Sunday Times, South Africa - April 9, 2000
Ranjeni Munusamy
Dr Ruth Nduati, a University of Nairobi scientist who is involved in groundbreaking research into the prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission, said: "Encouragement of dissident views by leaders of Mbeki's calibre has the potential of creating doubt and undoing strategies to prevent the spread of the disease.
"Mbeki's discussion with dissidents who say this is a harmless virus could even make people stop using condoms.
"Leaders should be careful about who they stand up for and support. People on our continent are more likely to believe Mbeki than all our top scientists."
Nduati said it would be "devastating and unfair" if threatened boycotts of the 13th International AIDS Conference in South Africa went ahead.
Presidential spokesman Parks Mankahlana said scientists who had threatened to boycott the conference were "utterly stupid" and "welcome to stay away. If they don't want to come to South Africa, that's fine. They have a right to boycott. It will not damage the conference. It does not affect us - it's not a government conference anyway."
He said the President's office "did not owe any explanations" and had "no intention" of clarifying Mbeki's stance on AIDS.
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