Manipur: AIDS funds become militants' cash cow

[Guest guest]

AIDS funds become militants' cash cow

Kishalay Bhattacharya

Wednesday, September 5, 2007 (Kaimuanthang, Manipur)

Last week an unnamed militant group in Manipur issued threats to the

Manipur AIDS Control Society (MACS) saying that the organisation will

come to serious harm if it releases any funds to NGOs working with

HIV+ patients.

They charged the NGOs of misusing the funds. To make sure the message

was heard loud and clear the militants delivered a grenade to

director T R Kom's house.

''Since there is some external pressure on us, we cannot release the

funds. The external forces tell us that you should not release the

funds. And if you do so without our permission, without our consent,

then you'll be in trouble,'' said T R Kom, Director, Manipur AIDS

Control Society.

This is not the first threat. In July, armed militants had opened

fire outside the house of the previous director to scare him as a

result he resigned.

Real reason

But when AIDS activists are asked if the militant's claim of AIDS

funds being misused is true then a new story emerges. Given the

dangers, no one is willing to give any answers on camera. But off

camera they tell the real reason.

At present there are about 50 NGOs working under Manipur AIDS Control

Society and Manipur has the highest percentage of HIV+ people in the

country.

So their work is to reach out to the state's 27,000 patients most of

them dependent on government funds for treatment.

The plight of Manipur is so big in the map of AIDS activism that the

state receives huge funds from the world over, including grants from

the Bill Gates Foundation.

And this is where the militants come in. They have realised that

there is huge money in AIDS and started demanding big haftas or

bribes without which they don't let NGOs do any groundwork.

Pressure tactic

Now some militant groups want more money. So they are threatening the

Manipur AIDS Control Society as a pressure tactic.

''You know these are life and death problems. What they actually want

right now is to increase their percentage from the things they have

already received from the MACS,'' said an NGO worker.

Just last month the militants had shut down all drug supplies in the

state because the pharma traders and shopkeepers had refused to pay

up Rs 1 crore extortion money. And Manipur had slipped into a medical

emergency.

Only recently the supplies resumed after insiders say money was

finally paid up. Threats like these have become so common that this

recent one to the AIDS control Society only meets with a response of

resignation.

''I am telling you, truly speaking, any state, wherever in India it

may be, everyone is working under pressure. It's a normal

phenomenon,'' said S Manikanta, Deputy Director, Manipur AIDS Control

Society.

Hope the huge amount of cash flowing into militants' hands is stopped

at the earliest.

http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070025128

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum,

This is my humble appeal to the newly form TEAM take seriously about this issues

as its not just MACS issues but its the issues of People Living wirth HIV/AIDS

and the society at large.

I believe (if) we can come to a negotiasting table, our militant brothers will

definitley listen to our stories and problems, as they as not as bad as they are

projected.

But one needs guts to speak and tell the truth to them.

Eventhought i am not the best negotiator, if needed i'll be happy to be there in

the negotiating table, please let me know.

Loon Gangte

DNP+ <dnpplus@...>