Conclave of the Uniformed services Interventions

[Guest guest]

Conclave of the Uniformed services Interventions in

India on HIV & AIDS

23 – 24 September 2005, NEC Conference Center,

Shillong, Meghalaya

HIV and AIDS Pandemic in India is already

demonstrating far reaching social and economic

consequences in India. According to some of the recent

reports the Indian economy is being hard hit by

HIV/AIDS and this pandemic could wipe away as much as

Rs. 22,000 crore this year alone. By 2025, the disease

could cut annual economic growth in India by 40

percent.

Unfortunately, the uniformed services- a great pride

of India – are also not immune to the ravage of this

epidemic. " HIV/AIDS is a security threat to India

because it threatens the economic, human, societal,

and even the traditional notions of security " observed

Dr. Happymon the author of a recent book

" AIDS as a Security Threat to India "

The HIV/AIDS pandemic is already affecting many

African military troops' ability to defend their

countries and operate peacekeeping missions on the

continent.

According to Director General Lt Gen Bhopinder Singh

of Assam Rifles " We now find more soldiers dying of

HIV-AIDS than to bullets fired by militants. "

First time in India, security establishments, armed

forces, paramilitary and civil police are assembling

on a common platform to address the issue of HIV/AIDS

in Uniformed Services

According to Ms. Winne Singh the Chair person of,

Assam Rifles Wives Welfare Association (ARWWA), the

key organizer of this conclave, the objective of this

conclave is to develop a new workable and replicable

model to address HIV/AIDS in armed forces and security

establishments worldwide.

" Assam Rifles has revealed that more than 180

personnel of the force have been found to be

HIV-positive, of which 32 have died of AIDS in the

past decade " It is significant to note that ARWWA is

taking the initiative of hosting this conclave, as

women are increasingly facing the consequences of HIV

infection.

The Assam Rifles is a premier paramilitary force of

65,000 troops deployed across north-east India to

combat the region's 30-odd guerrilla groups waging

insurgencies for independent homelands or greater

autonomy.

The Keynote Address will be delivered by HE DR. A. P.

J. ABDUL KALAM the President of India.

During the plenary sessions, issues such as HIV and

AIDS as a Security issue, HIV and AIDS as A personnel

issue, impact of HIV/AIDS on women will be

discussed.

This conclave is expected to develop far reaching

recomendations on dealing with the cause and the

consequences of HIV infection among the unformed

services in India.