Re: AIDS Alert: Gulf states to screen Indian immigrants

[Guest guest]

To the moderator,

I would like to comment on the reaction of Middle Eastern States:

AIDS Alert: Gulf states to screen Indian immigrants.

To target their foreign workers for HIV screening is a perfect

example of denial. The real and predominant risk that the citizens of

Middle Eastern countries face for HIV infections is through the

practice of sex tourism indulged in by their own citizens. Those in

power are very aware of how many of their citizens go to Cairo,

Beirut, Mumbai, Thailand, for sex tourism with both males and

females or import sex workers from all over. Guest workers barely

have social contact with citizens so the question of spreading HIV to

them arises only if and when the citizens abuse some of the guest

workers!

Mandatory screening of guest workers is a violation of their human

rights -- but that should not be surprising since these same

countries treat guest workers poorly (other than providing jobs and

salaries which make eduring the discriminatory conditions worthwhile

to many) -- and will have little impact on the spread of HIV within

their populations. Middle Eastern countries need to start coming to

terms with the many risky sexual behaviors they practice, boast of,

but do not want to change or confront.

Rajan Gupta

E-mail: rajan@...