George W. Bush, AIDS, Politics and Religion

Morale is a commodity to be taken with caution. This a lesson that emerges from a series of articles published by an editorial writer for the “New York Times,” the great American newspaper, Nicholas Kristof , on the contradictions on the field in Africa between the major humanitarian promises of President George W. Bush to release billions of dollars to fight against AIDS and his fundamentalist religious beliefs.

We will recall, the American president promised in his State of the Union speech 15 billion of dollars over five years to fight against a scourge that kills 3 million people a year. But Nicholas Kristof writes, “This program seems to have been written more to win votes in the U.S than to save lives in Africa.” Harsh criticism based on the fact that of the 3 billion released for 2003, they were only 2 billion left and that “the administration bungled its AIDS initiative by requiring that a third of prevention money be reserved to support sexual abstinence before marriage. This kind of stipulation shows that people in Washington have never set foot in an African village,” says the journalist in an article that says it all, “When Prudery Kills.”

And to quote Professor Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia University: “Despite a lot of words, and a plan that does not work, they (the Bush administration) have practically done nothing in three years. It is absolutely unforgivable that 7.5 million of Africans have died while they were in power, and that their program did not even reach 500 Africans treated by the program financed by the American aid.”

“By limiting the funds to (promote) abstinence,” says Nicholas Kristof, “the administration seemed more interested in showing that it favors sexual sentimentality of the Christian right in relation to the fight against AIDS. And everywhere in Africa there is this clear evidence that it is not sex that just kills, but also this kind of keen prudishness.” In fact, one study showed that only 42% of Africans at risk have easy access to condoms and, according to a doctor from Johannesburg, “It is not to promote condoms, but to promote life!” in another editorial with a captivating article, “Kill Them Gently.” “To be fair, Kristof writes, “President Bush probably wanted to do well when he cut aid to some of the most vulnerable women in the world.” This is the cutting of subsidies to the Consortium for the reproductive health of refugees, under the pretext that one of its seven members, Mary Stopes International, is related to the birth control program in China. The problem is that this NGO has already been forced to close two clinics and lay off eighty four doctors and nurses in Kenya, “because the Bush administration has applied its gag rule (no money to groups that mention abortion) and has cut off supplies.”

More Than 150,000 Victims

First victim: “Wanjira Rose, a 26-year-old woman with a young child and another planned for November. In September, her husband was killed by wild dogs and she developed an infection that threatens her health and the fetus. Unfortunately for her, she turned to a clinic affiliated with Mary Stopes International. (…) Therefore, because of the maneuvers of the White House, the African slums are losing programs that provide prenatal visits for child protection, assistance at birth and the limitation of births and, above all, help to fight against AIDS. “

A series of editorials in honor of Nicholas Kristof and the “New York Times” is pointing the contradiction between the principles and morals and religious fundamentalism and ultra-moralistic so being in the entourage of George Bush.

Yet, as explained to the world by Sue Hornick, the International Coalition for Women’s Health (IWHC) ,the death of 9,400 mothers and 150,000 children could have been prevented if Washington did not cut its aid in the last two years to the United Nations Fund for Population Activities on behalf of its “Global Gag Rule.” Therefore, it is even forbidden to refer to “abortion for health reasons” if you want to take advantage of the American godsend.”