VOA-BURMA / AIDS

[tinkyi@xxxxxxx]

DATE=4/8/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-247777
TITLE=BURMA / AIDS (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=GERALDINE CARROLL
DATELINE=BANGKOK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  THE UNITED NATIONS SAYS BURMA'S MILITARY GOVERNMENT IS 
REFUSING TO RECOGNIZE THE COUNTRY'S GROWING AIDS /  H-I-V  
CRISIS.  THE JOINT PROGRAM ON H-I-V/AIDS - OR U-NAIDS - SAYS THE 
EPIDEMIC COULD SPILL OVER BURMA'S BORDERS AND ENDANGER OTHER  
SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS.  GERALDINE CARROLL REPORTS FROM BANGKOK.

TEXT:  BURMA HAS THE WORST AIDS EPIDEMIC IN SOUTHEAST ASIA-- 
EXCEPT FOR CAMBODIA.  

THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT REFUSES TO DISCLOSE OFFICIAL STATISTICS, 
BUT U-NAIDS ESTIMATES THERE ARE NOW 440-THOUSAND CASES OF AIDS  
OR H-I-V, THE VIRUS THAT CAUSES THE DISEASE,   IN BURMA - ALSO 
KNOWN AS MYANMAR.  

DR. PETER PIOT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF U-NAIDS,  SAYS IN THE 
INTEREST OF OTHER COUNTRIES, NOT JUST BURMA, THE RANGOON 
GOVERNMENT MUST FACE UP TO THE PROBLEM. 

                     // ACTS  PIOT BEGINS  //

         WE NEED TO CONCENTRATE OUR EFFORTS ON MYANMAR AND 
         CONVINCE THE GOVERNMENT THAT THIS IS A MATTER,  NOT ONLY
         FOR THE WELL-BEING OF THE PEOPLE,  BUT ALSO OF NATIONAL 
         SECURITY.  IT'S ALSO IN THE INTEREST OF ALL THE 
         COUNTRIES IN THE REGION THAT THE AIDS EPIDEMIC IN 
         MYANMAR IS NOT GETTING COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL. 

                     //  ACTS PIOT ENDS //

U-NAIDS SAYS SEVEN POINT TWO  MILLION PEOPLE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA 
ARE LIVING WITH AIDS  OR H-I-V.  IT SAYS ONE FIFTH OF THOSE 
PEOPLE WERE INFECTED IN THE LAST YEAR ALONE.    

AND DR. PIOT SAYS VICTIMS OF THE EPIDEMIC ARE GETTING YOUNGER -- 
MORE THAN HALF OF ALL NEW INFECTIONS HIT PEOPLE UNDER 25 YEARS 
OLD.   

                     // ACTS PIOT BEGINS //

         THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE 
         INFECTED ARE INFECTED THROUGH SEX. AND THAT'S SOMETHING 
         THAT WE SHOULD ALSO NOT FORGET.  FOR GIRLS PARTICULARLY 
         THAT MEANS COERCED SEX, SEXUAL ABUSE PARTICULARLY WHEN 
         THEY'RE YOUNG, AND THEN LATER ON IT IS JUST HETEROSEXUAL
         TRANSMISSION AND ALSO MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN.   

                     //  ACTS PIOT ENDS//

THE UNITED NATION CHILDREN'S AID ORGANIZATION -- UNICEF --  IS 
THE ONLY INTERNATIONAL GROUP ALLOWED TO TEACH AIDS AWARENESS TO 
YOUNG PEOPLE IN BURMA. BUT DR. PIOT SAYS UNTIL THE GOVERNMENT 
ACKNOWLEDGES THE EXISTENCE OF AIDS AND ALLOWS MORE PREVENTION 
PROGRAMS TO REACH ALL COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, THE 
EPIDEMIC WILL GET WORSE.

         

                     //  ACTS PIOT BEGINS //

          WE KNOW THAT ONE OF THE MAJOR STRENGTHS OF THE THAI 
         PROGRAM AND OTHER PROGRAMS HAS BEEN THE GRASSROOTS 
         ORGANIZATIONS AND MAKING SURE THAT AT THE COMMUNITY 
         LEVEL - THAT'S WHERE THE ACTION IS.  AGAIN, THERE IN 
         MYANMAR AT THE MOMENT, THAT'S NOT THE STRONGEST SIDE 
         BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT IS THERE AND WE HAVE CIVIL 
         SOCIETY - AND THERE IS A TOTAL BREAKDOWN. 

                     //  ACTS PIOT ENDS //

BURMA'S MILITARY GOVERNMENT DID NOT RESPOND TO REQUESTS FOR 
COMMENT ON THIS REPORT.  U-NAIDS SAYS IF BURMA REMAINS SILENT ON 
H-I-V/AIDS,  THE EPIDEMIC WILL AFFECT GENERATIONS TO COME. 
(SIGNED) 

NEB/GC/GC/PLM

08-Apr-99 6:13 AM EDT (1013 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
 .