CHINA: UNICEF AMBASSADOR SIR. ROGER MOORE IN BEIJING TO RAISE AWARNESS ABOUT AIDS AND DISCRIMINATIONS AGAINST AIDS ORPHANS.

Record ID: 674148

  • Title: CHINA: UNICEF AMBASSADOR SIR. ROGER MOORE IN BEIJING TO RAISE AWARNESS ABOUT AIDS AND DISCRIMINATIONS AGAINST AIDS ORPHANS.
  • Date: 10th August 2004
  • Summary: (U3) BEIJING, CHINA (AUGUST 11, 2004) (REUTERS ) MV: INTERVIEW WITH LI DAN, AIDS ACTIVIST. SCU: SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) LI DAN SAYING: "An HIV AIDS carrier said, 'When you were working in this local position, blood was being sold, and because of that blood, we've got AIDS, so what now? What do we do now?' he replied, 'Well, when those people like you die in a
  • Embargoed: 25th August 2004 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BEIJING, CHINA
  • Country: China
  • Topics: General,Health
  • Reuters ID: LVA3UU4WC3W7I5IAUNXIW3GVNB78
  • Story Text: Former James Bond star, Sir Roger Moore, criticises
    rampant discrimination against AIDS orphans.



    UNICEF Ambassador and former star of the James Bond
    movies, Sir Roger Moore, is in China to raise awareness
    about AIDS and raise funds for the nation's growing number
    of AIDS orphans.

    UNICEF estimates there are currently 78,000 AIDS
    orphans in China, but the Chinese Centre for Disease
    Control and Prevention forecasts that by 2010, there could
    be as many as 138,000 to 260,000 AIDS orphans.

    Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday (August 11),
    Moore said he believed China could combat the scourge of AIDS.

    "The battle will be won. It's an uphill battle, but it
    will be and we must get across with your help to people
    that there should be no stigma, people should not be
    ostracised, they should not lose their jobs, they should
    not be frightened of being tested if they think there's a
    possibility that they are HIV. They should be able to go
    for a test in the knowledge that they will not lose their
    jobs, that they will not lose their friends," said Moore.

    Moore criticised hotels and schools in Beijing which
    turned away a group of AIDS orphans in town to meet him and
    attend a summer camp.

    "This is a situation that is completely unacceptable
    that they (the AIDS orphans) should be shunned by society,"
    said Moore.

    More than 40 hotels, schools and hostels in Beijing
    rejected the group before one hotel agreed to take them in.

    Moore said the establishments "should hang their heads
    in shame" for not helping the 72 children.

    Moore said raising awareness was the frontline in the
    battle against AIDS.

    "And awareness is the beginning of the battle, it is
    the lining up of the troops ready to combat the enemy, that
    is what awareness does and in our case the awareness for
    people not to separate those children, to let them lead a
    normal life," said Moore.

    China estimates it has 840,000 people with HIV/AIDS,
    but experts say the figure is more likely to be between
    1-1.5 million.

    Misunderstanding of AIDS in China runs deep and despite
    recent signs from the central government that it is serious
    about tackling the problem, the message has been slow to
    trickle down into the provinces.

    Reports of detentions and harassment of AIDS activists continue.

    Li Dan, an activist who attended the 15th International
    AIDS Conference in Bangkok, was detained earlier this week
    in Henan province.

    Li said he believed local government officials were
    behind the incident, in which he was beaten.

    Li was the founder of the Orchid School in Shangqiu
    city, which authorities closed and sealed in July.

    Speaking in Beijing after his release, Li said there
    was evidence that some local officials in Henan were simply
    waiting for AIDS patients to die.

    "An HIV AIDS carrier said, 'When you were working in
    this local position, blood was being sold, and because of
    that blood, we've got AIDS, so what now? What do we do
    now?' he replied, 'Well, when those people like you die in
    a couple of years, the problem will be solved.' The Henan
    local government is doing two things, on one hand they are
    waiting for the AIDS carriers to die, and on the other hand
    they are controlling the blood donation places, and when
    these two are done with, the problems will be solved (from
    their perspective)," said Li.

    Another AIDS activist Wan Yanhai said that while the
    government had made strides in the fight against AIDS, he
    said it must take responsibility for the behaviour of some
    local officials.

    "When you look at this specific area you can find many
    people got detained in a short period of time, but in
    general we can say that the Chinese government and local
    government become more willing and more open in AIDS
    affairs, and the government pays more attention, but I
    still don't know why they couldn't take strong action
    against some corrupt officials in Henan, which act like
    criminals," said Wan.

    A Chinese official asked about the recent detentions
    said she had not heard of the report about Li Dan's
    detention, and urged activists to use the proper channels
    for AIDS work.
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