Forced testing - Appeal for support to seek justice

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends and supporters,

Greetings from present and former members of Suraksha and Sadhane!

We are a few of the community members belonging to Suraksha and Sadhane. This

is to bring to light a serious human-rights violation by the Executive Director

of Suraksha.

We are all very angry, upset and frustrated not just because we were forcefully

tested and test reports kept with her. But we are very agitated because even the

inquiry committee tried to sweep everything under the carpet and protect the

erring management and the Executive Director.

We would also like to bring to your notice the high-handed behavior of some NGO

heads and responsible officers who are behaving like ``hitlers''. Some of them

are treating the community with scant respect and for years we have been bearing

this and digesting the insults. But time has come for all of us to stand united

and bring this kind of injustice to the notice of all.

The ED's behavior and attitude apart, the action to coerce and force the staff

members of both Sadhane and Suraksha to go for HIV testing is gross violation of

our rights.

We understand the importance of testing and unless one is tested, providing

treatment, care and support would not be possible. In our day-to-day activity

and work, based on this principle we go out and do the outreach to bring our

peers to the clinics not just for STI testing but also to persuade and convince

all the High Risk Groups about the importance of testing and early treatment.

However, as advocated by NACP III and mandated by NACO we strongly oppose any

kind of forced testing and breaking of confidentiality.

Meeting held on 28th August 2010, at ISI Hall, Benson Town, Bangalore.

All of us are very angry. About 47 members from sexual minorities and sex worker

communities gathered at the Indian Social Institute (ISI) hall to condemn the

`forceful' HIV tests done on the staff of Suraksha, an NGO working for the

rights of sex workers and sexual minorities including hijras and HIV prevention

through the peer-based work.

Outcome of 28th Aug 2010 press conference DNA Bangalore edition news paper

published the news on

http://www.dnaindia.com/print710.php?cid=1430207

29th followed by NDTV telecasted the news on 30th Aug 2010

http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/news/bangalore-employees-allege-ngo-forcing-hiv\

-tests/160928

Later on 2nd Sept 2010 The Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society (KSAPS)

initiated a inquiry committee to probe the matter. Mr. Vijay Hugar M & E officer

of KSAPS, Mr. head of Technical Support Unit of KSAPS, Ms. Maya

Mascarenhas head of MYRADA NGO and Ms. Swetha to document the inquiry, visited

Chennapatna drop in center of Suraksha and met with 47 members including the

ex-staff of Suraksha from all the three districts.

The inquiry team recorded the statements with a electronic voice recorder and

took signatures of staff members who alleged that they were tested forcefully.

Later the team visited Ramanagar Sadhane project and head office, and met all

the staff members who gave complaint to Suraksha against forceful HIV testing

and took their signatures and recorded their statements.

We requested the KSAPS team to interact with all the Suraksha members from all

the districts to get down to the truth and not just the people recommended by

ED.

We were under the impression that the Suraksha Board would give us justice. Now

that the Board had failed to resolve the issue, we, the staff and ex-staff

members of Sadhane and Suraksha are expecting your support.

As we have explained you the injustice happening to our fellow beings, we kindly

request your cooperation to fight against this in-human attitude. Do show your

support by pressurizing the concerned Suraksha board to take action against the

Executive Director at the earliest.

In solidarity

Manjesh

Representative

Staff and ex-staff members Sadhane and Suraksha

E-MAIL: <sadhanekarnataka@...>