AEGiS-Bangkok Post: EDITORIAL: The deadly danger of Aids and drugs

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2001. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

EDITORIAL: The deadly danger of Aids and drugs

Bangkok Post - October 9, 2001

The greatest threat to Thailand and Southeast Asia is the two-headed Hydra of drugs and Aids. Drug abuse and the killer syndrome are directly linked. As one increases, so does the other. Risky abuse of drugs, particularly the use of shared needles, directly spreads Aids. Drug abusers are far less likely to worry about unprotected sex. The more drugs, the more abuse _ the more abuse, the more Aids. These twin attacks represent the greatest security threat to our country and region.

In recent weeks, the world has focussed on terrorism. Officials have revived and increased anti-terrorist measures, particularly tracking and blocking the accounts and transfers of terrorists' funds. The mass killing of people from 80 countries in the United States on Sept 11 has convinced people everywhere they must co-operate against the terrorists, or they will be in increasing danger.

The "wars" against drugs and Aids must also be given high priority. Although there are huge differences between the wars on terrorism and drugs, some of the new emphasis on fighting terrorists can be turned against the drug merchants, producers and traffickers. Attacks must be made and stepped up on their bank accounts, financial resources, ill-gotten gains and luxurious life styles. As with terrorists, we must recognise that drug traffickers are great and present threats to our people and the national security of Thailand and our neighbours. They may not kill with bombs or hijackings, but drug traffickers kill and ruin the lives of families just the same.

The war on drugs must be improved because it is being lost. The battle against Aids is still undecided. Last week, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/Aids reported bad news. While Thailand and Cambodia have stalled the advance of HIV/Aids, much of the rest of Asia has not. Indonesia, Vietnam and China have been so lackadaisical, so inefficient and so inattentive that they already have epidemics in many regions. In Ho Chi Minh City, 20% of sex workers and clients have tested positive for HIV, and the rate is 26% in Jakarta and two other Indonesian cities. In Guangxi, China, infections rose to 10.7% from 9.9% in the last six months of last year.

Sharing information and experiences has seen great benefits in fighting Aids. Health workers, NGOs, communities and governments have worked together against a common enemy. It would seem logical that these same leaders and community workers would realise the advantages, and attempt to widen the scope. But they face the same old problems. It is no accident that the secretive countries have the greatest Aids problems. China's communists, Burma's dictators and Vietnam's security agents jail citizens for sharing information.

Still, it has been eight years since the six nations at the centre of the regional drug epidemic agreed to share information against drug traffickers, money launderers and their minions. Unfortunately, Burma, Cambodia, China, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam have failed to step up and stamp out the drugs trade.

It is time they did. It would increase vigilance against cross-border crime as part of urgent, new initiatives to combat terrorism. Properly designed, with careful reporting procedures, it also would pursue drug traffickers. It will be necessary to convince Burma to join this effort. If necessary, officials must be prepared to "go public" with information that links the Rangoon regime to drug dealers, just as information now is being released on the bin Laden connection to terrorism.

The battle against Aids has just begun. It cannot succeed in isolation; it must be international in scope. And those involved must realise, and combat, the links between the disease and illicit drugs.

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