Lin Bao Chin,   Assistant to the Secretary-General of the UN

One of our foremost considerations must be discussing and deciding how to cope with the restrictions built into the UN Declaration on AIDS.    In many countries homosexuals, intravenous drug users and prostitutes are pariahs--they are stigmatized.   The Vatican and the Organization of Islamic Countries both took a firm stand against specifically mentioning vulnerable populations.  The US didn't want them mentioned for other reasons.  

Doesn't the language mean that the World Bank and the World Health Organization, and the UN Global Fund will be jeopardizing the anti-AIDS effort if we fund programs that will target homosexuals, prostitutes, and intravenous drug users?   We are a UN body, and are bound by the UN Declaration. 

We suspect that Catholic and Islamic charitable and relief organizations will be willing to provide treatment for "blameless, innocents" but not the pariahs.  We know the US is unwilling to fund any organization that participates in family planning.   Given that, how can the UN possibly support programs that treat homosexuals, drug users, and prostitutes?   We can't.  We must be very clear about that in all our statements, and all our programs.  Otherwise support for the UNAID will vanish. 

Cuba has tried testing and isolating everyone who is HIV positive.  African countries don't have that option now that so many carry the virus.  Namibian President Sam Nujoma ordered the police to arrest, deport or imprison homosexuals.  Kenya's Daniel arap Moi says they are a scourge.  Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe says they are  "lower than pigs and dogs."    We must recognize these sensitivities in our programs. 

One way around the dilemma is to provide support for infrastructure that will enable others to provide treatment.  Or, we could make special provision for treating the orphans, and the wives of men who are HIV positive.