manipur elections and the Politics of AIDS

[Guest guest]

I tend to agree with Dr Agarwal. Manipur elections can set an example for

the rest of the country in terms of involving political leaders in the AIDS

campaign. But NGOs working in the area have to prime the candidates to say

'good, empowering messages' as opposed to 'sensational, fear based

messages'. We need to excercise this caution everytime we use 'leaders' or

'celebrity endorsements' for AIDS.

Mona Mishra

Positive Life

Delhi

E-mail: <plife@...>

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[Guest guest]

Dear Forum subscribers,

I, on the other hand, tend to have a slightly different perspective to Dr.

Anil Aggarwal's (he has been in Manipur for several years) rather optimistic

interpretation of how some candidates and parties have piled on to the

HIV/AIDS bandwagon more than decade after HIV hit the state, quite with a

bang, I might add.

Public health and political will: Ouch, this has been a rather knotty tree

to climb for many years. Encouraging new shoots have only withered away or

got chopped off all too early without a warning. The poor public health

professionals have often been left rather high and dry. This is not a

cynical interpretation but reality. No doubt, and on the face of it, the

developments in Manipur (pre-poll, mind you) is a very glowing scenario.

NGOs, on the other hand, and a few health professionals like Dr, Aggarwal

himself have battled AIDS " single-handedly " in Manipur all these years. And

with no political support. Fact # 1.

For some years now, some underground armed opposition groups, such as the

RPF (PLA) have been campaigning strongly against drug use and HIV

transmission. In fact the RPF constituted a Task Force to handle this. It is

also true that many of these non-state entities take piublic issues - like

the recent campaign poaching in Keibul Lamjao National Park (only natural

home of the rare brow-antlered deer) or against the Loktak Dam ( which has

wrecked havoc in Manipur especially the Valley) by the KYKL. Fact # 2.

The " old guard " political gangs have been under sever criticism and even

violent personal attacks (which I do not condone and outright condemn) for

their failure in providing the expected leadership or taking a responsible

role according to the mandate they have been receiving (through proxy voting

and bribery) from the public. This is a recent steam-out from years of

frustration brought about by the Indo-NSCN (I-M) ceasefire secret deals. In

fact, many have been threatened to withdraw their candidature and some have

done so. Fact # 3

Health issues - particularly the awesome AIDS - are soft tear-jerking

issues. Plus, there is heavy money in it still, thanks to the World Bank and

Bill and Melinda Gates. The people and politics in Manipur have really run

out of issues to focus because, paradoxically, every issue is hard in

Manipur. In addition, the State is in a very deep financial pit with all the

money and all it can get in the future earmarked for the salaries of

government employees. The state is clearly a beggar State that has run out

of ways and means to beg. The Centre is hardening on this issue and

according to Mr Shourie (roving Minister of the North East region), the

State has to " structurally adjust " i.e. give up all its rights, open up to

every one for grabs, be in debt forever (not so bad than being a beggar), in

order to avail more money - a suggested source is the Asian Development

Bank!

Of course, the people of Manipur are oblivious to all this being planned for

them - though a few are! And they are candidates!

The " war against AIDS " ( to borrow from Bush) continues in these forgotten

war-torn corners of the " third world " under very different rules. Let's

pray.

Dr. Laifungbam D. Roy

CORE

E-mail: <coremanipur@...>

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[Guest guest]

Dear Forum subscribers,

[This is in response to Dr Roy'posting on the politics of AIDS in Manipur.

Moderator]

Dr Roy, that was indeed an insightful posting. You are right, political

endorsement of AIDS (pre-poll) does seem to have an underbelly. And someone

like you will have a keen sense for that. Thank you for flagging the issues

that you have. Things are interconnected and part of the work of AIDS

workers is to able to see that.Thanks!

The only reason I feel optimistic (don't know what Dr Agarwal has to say on

this) is that while motives for getting AIDS on the election agenda can be

suspect, the fact that it has got there in the first place, can set a trend,

fill a gap. Of course, citizens like you will make sure it is absolutely on

the right track.

The question however is the following: Despite suspect motives for getting

AIDS on the elction manifesto, is there something that the people of Manipur

(or people elsewhere in india) stand to gain, in terms of AIDS information,

demystification of the virus, and giving AIDS its rightful place in the

process of governance? What do they lose in the process? How can the losses

be minimised?? etc

Whatever the answer maybe...we need to study the current Manipur process

carefully - learn about it from people like you, Dr Roy - and generate a

discussion among people who work in the area of AIDS...

Wondering what you are thinking about all this...

Best Regards

Mona

" Mona Mishra, Positive Life " <plife@...>

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