World's Armies should set aside differences to jointly fight AIDS: Gen Bhopinder

[Guest guest]

World's Armies should set aside differences to jointly fight AIDS:

Gen Bhopinder

Toronto 14th August 2006

" Forces all over the world should unite to fight AIDS as part of

their greater national security responsibility, " said Lt Gen

Bhopinder Singh addressing a plenary of military leaders and policy

makers at the XVI International AIDS Conference at Toronto, which

got under way on Sunday.

Lt. Gen Bhopinder Singh, who recently retired from the post of

Director General of Assam Rifles was speaking at the session

on: " Security and the spread of AIDS Challenging the military

leaders to fight the response, " at the Conference, that is being

attended among others by luminaries like former US President Bill

Clinton, Hollywood star Gere, IT giant Bill and his wife

Melinda Gates .

Striking an emotional chord, Gen Singh said, " A Soldier is a human

being first and foremost before his avocation of wearing a uniform

and fighting a force inimical to the Country to which he owes

allegiance; so for God's sake, let's treat him as such! "

With his characteristic conviction, the General said: " While

soldiers are guarding borders or combating insurgencies, a silent

enemy lurks. It wears no uniform, knows no borders, bears no

allegiance, carries no weapon, spends no ammunition, is invisible

and strikes in total silence.

" It has the capacity to decimate the force by sending the ranks into

disarray, " he said, adding, " It is the deadly AIDS Virus to which

there is no known cure currently in existence. " The General, has

seen the catastrophic effects of the Virus first hand during his

last official assignment.

Making it amply clear that he was highlighting his personal

experiences and was in no way purporting them to be the official

stand of the Indian government or any other organization, Lt Gen

Bhopinder, said the main reason for stigma and discrimination in

civil and military societies was ignorance. " Soldiers need to be

given more knowledge, " he said, " It is education alone which can

reduce stigma. "

He also emphasized on the challenges facing the wives and the

families of the soldier. Because while the soldier is able to access

medicines, his wife living in a remote village has no access to any

medical facility or ARV.

It is only when forces around the world rally to jointly fight the

Virus, transcending borders, ideological differences, languages,

races and cultures that the War against AIDS will be won. Lt General

Bhopinder Singh Said.

About 24,000 scientists, policy makers, political leaders and people

living with HIV/AIDS are attending the week-long conference.

--

Sanjay Sharma

Director,

Maitri,

Pineview II, Nongrimmaw,

Laitumkhrah, Shillong - 793 011

Meghalaya, India.

Tel: +364-250-6050, +94361-61402

e-mail: <sanjay.sharma.cognet@...>