It is not surprising that the [him] moderator disagrees with the Anglican Archbishop of Myanmar.
He says the virus is not yet widespread among drug users. This is wrong. How widespread does it have to be to attract his notice?
And he thinks "just by making people more aware of the dangers of AIDS, they have the opportunity to make a significant impact". Loyal [him] readers know that awareness is just the first step to behaviour change and creating an environment for change.
The final quote is all right if tackling the issue leads to real change.
[him] moderator
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Aids Awareness in Myanmar [Burma]
AIDS is a problem throughout Myanmar [Burma]. 242,000 people are living there with HIV; with
only a small proportion receiving treatment, many go on to develop AIDS. AIDS is devastating
families and communities by taking away loved ones and income earners.
The USPG project is to support the Dioceses of Mandalay, Hpa-an and Myitkyina which have set
up AIDS awareness projects. They are targeting drug users, as although injecting drugs is
common, the virus is not yet widespread amongst users, so just by making people more aware of
the dangers of AIDS, they have the opportunity to make a significant impact.
The dioceses are also working in busy commercial centres in Myanmar where it is known that
HIV-positive people come on business.
USPG has been working in partnership with the Church in Myanmar since 1853 although all
foreign missionaries were forced to leave the country in 1966. Today there are about 42,000
Anglicans, about 4% of the population. They, like us, are divided
into parishes and dioceses. We would be supporting the work in
the three Dioceses.
‘The AIDS epidemic is one of the most serious issues that we need
to tackle, hand-in-hand within communities regardless of people’s
religious, social or political differences.’ The Most Revd Stephen
Than Myint Oo, Archbishop of Myanmar
http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=http://www.abbotslangley.org.uk/uploads/downloads/USPG%2520Projects.pdf&ct=ga&cad=:s7:f1:v1:d2:i1:ld:e0:p0:t1286685946:&cd=mdgBEURh8wQ&usg=AFQjCNHrP8tXTUWjaJFfjQ6HpCKlMz-pfg
