Update 1/08/07 - see updated comments below!!
Papua legislative council deliberating microchip regulation for people with
HIV/AIDSPosted at 00:42 on 25 July, 2007 UTC
The Legislative Council of Indonesia’s Papua province is deliberating a regulation that would see microchips implanted in people living with HIV/AIDS so authorities could monitor their actions.
The Jakarta Post reports that according to Article 35 of the regulation on healthcare in the province, to supervise and control people with HIV/AIDS a detection device is needed to monitor the movements and sexual activities of people with HIV/AIDS.
The article has been condemned by activists and government officials in the province as a gross violation of rights.
Dr John Manansang, a member of the working group deliberating the regulation, told reporters in Jayapura that if the regulation was approved by the council in its present form, the article on microchips would be implemented.
Dr Manansang said the microchips would be imposed on people with HIV/AIDS who practice high-risk behaviors.
However, the Papua chapter of the National AIDS Commission has slammed the proposal as a violation of human rights.
It says any form of identification of people with HIV/AIDS violates human rights
Update: 1 August 2007
Apparently this was a bit of sensationalist journalism. According to emails circulating various e-groups, the Deputy Governor of Papua and other Papuans have dismissed this as fanciful. Apparently the original Jakarta Post article was quoted selectively by Radio NZ (and others). The original articles indicated that the proposal had come from a doctor who was on a working group examining draft health legislation. It also included a statement that the head fo the Papua chapter of the National AIDS Commission - who also happens to be the Deputy Governor! - slammed the proposal as a violation of human rights. Questions were also raised as to who had drafted the regulation.
So why would the global media publish the proposal so selectively, leaving out vital information that is clearly essential to understanding the entire story? In the emails I've received, several people have pointed out that it serves to reinforce stereotypes of Melanesians and celebrate bizarre behaviour in exotic locations.
Here's the latest article from the Jakarta Post:
Protesters slam proposal to tag people with HIV/AIDS
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