MEDIA REACTION: HIV/AIDS GLOBAL FUND; HARARE

UNCLAS HARARE 001180 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/PD CDALTON NSC FOR TEITLEBAUM LONDON FOR GURNEY PARIS FOR NEARY NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KPAO KMDR ZI SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: HIV/AIDS GLOBAL FUND; HARARE ¶1. Under headline "Zim losing out on HIV/Aids global fund," the July 18 edition of the independent weekly "The Standard" carried the following editorial on page 8: ¶2. ". . .Although the war on HIV/AIDS is being fought on many fronts. . .there is no doubt that this disease has become the leading killer in this country (Zimbabwe) and elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa. The incredible orphan crisis in this country and elsewhere has to be seen to be believed. Women and children are at the heart of this HIV/Aids crisis. We are, indeed, dealing with a humanitarian crisis of enormous proportions. Unlike all the countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Zimbabwe is losing out as far as the international partnership against HIV and Aids in Africa is concerned. The people of Zimbabwe are being punished because of the misgovernance and wayward behavior of their political leadership. ". . .We need cheap generic AIDS drugs and accelerated testing to halt progression of HIV and Aids in Zimbabwe. But we cannot hope to make a difference if we are cut off from the global resource base that other sub-Saharan countries are tapping into because of the misdemeanors of our political leaders. It is in this context that we call on the international community to make a clear distinction between the political leadership of a country and the population of a country. People cannot be made to suffer for the sins of their leadership. By all means, punish the leaders but spare the citizens. . . ." SULLIVAN