The comment below was posted on the HIV Information for Myanmar blog at http://www.hivinfo4mm.org/blog/_archives/2007/9/12/3219783.html#comments . It comments on the [him] blog posting of 12 September.
Sometimes official copies of speeches reflect what was actually said and sometimes they do not.
The [him] moderator will not reveal his source for the document that he ‘cut and pasted’ into the blog posting. But its original source is a member of UNAIDS staff, the document was widely circulated, and it is now in the public domain in this and other forums. Is it a prepresentation draft? Is it an old set of notes? It is a transcript? Is it a list of ideas by a disgruntled UNAIDS staff person? None of the above?
The [him] moderator is sorry that he has upset people in the UNAIDS regional office. He hopes they look for holes in their own leaky boat as a result of this kerfuffle.
When the distributed text of a speech differs from the officially published version the only way to resolve a dispute about what exactly was said is to ask someone who heard the speech. Will anyone come forward to tell us what they heard Dr Prasada Rao say at the closing ceremony? Was it videotaped?
[him] moderator
********************************
Author: UNAIDS RST AP
Title: Re: 8th ICAAP Summary by Dr Prasada Rao of UNAIDS - the samizdat version and the official version
Body:
It is of great concern that the Regional Director's closing remarks has been mis-quoted. Please refer to UNAIDS website for the full text of the actual speech as delivered at the 8th ICAAP closing session simply click the link provided below
http://data.unaids.org/pub/Speech/2007/20070823_sp_icaap_rao_en.pdf
In response to HIM moderators blog comments dated 12 Sep 2007 on the topic titled - 8th ICAAP Summary by Dr Prasada Rao of UNAIDS - the samizdat version and the official version, UNAIDS would like to respond to each of the five specific comments as follows -
Comment 1: Has anyone seen a copy of the document he mentions: ‘Minimum standards for civil society participation in Universal Access’ by the Seven Sisters? It is not on their website. Does it exist?
Response 1: The ˜Minimum Standards for Civil Society Participation in Universal Access” has already been launched at the 8TH ICAAP on 22 August 2007 by the Coalition of Asia Pacific Regional Network on HIV/AIDS (the Seven Sisters). More than 500 hard copies were distributed at the launch and copies were also made available at the UN joint booth. The document, an official publication of Seven Sisters is likely to be shortly available on their website. A PDF version may be obtained from either UNAIDS or the Seven Sisters at rstap@unaids.org or 7sisters@apcaso.org
Comment 2: Why is only China mentioned as a place where people with HIV are denied their right to associate and meet? Why not Myanmar? Vietnam?
Response 2: None of the countries cited above have been mentioned in the speech as can be seen in written text of the Regional Director’s closing remarks below :
“In some countries, positive people and their networks continue to be denied their rights to free association, the holding of meetings and accessing legal services for protection against harassment. This is going to be a major battle we need to fight in countries, large and small.”
Comment 3: If there is "there is an urgent need to clear up the confusion around the access to HIV counseling and testing" then it is UNAIDS' and WHO's job to do so. Why were the results of the Phnom Penh meeting not presented at the ICAAP?
Response 3: Since large number of stakeholders were involved in the regional meeting on counseling and testing held at Phnom Penh and elaborate email discussions had followed it was assumed that the guidelines were already disseminated. However as the Regional Director’s closing remarks observed (see below) this was not the case
The Regional Director in his closing remark indeed agreed that “that there is still confusion about the guidelines adopted at that consultation, and many have observed that it does not address the concerns of civil society groups. I noticed also that the guidelines adopted at the Phnom Penh consultations have not been disseminated and needs to be widely distributed immediately.” UNAIDS, towards this end is in the process implementing in-country consultations to foster further discussions on the issue and enable the local adaptation of the guidelines.
Comment 4: At last Dr Prasada Rao mentions conflict in Myanmar, though here he calls it Burma.
Response 4: Pertaining to the section ‘conflict and instability’ the official copy of the Regional Director’s closing remarks is again without any reference to a particular country, including ‘Burma’ or ‘Myanmar’. The actual written text reads as follows -
- “It became clear in a number of sessions that conflict and unstable political conditions which can disrupt national AIDS programmes especially in conflict zones and also divert resources from health and social programmes to the military.
- Let us remember two things: that even in difficult settings: i) it is possible to deliver services; and ii) people have rights to services. Donors should be encouraged not to withdraw from such environments.
- The involvement and cooperation of the military and the police is often essential to ensure that most-at-risk groups continue to have access to services and that the space for ensuring service delivery will be protected.”
Comment 5: Where IS the UN-supported sex worker organisation that has been in the works for over two years?
Response 5: The text of the speech reproduced below is self explanatory “the sex workers forum is planned to be launched with the support of UNFPA and UNAIDS before the end of the year.”
It is unfortunate that the Regional Director’s closing remarks has not been appropriately referenced which is a cause of great concern. Putting in words which were not part of the speech is completely uncalled for, as the full text of the Regional Director’s plenary and closing addresses have been available online on the UNAIDS website since the day they were actually delivered.
********************************
