Re: Kerala: Now, not even a grave for PLWHA

April 29, 2005

Der FORUM,

I was exeedingly surprised to read the newspaper item by Sr.Dolores

of CASS of Kottayam. It is true that more than an year ago, a ill

informed priest in Trissur district refused burial to the body of a

person, who had died of AIDS, in the church cemetery. This

individual action of the priest, which was not sanctioned by higher

authorities, was condemned by the church, which took steps to revoke

it. Since then, the church has taken several steps, to see that such

uncharitable acts do not occur.

Archbishop Varkey Vithayathil had also circulated a pastoral letter

in this regard, which was read in all parish churches. The stand of

the Bishops in this regard, has also been published in local

newspapers. The church has been exceedingly supportive of PWHA. Both

the community care centres for AIDS patients in the state, funded by

NACO, are being managed by church based organizations. There are

several other centres in the state for AIDS care, run by the church,

with its own funds.

There has been just this one incident. No other instance of refusal

of burial in a church, has been reported from any other part of the

state. So, it was very surprising that such an old issue should have

been raked up by Sr. Dolores, and that too in the Times of India,

which is not easily available in Kerala.

If, her motive was for Kofi n to see this and get noticed, she

has amply succeeded, since this item did catch his attention. He

could hardly fail to see it since this " story " was published on the

front page of the Times of India on the day of his visit.

I am writing this, to high light the lengths to which NGOs go, to

get noticed. AIDS is news. Anything to do with AIDS gets front page

publicity. The incident of the two children Bincy and Benson and two

others Akshara and Ananthu being refused admission in schools was

reported internationally. Few realized, that in both these

instances, an NGO had blown up the issue out of all proportion, just

to get publicity. Now all the 4 children are back in school.

Dr.M.Prasanna Kumar

E-mail: <mpkumar@...>

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