While the rest of the country was officially celebrating national day, World AIDS Day activities were going ahead in Kachin.
The [him] moderator loves to hear conspiracy theories, the more far-fetched the better. The ethnic cleansing one is pretty far out there. It ranks with the returned sex worker firing squad story. Have they asked the sex workers for their side of this story?
PSI is not based in Canada.
[him] moderator
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Junta’s sinister design to spread HIV infection in Kachin State
Kachin News Group
Wednesday, 01 December 2010 23:28
In a chilling revelation, it is learnt that Burma’s military junta has a secret mission to see to HIV spreading to epidemic proportions in ethnic Kachin State in the country’s north. The sinister design is for ethnic cleansing and political gains, revealed sources close to junta insiders.
Beginning 1990, the junta has systematically despatched HIV infected sex workers from the Thai-Burma border to Kachin State, especially to the Hpakant jade mining city, the sources said.
World Aids Day was marked in Mai Ja Yang, the controlled area of Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), Kachin State, Northern Burma.
Burmese sex workers, expelled by Thai authorities to the Burmese border town of Tachileik were received by Burmese authorities and sent to Hpakant at government cost, said the sources.
Junta officials are also known to bribe the Thai police to send back illegal Burmese sex workers infected with HIV from main cities in Thailand to the Burmese border town of Tachileik, added sources.
Shocking as it may seem, in Tachileik blood examination is done to confirm HIV infection in deported sex workers by Burmese authorities. Those with HIV are despatched to Kachin State, sources said.
Officials of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), which has been demanding the restoration of a genuine federal union and self-determination of Kachin people, confirmed the junta’s secret mission and called it an attempt at “ethnic cleansing”.
Burma's first case of HIV was diagnosed in 1988. Now, 240,000 people including adults and children are infected with HIV in Burma.
In Kachin State, HIV is spreading mainly to local people because of unprotected sex and intravenous drug addition, according to NGO data. Hundred per cent of IDUs (Intravenous Drug Users) are infected by HIV, added NGOs.
Four international NGOs like Holland based Artsen zonder Grenzen (AZG), France-based Medecin Du Monde (MDM), US-based World Concern (WC), Canada-based PSI, and national NGO like Shalom Foundation (SF) and Metta Development Foundation are imparting HIV education and are into prevention activities in Kachin State under the junta’s guidance.
The AZA and MDM provide support with Antiretroviral Therapy (ART), syringes and food to IDUs and people living with HIV in Hpakant, Myitkyina, Waingmaw and Manmaw (Bhamo) Townships under the “harm reduction programme.”
Kachin community leaders said the effort by NGOs will not prevent spread of HIV infection in Kachin State because Burmese junta authorities are into drug trafficking in a nexus with smugglers. Kachins call it “Drug war on Kachin people”.
Over 60 per cent of Kachin youths are addicted to drugs like heroin, opium, Yama (Amphetamines) and formula (liquid) and are later infected by HIV, said Kachin community leaders.
http://www.kachinnews.com/news/1812-juntas-sinister-design-to-spread-hiv-infection-in-kachin-state.html
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Help needed to stem spread of HIV in Northern Burma
Kachin News Group
Wednesday, 01 December 2010 22:58
To stem the spread of HIV infection, there is a crying need for more support in Kachin State, Northern Burma, an ethnic Kachin rebel group, environmentalists and health care staff said today on World Aids Day.
N’Hpang Naw Bu, deputy in-charge of the Sino-Burma border based Kachin Independence Organization’s (KIO’s) Health Department told KNG, an appalling lack of health care assistance, resources for HIV patients and a limited number of health organizations operating in the state, has prevented attempts to stop the rise of HIV infection.
“More NGOs should be allowed to operate here. There is also need for more awareness and assistance,” said N’Hpang Naw Bu.
The KIO’s health department statistics from 2007 to 2010, says there are over 4,000 HIV positive people living along the border areas of the KIO headquarters in Laiza township.
HIV infection is spreading mainly from drug addiction and prostitution. About 60 to 70 per cent of Kachin youths are hooked to drugs said, Naw Bu.
“The NGOs are prevented from coming to the state by the Burmese military junta and we don’t have enough skill and facilities to prevent the spread of the disease,” said Naw Bu.
Recently KIO’s health department tied up with AZG (Artsen Zonder Grenzen/ Medecins Sans Frontieres-Holland). It wants to work with NGOs and is keen on directly contacting the United Nations (UN) to prevent the spread of the disease said, Naw Bu.
HIV infection in Kachin state has spread mainly from gold mining, jade mining and border areas said, Awng Wa, chairman of the Kachin Development Networking Group (KDNG).
“Lack of knowledge and protection procedures about the disease is helping HIV spread,” said Awng Wa.
He alleged that the involvement of the Burmese junta in drug trafficking has sadly led to more and more youths becoming drug addicts. There is no effective medical treatment or any campaign to stem the spread of HIV.
The KDNG chairman said more and more women are becoming drawn to prostitution to eke out a livelihood in a poverty stricken environment, leading to HIV spreading.
A senior nurse, working with a NGO in Kachin State said most HIV positive patients are dying sans proper medical care.
“I have seen a lot of patients cannot afford treatment,” said the nurse.
Her observation was that almost all HIV patients she had seen were intravenous drug users or into prostitution.
Today, World Aids Day, KIO held special events like a conference for awareness, where speeches were delivered about HIV. Public events were organized such as a marathon, where slogans were raised around the township in its headquarters in Laiza Township.
The conference was attended by over 400 people including KIO members and civilians said Naw Bu.
http://www.kachinnews.com/news/1811-help-needed-to-stem-spread-of-hiv-in-northern-burma.html
