Open letter to President of India

[Guest guest]

Honourable Abdul Kalam

President of India

New Delhi

INDIA

Dear President Kalam:

As a Citizen of India, and as a person living with HIV/AIDS, I am writing to

you in order express my concern of a ruthless murder of a HIV Positive Women

from Andhra Pradesh, Ms.Ponnama . She was ruthlessly murdered by her neighbours

fearing that they will 'catch' HIV infection from her. As President of India

and head of the Indian Constitution, you are entrusted with the privilege and

responsibility of defining, drafting and implementing the laws that liberties

and security of every citizen in India

Mr. President, in accordance with Article 7 of the International Covenant on

Civil and Political Rights as well in our Indian Constitution " No one shall be

subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or

punishment " . Violence committed against people with HIV/AIDS is cruel, inhuman

and degrading and it violates the fundamental priniciple upon which our nation

was founded.

Violence against People with HIV/AIDS, including threat of death, by neighbours

and society, is a human rights abuse. The Indian Government has an obligation

to act with due diligence to prevent - and protect people with HIV/AIDS and

those who are at risk from - violence in the family, community and society and

least to say from the government itself. In the case of Ms. Poonama, Mr.

President, I request you to direct an enquiry to ensure reparation and

redress, and to bring the perpetrators of such violence to justice in fair

proceedings.

Mr. President, while there have been positive developments, there is still much

that needs to be done by the authorities in India in order meet their

obligation to prevent and protect people with HIV/AIDS and those at risk from

stigma, discrimination and violence. Some of the reports from human rights

groups and governmental reports such as US State Department Intelligence Bureau

as well as Britsh Government's report indicates that victims of stigma and

discrimination of People with HIV/AIDS, that the police often fail to both

register cases properly and to conduct thorough investigations. Furthermore,

they have indicated that the criminal justice system often denies, such as the

classic case of Poonama, their right to justice.

As the first steps towards improving protection of and prevention of stigma

and iolence against people with HIV/AIDS, call on you Mr.President, to:

* Create a code of conduct for law enforcement officials on responding to

violence against people with HIV/AIDS and those at risk. Establish mandatory

HIV/AIDS sensitive training for all levels of law enforcement officials.

* Revise the data collection form for crime statistics so that it accurately

records cases of violence against people with HIV/AIDS and clearly

disaggregates crime data and record the perpetrator and the nature of their

relationship.

* Support and collaborate with Indian Netowrk of People with HIV/AIDS and

their regional affiliates within the country as well as non-governmental

organizations such as Lawyers Collective and other NGO's who advocate rights of

People with HIV/AIDS

* Raise public awareness of HIV/AIDS and of the constructive action that the

government will take to combat it.

* Ensure that there is more political commitment at the highest level to help

bring about the social and legal changes needed to support and protect People

with HIV/AIDS from any harm..

* Ensure and direct all resources for a dedicated, more inclusive approach

involving broad partnerships with people with HIV/AIDS to bring about such

changes. Present aproach of involving people with HIV/AIDS in meetings are

nothing more than tokenestic.

* Government of India need to break the silence. How can, Mr.President we

ever win this battle without openness about HIV ? How can we win without

singling out violence against People with HIV and those at risk, as a force

driving the epidemic?

* Current response from Government of India and that National AIDS Control

Organisation ources for HIV prevention are grossly inadequate to halt the

epidemic, let alone help change attitudes of the society with regard to stigma,

discrimination and non-violence

* Government of India must use the resources for approaches and interventions

that work. Concerning violence toward people with HIV/AIDS, for example, we

need to encourage more effective, and imaginative approaches, for protection,

and above all develop policies and programmes that will make a difference. This

is a challenge both for governments and communities.

It would be a mistake for the government of India to underestimate the

magnitude of the effort required to bring this epidemic without addressing the

Stigma and violence of People with HIV/AIDS. But I believe that it would an

even greater mistake of the present conspiracy of silence and believe that we

can do nothing.

In conclusion, Mr.President, , in order to end the stigma, violene and

discrimination against People with HI/AIDS and those who are at risk, govt

must help make the voices of millions of vulnerable people wiht HIV/AIDS

heard. If we are to empower People with HIV/AIDS and enhance their protection,

we must especially make those heard who are living in the shadow of violence

and AIDS.

I am looking forward to hear from you on this important issue.

Sincerely,

Surendra D

Oxford, UK

E-mail: surendra@...>