Lets stop divding ourselves into groups

[Guest guest]

Dear FORUM,

I have been following the so called stigma and discrimination meted out to PLWHA

for the past couple of months or so. I have tried to follow whatever has been

posted in this site since the time the Sahar airport drama started. Now the

Chennai drama ! Well I thought, I will share my thoughts too.

1. Discrimination exists in all societies and everyone has felt discriminated

against in their lives quite a number of times.This is a fact and cannot be

denied by any one - so the PLWHA should not feel that they are the only people

on whom such a treatment has been meted out !

2. We are talking about providing the SAME level and quality of care to everyone

irrespective of their HIV positive status. Now to seek preferential treatment in

a country of teeming millions and that too with more other pressing problems

beyond HIV/ AIDS . Whatever is expected should be in agreement with what the

overall status of health and other human services are in the country/ state. To

seek preferential treatment can be compared to a thin beggar asking alms from a

fat beggar !

3. Some PLWHA have been courageous enough to openly declare their status . This

is a positive sign. And it is only natural that more such people will come out.

They have dared to defy the social attitude. Some of them have even basked in

the gloy of the flash lights and camera and no one ( even of the PLWHA

fraternity or otherwise) ever questioned whether the basking was voluntary or

forced. The PLWHA fraternity even glorified such basking. Now to feel that

their consent has to be taken for any thing which appears in black amd white

appears to be guided by other motives rather than only avoiding stigma and

discrimination.

4. It is an agreed fact that a lot of organisations/ individuals have

capitalised upon the " confidentiality " of PLWHA. Also, lists of PLWHAs have been

prepared, codified ( correct or otherwise ) to get different benefits - some of

them which are not always required for or correct. And we have reasons to

believe that PLWHA were a party to a lot of such activities. Now it appears that

their is some love lost between the two parties. To be empowered in one thing ,

to wash dirty linen in public is another.

5. A question arises in my mind. To the extent possible, any wrong doings to

PLWHA are bad and need to be condemned in a proper way. But how many PLWHA have

acknowledged the services offered to them or are made availabel to them by

different organisations/ individuals. I agree that PLWHA do not deserve pity but

the services offered to them by people who have dedicated their lives to the

cause cannot be ignored to the extent it has been done. And if the PLWHA

fraternity feels that they can manage without these individuals/ organisations,

I am sure those people will stop services any time.

6.Rather than looking for pity, screaming for rights or even feeling that

providing services is acting as good samaritans, why donot we go about our

business in a professional manner. There are no givers , there are no takers.

We are partners. If this is the spirit than only we can go ahead or else we

shall not be any better than what we are !

Lets stop divding ourselves into groups. Let us stop pursuing selfish ideals.

AIDS asks for much more.

Best wishes.

Alben Marak

e-MAIL: roving_eyes@...