Patricia Watson, Features Co-ordinatorBANGKOK, Thailand:
NELSON MANDELA, former President of South Africa, yesterday challenged world leaders to take real and urgent actions against AIDS and not to allow other problems to undermine the seriousness of the epidemic.
In what was understood as a swipe at the obsession with the war on terrorism being foisted on the rest of the world by the United States and Britain, Mr. Mandela said "in the course of history there has never been a greater threat than the HIV/AIDS epidemic."
"Our attention to this issue cannot be distracted or diverted by problems that are apparently more pressing. History will judge us harshly if we do not respond with all the energy and resources that we can bring to bear in the fight against HIV/AIDS," he pointed out. In addressing the closing ceremony of the XV International AIDS Conference, Mr. Mandela reminded the audience how the apartheid system tried to reduce people to just numbers and thus destroy their self- esteem.
"We were kept alive by our strong sense of hope and the firm knowledge that the world would not forget us. (Let us) not forget the millions of people suffering from HIV/AIDS and not to reduce them to mere statistics. We share a common humanity with our brothers and sisters suffering in this epidemic. Ask yourselves what you can do as global citizens in the fight against HIV/AIDS. We must never forget our own responsibilities."
CALLS FOR MORE FUNDING
Mr. Mandela also called upon donors to increase their funding for the fight against AIDS.
"This applies not only to governments, but also to the private sector and private foundations. It also applies to every global citizen no amount of money is too small to make a difference. We need to build the public private partnership that is the vision of the Global Fund. We challenge everyone to fund the fund now," he appealed.
In addition, Mr. Mandela said persons living with HIV/AIDS must be provided with antiretroviral treatment in order to save their lives.
Mr. Mandela, who announced his retirement from public life recently, said he attended the conference because, fighting "against AIDS is one of the greatest challenges the world faces at the start of the 21st century. I cannot rest until I'm certain that the global response is sufficient to turn the tide of the epidemic."
He further noted that come July 18, he will turn 86 and he would like no better a birthday present than knowing that there is renewed commitment from leaders in every sector of society to take real and urgent action against AIDS.
