Here is another of the articles from the Thai National AIDS Seminar.
Can you imagine Myanmar officials refusing permission for Thais to travel attend a national AIDS seminar? On the other hand, there is no Myanmar National AIDS Seminar.
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No entry: District office denies Burmese community workers right to participate in National AIDS Seminar
“Burma Spotlight” – Reporting from the Thai National AIDS Seminar Bangkok, 29-31 March 2011
Wisa S
The tagline for this year’s National AIDS Seminar in Thailand is “AIDS rights are human rights. Join to protect and respond”.
Two women of Burmese origin who both have been living and working in Thailand for over ten years are doing exactly that: protecting those most vulnerable and disadvantaged in our society, women and children, by responding to their HIV- and other health-related needs.
These two incredibly dedicated young community workers are members of a Thailand-based non-profit organization that directly supports over 300 migrant women and children from Burma affected by HIV and AIDS, and indirectly benefits a population of over 20,000 through various projects and activities such as safe houses, shelters, orphanages, HIV awareness raising, prevention workshops, peer educators and other trainings.
This is relevant for Thailand as our health and the health of the over two million legal and illegal migrants and displaced people residing with us are intricately linked. We cannot simply dismiss them by calling them a ‘negative influence’ on our society or however else we choose to irrationally stigmatize them. Clearly, the better educated and healthier they are, the greater benefit for us – and the less of a ‘burden’ on our health system.
So, to remind us what we are supposedly highlighting at this year’s seminar: “AIDS rights are human rights. Join to protect and respond.”
Should we not assume that this includes the right for people – regardless of background – to participate in such an important annual event? A gathering that aims to bring together as many different individuals and groups as possible to learn from one another and to share a wide range information, news, practices and experiences on HIV and AIDS from across the country?
Shouldn’t we also assume that this kind of an event will take place in an atmosphere of inclusion, tolerance and openness? Not to mention Buddhist compassion and Thailand’s famous reputation for a genuine welcome to outsiders?
And yet, the head of a district in Tak province, bordering the border to Karen State in Burma, denied permission to the two above-mentioned community workers to travel to Bangkok to attend the seminar. The reason: any Burmese-related organization working on the ground in migrant communities cannot be granted permission at this time. So-called ‘activists’ might infiltrate their ranks.
Yet the decision was irrevocable, leading to one outcome: no entry.
This despite the fact that the women had a formal letter of invitation from the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) AND a letter of recommendation from the Thai Youth Volunteer Group; their organization had recently won a prestigious international award for its outstanding work; both women possessed official ten-years’ stay permits for refugees fleeing from war zones; they lived and worked among PLHIV, loved and respected by the community; and one of them had adopted a Burmese child who had been trafficked into Thailand.
It is unacceptable that two hard-working, worthy individuals like this – employed by an organization implementing complex, effective and very necessary interventions (helping Thai society by taking over that responsibility!) and expressly invited by our MoPH – should be robbed of the right to move around freely, and to thus be unable to attend the National AIDS Seminar. We must find a way to be better hosts than this.
