BMC Closure of care centre: Snap shot of responses

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Bangalore; closure of care centre: Snap shot of responses

1) An alternative view. Sonal Mehta

2) I strongly endorse Mr. Prasada Rao statements. Rajan Gupta (From

USA)

3) Campaign in India: Impact in China too !. Ravi Jayakaran (From

China)

4) NIMBY Syndorome. Jeanne Hatfield (From USA)

5) Theatre of the absurd. Aditya Bondyopadhyay

6) Developing a media strategy to combat discrimination and to change

people's attitude should be an ongoing activity. Godfred (From

Thailand)

7) An important development for the entire AIDS community in India.

Dr. Parvez Imam

8) It so sad that the Octopus called government is so callous in most

parts of India. Aditya Bondyopadhyay

9) BMCC took the right step in right direction. Mayur Trivedi

10) Fight, fight and fight on. Ashok Row Kavi

11. Lets us plan action to combat this. Meena Saraswathi Seshu.

________________________________

1) An alternative view. Sonal Mehta

I have read about many projects and care centers getting closed on

this forum and invariablly the local officers are blamed. I have also

ready about projects of my own state being closed down and again SACS

blamed for that. But I think we should also give a thought to what

might have happened. The project which we closed and was mentioned

here was not only performing extremely poorly but the NGO also did

financial mishandling. Otherwise there are many projects in state why

would this one be closed. I am not defending government officers but

I also feel we better get honest and people who are aware about

reality must also speak up and give the true picture.

Otherwise not all government officers are stupid, bad or mad. Being

in NGO for years I respect it highly as third sector but many NGOs

initiated for malpractice have now got into HIV/AIDS sector and when

they get exposed they enjoy throwing dirt on others and unfortunately

in democarcy every body has a right to lie.....

Sonal

E-mail: sonalmehta@...

2) I strongly endorse Mr. Prasada Rao statements. Rajan Gupta

1) Sanghamitra and her colleagues should not yield to such " illegal "

orders. At the same time do not underestimate the

community's " anger " . It would be helpful to ascertain whether it is

one or few neighbors that have precipitated this action or a

majority. This study should be done to help better plan and determine

how to proceed, and should not be viewed as representing a

capitulation.

2) The civic officials should be, with humor and decency and at the

same time with persuasion and strength, sensitized to how to deal

with HIV/AIDS patients. They need to realize how these people do not

pose any threats to others, and why the community should not see them

as a threat.

3) Again Mr. Prasada Rao's suggestion of bringing someone, who has

developed such community harmony programs, from Mumbai or elsewhere

to help train the Bangalore community is excellent.

In solidarity

Rajan Gupta

3) Campaign in India: Impact in China too !. Ravi Jayakaran

I saw an article recently that the honourable Minister Ms. Vasundhra

Raje has been very concerned to support HIV/AIDS programs. Perhaps it

will be good to approach someone of her status and dynamism for this

cause. Sometimes , it is a crisis like this that helps the cause more

than can be anticipated. Remember the issue in Kerala with the

children who's schooling was affected? The discussions and debate and

mobilization that resulted went far beyond the state of Kerala, and

had impact here in China too!

With Concern

Ravi Jayakaran, People's Republic of China

E-mail: ravi_jayakaran@...>

4) NIMBY Syndorome. Jeanne Hatfield

We work, and teach and educate whenever possible...just when you

think perhaps the public understands HIV you get it thrown in your

face. I'm assuming these are not indigent residents. No government

cares what the poor people want. It would be different if this was

SARS or infectious TB. But we have over two decades of empirical data

proving HIV is not transmitted through casual contact. If they don't

have sex with the HIV+ patients or share needles they would be fine.

However I am familiar with the NIMBY (Not In My BackYard) people.

They do not want " those kind of people " in their neighborhood. It

might even cause a loss to the value of their homes. Of course this

concern is unfounded and just off the cuff. No doubt some of those

people have HIV, whether they know it or not.

I am happy to pass this along to other groups. I can also make a page

for it on my website. I'm thinking we need to get as many people as

possible to act...in whatever works the best. So how can we help?

Emails of support to the people making these decisions? Let me know

and I will inform and motivate people to take whatever action best

helps in this situation. Have you taken this to the media locally?

If so what kind of response did you recieve? Would media outside

India reporting on this issue be of help? Let me know and I will do

whatever I can to promote this most important matter.

Jeanne Hatfield

E-mail: ravaids@...

5) Theatre of the absurd. Aditya Bondyopadhyay

This is a forwarded message from AIDS India weblist. It exemplifies

the theatre of the absurd being played out with impunity by

authorities against those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, even if

their action goes against the grain of scientific knowledge that is

prevalent on HIV for a really long time now, not to speak of the

National AIDS Control Organisation's policies [followed by state

governments as well] on HIV and AIDS.

What is really sad is that the NACO does not rise up to defend its

own policies and ensure that such infringement of the rights of HIV

positive people does not take place. I am forwarding this mail to the

Director NACO and to others in the organisation, in the hope that

another injustice can be avoided by their timely intervention.

I feel that we all must rise up to this occasion all the more because

this time the order comes not from some ignoramus layman who does not

understand the science behind the virus, but by the Health Officer of

Bangalore Corporation. I wonder, if this is the standard of his

knowledge and understanding, then should he be regarded as having the

professional acumen or the moral right to continue in his post as

Health Officer. Today I feel the biggest health Hazard in Bangalore

may be such an incompetent health official. Maybe he should be

removed, not the HIV care facility of Samaraksha.

In any event the e-mail of Chief Minister SM Krishna is all of the

following four: cm@..., smk@...,

cmkrishna@..., and smkrishna@.... Please

inundate him with mails so that he can justify his claims of being

forward looking and scientific minded by minding the actions of the

CHO.

The e mail address of NACO Director is mdg@.... Please also

write to her to pressure her and NACO to take action expeditiously,

rather than act outraged after the damage has been done.

Please copy your mail also to the Hon'ble Health Minister Sushma

Swaraj. Her e-mail ID is swaraj@.... If you want to fax

your response/protest please do so at 91-11-3016648.

This mail is also being forwarded to the Chief Minister's Office and

to the office of the Union health minister in the hope of their

intervention in this sad case.

Regards and best

Aditya Bondyopadhyay

E-mail: adit@...

6) Developing a media strategy to combat discrimination and to change

people's attitude should be an ongoing activity. Godfred

The initial round of campaign has had the desired result. The BMP

commisioner has assured that your centre will not be evicted. This is

a victory for you, the residents and all the people who supported and

raised their voice against the lack of sensitivity of the people who

oppose the service you provide. Well done!

Developing a media strategy to combat discrimination and to change

people's attitude should be an ongoing activity and I hope that

HIV/AIDS agencies and the media with support from the government

agencies and communities will carry out such activities not just when

faced with challenges but on a regular basis.

However, the primary issue here is the reaction in the local

community and how to win them over. A good way maybe to get the

President of the welfare association involved in your activities.

Their support and the participation of the community will not only

help the centre to become a communitycentre but it will become a

resource centre on HIV/AIDS information for the community itself. You

may have tried this already but I firmly believe that a centre such

as yours needs to be accepted by the community and for that

participation is the key. You may like to invite the BMP chairperson,

the local police head and the welfare association President and

community members. I am not suggesteing that one such event will

change people, but atleast it is a beginning and gives people an

opportunity to be involved.

I wish you all success with planning future strategies. I hope you

succeed not only in your community and in Bangalore but in the coutry

itself to change people's percentions and attitudes. PLWAs are people

living with an illness just like any other. They have as much right

to live and enjoy life in the place of their choice and liking.

One with you.

Godfred

E-mail: goddy@...

7. An important development for the entire AIDS community in India.

Dr. Parvez Imam

Congrats! To everyone at Samraksha and all others who worked against

the move of BMCC. This is an important development for the entire

community working on AIDS in India. Perhaps, it is also a small

beginning which points out to the force that, those working on AIDS /

HIV issues, are now becoming by coming together.

Best wishes & in solidarity

Dr. Parvez Imam

E-mail: drparvezimam@...

8) It so sad that the Octopus called government is so callous in most

parts of India. Aditya Bondyopadhyay

This is the latest update on the threatened closure of the HIV care

center of Samaraksha in Bangalore. Belated though it may be, after

protest from the civil society groups and from many other in the

country and internationally, the Bangalore Municipal Corporation has

withdrawn its order of closure and the threatened shifting of the

care receipients to the isolation hospital. In other words,

scientific wisdom has dawned on them, but with a catch. And it is

this catch that is significant.

The reason the order was issued in the first place was because of

complaints from residents of the locality who felt that their mental

peace would be threatened by the presence of HIV positive persons,

and that they would get infected. Now the Corporation has asked the

Care Center to settle their dispute directly with the residents,

thereby washed their hands off the whole thing.

In the meantime the residents have lodged a police complaint. The

have in this openly threatened that they would take the law in their

own hands and unless tyhe police intervened to evict the care center

there may be violence. I quote from complaint letter of the

residents as reproduced by Sanghamitra Iyengar, director of the care

center in question, in the letter written by her to AIDS-India

weblist:

" It is a residential locality. You are requested to take very urgent

action to evacuate the premises to any hospital, asylum or isolation

wards in the interest of health, hygiene and welfare of residents.

If they are allowed to stay here further, there will be unrest among

the residents and may cause law and order problem also. Please act

at once. Note: Please arrange to shift them at once without any

further delay. "

The police have on the basis of the complaint already called the

staff of the care center and asked them when they would be evicting.

This is the catch that is intriguing.

First the police has no business asking anyone to evict any thing

legally possessed by that person. Only a court can order so and that

too after a due process has been followed. the police are acting

EXTRA CONSTITUTIONALLY. Knowing what the police force in India is

like..I feel it is important taht there be an independent enquiry as

to their real motivation behind such EXTRA CONSTITUTIONAL action. A

through investigation of the persuasive tactics adopted by the

residents welfare association.

Second, when a residents welfare association openly threatens that

they would create law and order problems if someone is not illegally

evicted, WHY did the police at all entertain such a complaint and

WHY are they not acting against the residents welfare association

for such open threats of disrupting public order. Again their

motivations and actions are suspect and they need to be investigated.

It so sad that the Octopus called government is so callous in most

parts of India. While one tentacle pats you [and withdraws orders of

eviction], another tentacle comes forward to beat you up [with

renewed threats of evictions]. And even if it be the same octopus,

it has no clue what its own various arms are doing, for the arms are

beyond its control anyways. They are flouting the law, and acting in

sheer contempt of the legal order. Their actions are unformly

unconstitutional.

The website of the Karnata Government gave me four addresses of the

Chief Minister. The mail I sent yesterday bounced back from all 4 of

them. Luckily it did not bounce from the health minister's e-mail

box or the NACO e-mail boxes. If anyone has the email addres of the

CM of Karnataka [the functional not the fictitious one] please fwd

it to the list so that people can register their protest. Its time

one did anyways for the actions of the POLICE is a shame for the

Home ministry of Karnataka. Is the Hon'ble Chief Minister Listening.

And last but not least, the demon of persecution of HIV+ persons has

not gone away, it has just reappeared in another form. Therefore,

dear NACO please do something about this now as opposed to after the

damage is done. Regards and best

Aditya Bondyopadhyay

E-mail: adit@...

9) BMCC took the right step in right direction. Mayur Trivedi

It's relief to understand that BMCC took the right step in right

direction with the understanding of the human rights. It gives new

thoughts. Even during my Freedom Foundaton stay I learned that there

was resistance from the locality while establishing Care centre in

Bangalore and they worked bit harder to make them understand and

succeded. And that is very true. We need to understand the old say -

Charity beguns at home. Why can't we work to reduce stigma at local

level by dealing with our neighbours?

I believe, keeping galloping demand in consideration, there will be

opening of more care centres. We can take this factor into account at

the planning phase itself and try to avert such circumstances.

Humbly I do understand that it's easier saying than done. But We must

act locally too while thinking globally to reduce HIV related stigma.

I will be happy to have feedback on my thoughts.

Mayur

E-mail: trivedimayur76@...

10) Fight, fight and fight on. Ashok Row Kavi

The Chief Minister's office is very responsive to such gross

violations of human rights. This is becoming such a chore everywhere

that one wonders when we will be able to do service delivery to the

HIV positive and those with clinical AIDS. The answer is fight, fight

and fight on.

Ashok Row Kavi

Humsafar Trust, Mumbai Metro

E-mail: humsafar@...

11. Lets us plan action to combat this. Meena Saraswathi Seshu.

1. can you involve `personalities' in Bangalore who are willing to

talk on your behalf - to people on the street, politicians, press?

2. can we draft a petition - NHRC? an order from them will be helpful.

3. do you want us to come to banglore to protest this?

4. should we flood the CM / Commissioner with protest letters? do let

us know. In solidarity,

Meena Saraswathi Seshu

E-mail: san_meena@...