Cablegate: Media Reaction: Hiv/Aids Global Fund; Harare

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

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

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