Black Looks

Something many have suspected has now come to light as the International Community of Women Living with HIV\Aids (ICW) prepares to sue the Namibian government over 15 cases for the forced sterilization of women. Forced sterilizations have also taken place in the DRC, Zambia, South Africa. In South Africa there are cases of HIV positive women being forced into agreeing to sterilization in order to access medical treatment. Overall there is a campaigin amongst certain governments to sterilize HIV positive without their consent in yet another attack against women bodies.

The ICW has documented cases in Namibia where HIV-positive women minutes from giving birth were encouraged to sign consent forms to prevent them from having more children. Jennifer Gatsi-Mallet, its co-ordinator in the country, said: “They were in pain, they were told to sign, they didn’t know what it was. They thought that it was part of their HIV treatment. None of them knew what sterilisation was, including those from urban areas, because it was never explained to them.

“After six weeks they went to the family planning centre for birth control pills and were told that it’s not necessary: they’re sterile. Most of them were very upset. When they went back to the hospital and asked, ‘Why did you do this to us?’ the answer was: ‘You’ve got HIV’.”

Gatsi-Mallet said that some women were now afraid to go to hospital in case they are sterilised, and infertile women were often rejected by their husbands and communities: “In African culture, if you are not able to have children, you are ostracised. It’s worse than having HIV.”

African women aged between 20 and 34 have a higher prevalence of HIV than any other social group; in South Africa one in three is infected.

On average an HIV-positive mother has a one in four risk of transmitting the virus to her child. With the latest antiretroviral drugs, the probability can be cut to less than one in 50. But such medical interventions are underfunded and inaccessible to millions of women across the continent.

The ICW accuses the Namibian government of encouraging state doctors to sterilise HIV-positive women as a means of preventing the spread of the virus. Its request to see the government’s official guidelines has been refused. It hopes to bring 15 or more cases to court later this year.

Further reading on forced sterilisation and medical experimentation on Black women – in the US but no reason to doubt that this cannot or has not taken place in Africa.

Links:
Medical Apartheid : The Dark history of medical experimentation on Black Americans from colonial times to the present.
Mississippi Appendectomy
Forced Sterilisation of Black Women

Via Kameelah Writes

Human Rights Watch publishes the results of a qualitative survey of 100 sexual rights activists from 50 countries on issues of gender identity and sexual orientation. From an African perspective the findings of “Together Apart”are predictable but it is helpful and supportive to know that activists face similar challenges across the world. For example the lack of funding needed to challenge the legal and social status quo, the violence faced by activists, state sponsored homophobia and the constant struggle against cultural and religious fundamentalism which is growing rapidly across Africa.

South African AIDS and human rights activist Zackie Achmat offered one explanation for how state-sponsored homophobia began. “Many African politicians,” he said in 1998, “want to blame the West for everything, homosexuality included”:

“And so these governments are precarious and terrified. The people are roused up against them, and there is no one to support them. Their only real hope is that people die of AIDS or hunger before they are angry enough to rebel. And what do [the governments] find? They say “homosexual” and two sorts come running to them: the Christian churches and the African traditionalists, two groups who usually won’t even speak to one another, come flocking behind the government’s banner. Suddenly they have support. It’s a magic word.”
Read more…

The trial has been delayed over and over and finally well we thought finally it was due to start on the 26th May and then 27th May. Another cancellation and now we learn that both the trial and the pre-trial conference have been delayed indefinitely. What is going on? Steve Kretzmann Han Shan speculates on the Shell Guility Blog on what could be causing the delay and comes up with four possibilities:

1) A new pre-trial conference and trial is round the corner – Possible but why say indefinitely if this is the case.

2) A settlement is being negotiated – Though Kretzmann Shan like the rest of us would prefer to see the trial go ahead he is sympathetic to a settlement. I am not and I think many progressive thinking Nigerians would agree. The trial is now bigger than the Ogoni 8, the Ogoni people. The whole Niger Delta and Nigeria for that matter wants to see Shell exposed and hopefully the Nigerian government as well. Why come this far only to end up settling? More of a shame than a victory.

3) Delayed to broaden the case. Like Kretzmann Shan this is the best possible scenario though like him I am not sure what it means. Maybe to include other crimes by Shell?

4) Finally a “technical” reason based on whether or not Shell or Shell Nigeria can fall under the jurisdiction of the US courts – complicated so you may need to read Kretzmann’s Shan’s explanation!

The 9 Senegalese HIV/AIDS counsellors sentenced to 8 years in prison for homosexuality have had their convictions overturned. The men were convicted on the basis of “hearsay” and anonymous tip offs so it’s not surprising that the prosecution did not question the appeal decision. The arrest of the men was part of homophobic government and media campaign following the publication of photos of a gay wedding in a local magazine, Icone. The editor who received death treats threats said he published the photos to prove that there were gay men in Senegal.

[source...]

Pumla Dineo Gqola discusses promiscuity and culture and asks what impact these have on the spread of AIDS in South Africa which has 40% of the worlds infected population.

Sex with multiple partners is so entrenched in Southern Africa that it is a religion, a basic moral philosophy for most people here. It is often simply called culture or, specifically, African culture. Political leaders who marry an increasing number of wives and royalty that flaunts an equal number of wives and concubines are highly visible.

Often such men conflate their multiple partners with culture, making it harder for us to confront them without being seen as uncultured or, worse, unAfrican. Consequently, even those who do not have multiple partners overlook this practice as part of our collective psychological DNA. Like the genetic DNA we carry in our cells, we pass it on.

Again the use of culture to oppress and justify local patriarchies and making any criticism into acts of disloyalty punishable by exclusion from community or institutions.

To accuse an African of attacking or being disloyal to her/his culture is an effective silencing weapon because it reminds Africans of prior wounding by a series of violent systems that started with slavery and ended with apartheid. It is the ultimate weapon. Yet, as Dr Mamisa Chabula constantly reminds us, customs are meant to heal, not to kill. Opportunistic use of culture against one another lies at the heart of what is killing us in the region.

We still have far to go on the journey to liberating our minds!

Senegal which is one of the few former Francophone countries to criminalise sodomy has sentenced 9 men to an eight year jail sentence despite the judge’s recommendation of 5 years. The concern in this case is the violation of the rights of the men who were arrested in the home of Mr Diouf, who heads AIDES Senegal which provides HIV prevention services to men who have sex with men.

In February 2008, ten men and one woman were arrested in Dakar after a popular local magazine published photographs of a marriage ceremony between two Senegalese men. The publicity and arrests created tremendous public animosity toward LGBT people in Senegal. Statements such as “killing a homosexual is not a sin” and “they should all be well and truly eliminated from the face of the Earth!” appeared on websites. Many gay men and lesbians were attacked by mobs or driven from their homes. IGLHRC coordinated financial assistance for LGBT defenders and others at risk, and led an advocacy campaign demanding the detainees’ release.

In the current case, IGLHRC is deeply concerned by what appears to be a violation of: a) the right to a free and fair trial, b) the right to privacy, and c) the right to freedom from discrimination. IGLHRC is working with local and international partners to find more information about the case and explore options for action.

Sign the Petition here

*** Two blogs by Nigerian women I have recently begun to read regularlyWaffarian on confused Christian morality and child pornography. Waffy’s post was a response to a post on a another great blog, “It was so much easier when I only had one” (a sentiment I can very much relate to – raising 3 boys was a rollacost journey!]. SolomonSysdelle has been talking with a woman who found child pornography on her husband’s computer.

***Winston Zulu reflects on his experiences of physical disability, discrimination, and the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS.

I will not attempt to answer the difficult question of why some people react with such revulsion at the sight of a person with a certain disability. I still do not understand why whole societies stigmatise and discriminate against persons with disabilities when compassion and understanding is what is most needed. I have often wondered whether my presence brings to the fore the reality that everyone is vulnerable to disability, either through illness or accident. Or that, in fact, even a very long and healthy life can eventually lead to disability.

***In July this year, Jon Qwelane published a hateful homophobic piece in the South African tabloid, Sunday Sun. He is now to face the Equality Court over his hate speech article

***The Arab world’s dirty little secret – Racism

We are a racist people in Egypt and we are in deep denial about it. On my Facebook page, I blamed racism for my Cairo Metro argument and an Egyptian man wrote to deny that we are racists and used as his proof a programme on Egyptian Radio featuring Sudanese songs and poetry!

That’s like a racist white American denying he’s a racist because he listens to rap and some of his best friends are black.

***Richard Pithouse from Abahlali reviews “Damming the Flood: Haiti, Aristide and the Politics of Containment”

As the international community commemorate the twentieth anniversary of World AIDS Day, there is a country which today is left dwindling behind watching every day as it comes and only hoping against every hope that food and possibly a cure will be found. What is more traumatising is the fact that even if this cure is available chances of having the medication in their hands is very slim if not zero.

The theme of this year’s World Aids Day is ‘Lead – Empower – Deliver’. This is theme is quite far from being realised by Zimbabwe. The never ending political circus of the country only serves to unleash what history might describe as mass genocide on ordinary Zimbabweans. The country stands with no distinguished leader thereby diminishing any hope of the fulfilling the commitment of the theme, that is, access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010.
It is quite saddening to note that this year the event is being marked by the significant rise in the number of AIDs related deaths. Medical institutions like hospitals and clinics have been closed down thereby erasing any hopes of saving more lives. Worse, the calamity faced by HIV positive patients is the critical shortage of ARVs as a result of the government’s abuse of the donations it has received from the US government.

In 2006 Rudo* a friend who is HIV positive and currently in Zimbabwe was on the brink of death before her life was revived by the successful taking of ARVs. Today her life is once again being placed in jeopardy by the non availability of these precious tablets. Talking to her on the phone she pleadingly asked me if I could by any chance send her some ARVs. Goodness me I only wish I could send them to her, and not only her but a million other people who are in her predicament. A predicament that they are facing, of not being able to celebrate life – but to face imminent death. Her position is worsened by the lack of basic human needs like having clean water in your house. Sewage water from the toilets flowing down her door step. Another positive friend has just died and everyone says it is cholera but Rudo tells me otherwise. Her friend did not have ARVs. The last time she had them was four months ago and ever since then her condition has deteriorated. She dares not to speak about it publicly, she was even cautious as to the choice of words she used in our phone conversation.

What I discerned in her voice was a pleading tone, pleading for someone to intervene lest she losses her life. Knowing that somewhere out there in the world other lives are being given a chance to life, being treated of the same ailment. As we end our conversation I only can pray for her to hold on – hope is her only option.

In this years campaign I implore the whole world to look at the crisis in my country Zimbabwe. I would appeal to the international governments such as the UK to grant asylum to Zimbabweans in their countries. I appeal to the government of United Kingdom to seek ways of alleviating this situation in Zimbabwe by allowing the vast number of asylum seekers to work so they may support their loved ones at home . The leadership of Zimbabwe has failed the people of Zimbabwe but still the international community can help by supporting Zimbabweans abroad rather than dumping them in rooms with no work or deporting them back to South Africa or Zimbabwe.

Links : Word Aids Day 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004

Tags:
Zimbabwe + HIV/AIDS
Asylum Seekers + UK

Nigeria’s Bauchi State is acting as a “dating agency” by arranging for HIV+ people to meet each other with the aim of getting married and reducing the spread of HIV.

Around 70 couples have been matched up in the last few weeks, Bauchi state authorities told the BBC.

Authorities in the state say they are trying to stop HIV spreading and battle the “isolation and stigma” of the disease.

I wouldn’t argue against battling the “isolation and stigma” attached to HIV but this is not the way and I find it hard to believe that there is no coercion involved. The medical information around the transmission of the virus between positive couples is complex and constantly changing so it is really impossible to say accurately that having unprotected sex between committed couples is safe. On the contrary it gives a sense of being safe and I wonder if there is a split whether couples not practicing safe sex would then suddenly decide to use a condom. There are real complex issues around the “drug cocktails” such as resistance, side effects and the need to change drugs from time to time plus the implications for getting pregnant for both mother and baby. The more I think about this the worse it seems as it leads both the couples and everyone else thinking everything is OK when in fact it is not – it is deceitful on the part of Bauchi State to lead couples into believing this is to their benefit and is an appropriate HIV prevention policy.

Tags:
Nigeria
HIV/AIDS