involving government officials
and the public to curb the spread of AIDS.
The statement said that widespread entertainment places which
have become part of the modern lifestyle had contribution to
people seeking partners outside of the marriage bond.
Parent-child communications are declining as more and more
parents spend their days working and children at school, it said.
"Various social and physical diseases are threatening each one
of us," it said. " Health care costs are becoming too expensive
for most of the people." (pan)