Secretary of Health of Pakistan alarmed by Lucknow Incidents

[Guest guest]

Friends,

Yesterday we had a most unusual visitor: the

Secretary of Health of Pakistan and he too has been

following the Lucknow incidents very closely. Coming

from a conservative Islamic nation which separated

from us because of unfortunate circumstances, the

state there has a chance to intervene because it has

a window period of opportunity.Instead of being

re-assured of how we are handling the HIV/AIDS

crisis in the MSM sector,I am ashamed to say he was

alarmed at what was happening.

There were two Humsafar trustees in the office and

both had very strong views that recent happenings in

Lucknow has taken our movement back by nearly five

years just when younger activists like Shaleen and

Manohar were doing some excellent work with NHRC and

networking.

Now some points:

We will not speak out of turn. The first character

of an effective movement is to speak in a

disciplined, united manner which gives the feeling

of solidarity. Towards that end we at Humsafar Trust

will not speak out of line. But very vibrant

discussions have gone on among both the board of

Trustees and the Advisory Board.

We are duty bound to uphold the the legitimate

rights of sexual minorities to run their own

institutions and NGOs. We have been assured by NACO,

MDACS and MSACS that they will support us wherever

necessary. ICMR, AIIMS, NARI, NIV and every

prestigious institute of national standing is with

us in our legitimate demands and valid rights as

equal citizens of this land.

Towards that end, the project director of the Mumbai

District AIDS Control Society (MDACS), Dr.Alka

Gogate herself was present at the meeting called by

the Lawyers Collective.Many others came on the

express invitation of the Humsafar Trust

Dr.Gogate had issued a whip that all NGOs working on

HIV/AID issues try and show their solidarity and

presence with the LGBT groups assembled. Mumbai's

civic health officials and even members of the

usually non-political Gay Bombay were there in full

force with Mumbai's LGBT groups. This was a show of

strength and we are proud to say that the

inter-sectoral and the pluralistic nature of our

struggle was clearly visible.

Therefore let me say that when we will speak we

shall speak with authority and with due respect to

everybody here and we need not be lectured to on

" Indian culture " and other such rot. Section 377 of

the IPC is an imposition by the British Raj and of

completely non-Indian origin. For more please read

the difficult-to-get book,'Same sex Love in India'

(Ruth Vanita and Saleem Kidwai).

I am not answering any of the points below by

Fighter for the same reasons. The FIR from Lucknow

is pretty sparse and gives no inkling at all of the

seriousness of the occasion. We have left it to the

skilled lawyers to dissect and help us with the case

and I'm sure the Lawyers Collective will do the

needful. Till then we hope all concerned will

maintain a discreet silence.

Whatever is possible is being done for Bharosa Trust

and Friends India Trust. Both are registered Indian

NGOs registered in the Charity Commisseriate at

Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. We show our solidarity with

them (just last month both had requested me to come

on board as patron which I could not take up )in

this hour of need by keeping our mouths shut and

looking at the facts and not fiction coming in

newspapers and websites.

I feel both Bharosa and Friends India may have made

mistakes but remember only people who WORK make

mistakes. Those who don't WORK don't MAKE mistakes.

Each of us made them somewhere sometime, so let us

not get judgemental and let things come out as

proven facts.

My appeal to all groups is to show compassion and

comraderie in this hour of need as Arif Jafar,Shahid

and Maj.Sameer need it now most of all.

Ashok Row Kavi

Humsafar Trust

E-mail: humsafar@...