Memorial to be held for AIDS carriers
Memorial to be held for AIDS carriers
JAKARTA (JP): Anti-AIDS campaigners in 29 cities in
Indonesia's 18 provinces will hold a candlelight memorial for
people with AIDS or HIV on May 19.
The same event will also be held in 300 cities in 50 other
countries as a memorial for the millions of people who have died
of the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and the Human
Immunodeficiency Virus, and for those who are still alive.
The annual International AIDS Candlelight Memorial and
Mobilization was first started in 1984, as a way to increase
public awareness of the disease, but Indonesia has only decided
to join in this year.
"It's about time Indonesia joined the drive. Raising public
awareness of the disease is not an easy undertaking," said
Nafsiah Mboi, a legislator and AIDS activist, during a press
briefing here yesterday.
The national total now stands at 390 people with HIV or AIDS:
95 with AIDS (59 of whom have died), and 295 who are HIV-
positive. Jakarta still tops the list with 137 HIV and AIDS
carriers, Irian Jaya is second with 102, Bali and East Java each
have 33 and Riau has 29.
The theme for the international memorial is "AIDS
Discrimination is a Global Endemic", whereas the local theme is
"Together to Build Hope."
An organizer of the event, Baby Jim Aditya, said the issue of
discrimination against people with AIDS may not be topical yet.
"We chose a different theme, one which is more relevant here,
because we associate 'candles' with 'hope' for people with AIDS,"
Baby told The Jakarta Post.
In Jakarta, more than 1,000 people are expected to attend the
free event at Taman Ismail Marzuki Arts Center. Jakarta's
Governor Surjadi Soedirdja is scheduled to open it at 6.30 p.m.
Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono, assistant to Coordinating
Minister for People's Welfare's Suyono Yahya and a number of
public figures will also attend the commemoration.
The participants will light candles, pray for people with HIV
and AIDS and then sing Lilin-lilin Kecil (Little Candles), a
famous song written by James F. Sundah.
A number of other activities to increase awareness of AIDS are
also planned, including poetry reading, art performances, and
painting and photographic exhibitions. Books and souvenirs will
also be sold to the public.(31)