Crux of condom quandary
Crux of condom quandary
Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome is not only the most-
feared demon in the modern world, but also a devil standing
between the state and religious scholars. Debates about the
distribution of condoms as a means to stop the spread of AIDS are
in full swing.
The Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI), which opposes the
campaign conducted in red-light districts, has again seized
public attention after its chairman, KH Hasan Basri, declared
this week that he not only opposes the distribution of the
contraceptive devises in bordellos, but also wants them to be
confined to drugstores and sold only to couples who can prove
they are married and have a physician's prescription.
Earlier, the scholarly council made it clear that its anti-
condom campaign was based on moral considerations. The Moslem
theologians believe that supplying condoms in brothels endorses
prostitution and gives legal support to extramarital relations.
Several experts, on the other hand, have voiced support for a
condom distribution campaign limited to places like red-light
districts, as an effective way to fight the spread of AIDS. They
claim if a prostitute's client refuses to wear a condom, the
outcome will be worse than the ulema's worry of moral
degradation.
Kartono Mohamad, the vice chairman of the AIDS Foundation,
believes that if men cannot resist the temptation of the flesh
trade, they should use condoms as a precaution. He argues that
religious leaders' sermons aren't as practical as condoms in
stopping the spread of AIDS.
Moslem theologians' arguments are based on religious teachings
which do not only oppose adultery but also condemn followers for
even getting near extramarital sex. They argue it is an evil road
which will destroy the very foundation of the family and work
against the interest of children yet to be born.
Their philosophy aside, the MUI's idea of limiting the sale of
condoms to married couples will be hard to execute even if it
gets a strong legal basis. It's a naked reality that supervision
is the weakest point of Indonesian law enforcement as well as
Indonesian bureaucracy. Furthermore, many doctors are not
entirely disciplined when it comes to the moral side of life.
The condom distribution debate is even more complex because
experts have stated that the contraceptive does not guarantee the
prevention of venereal disease, much less the incurable HIV and
AIDS. The State Minister of Population and chairman of the
National Family Planning Board, Haryono Suyono, shares this view.
He said that the board is not campaigning for condoms but prefers
to use a more positive attack by promoting its "Love Your Family"
idea.
The MUI must recognize that the condom campaign is a direct
result of the government's program entitled "localization of
prostitution". The project aims to prevent prostitutes from
selling their services on the streets by placing them in brothels
where they can be supervised and trained to take up respectable
jobs in the future.
Few of them, however, actually acquire skills. Many young
women, on the contrary, have been ushered into the "localized"
brothels through the services of money-hungry pimps in full view
of the authorities. These young women, who were born after the
"localization" campaign was thought up, have become the new
victims of a vicious system.
The counsel of ulemas should remind the government that
seduction is more dangerous than even rape, because victims of
seduction become involved in prostitution.