CONTENTS | ANB-BIA HOMEPAGE | WEEKLY NEWS
by Gérard Mfuranzima, Burundi, August 1999
THEME = AIDS
With the onslaught of AIDS,
the Church has decided to do something about it
AIDS is making massive inroads in Burundi. The incidence of HIV infection has increased tenfold in less than six years, from 0.7% to 7% in rural areas where 94% of the population live. In urban areas, the rate exceeds 20% (official statistics). Today, the health services estimate there are 260,000 HIV-positive people in Burundi.
But, in the past, why has Burundi's Catholic Bishops' Conference kept silent over this disturbing advance? Let's face it, priests and religious are also victims. A Sister-in-training has just been sent away from her community because she is HIV-positive. She gave evidence to this fact at the recent two-day Bishops' conference (28-29 June 1999) given over to the fight against AIDS. The conference was held at Kiriri Centre of Spirituality, Bujumbura.
Present at Kiriri for the conference were the bishops, their Vicars General, Superiors of Religious Communities, those in charge of the various interdiocesan services, directors of diocesan development offices.
Conference conclusions were far-reaching and hard-hitting. Those present wanted to do more than just publish simple messages to be read out from the pulpit at Sunday Mass. The bishops intended that any decisions taken should be efficacious and long-lasting. To ensure this, a National Catholic Office for Fighting Against AIDS was established. This Office will have branch units in every diocese and in every parish.
Burundi has been experiencing AIDS since 1983. Who is responsible for this? Prostitutes and their clients - the clients coming from the ranks of the military, seasonal workers, truck drivers, young people. And the reasons? Casual sex and the great deal of sexual promiscuity caused by massive population movements - people are herded together in camps where rape and the consequent unwanted babies are only too frequent. All this means that the Church's fight against AIDS transmitted through sexual intercourse, is, in concrete terms, a fight against prostitution, free love, casual sex, and the very existence of the enormous and over-crowded camps.
Our bishops are not burying their heads in the sand. Everyone knows that prostitution is the main reason why AIDS is spreading so rapidly. Prostitution is also one of the major causes of sex slavery. The Church, as guardian of the moral order and guide and educator of the Christian conscience, must take a stand on these issues.
People have been herded into special camps because of the on-going (since 1993) civil war. The bishops, therefore, call on all those responsible for the war to have the good sense to come to the negotiating table in view of arranging a ceasefire. It's only then that lasting peace can be established. Those Burundian politicians present at the Arusha Peace Talks in Tanzania, promise each other that peace will be restored, but unfortunately, it's the ones fighting each other who say the other side must be the first to lay down their arms! The Bishops of Burundi, therefore, have undertaken to do their utmost to help the warring parties understand that war only brings death, never peace. And peace will only become an established fact when the guns fall silent.
A number of social realities were underlined during the Kiriri Conference. Bishop Jean-Berchmans Nterere of Muyinga Diocese said that casual sex and free love are indications of sexual and moral disorders in today's society. He reminded Christians that in the difficult fight against the spread of AIDS, the Church has the duty to educate, enlighten and protect the Faithful's conscience. He suggested that regular Workshops should be organised on specific themes such as: truth, fidelity, salvation, development, sexuality, commitment, etc). Christian groups (Small Christian Communities, Catholic Action groups etc.) would be invited to take part in these Workshops. A first initiative is a Study Week being organised in October 1999.
But what about those already afflicted with AIDS and the impact this has on their families? The Church in Burundi will continue its work especially of caring for orphans. Because Small Christian Communities exist at local grassroots level, this seem to be the ideal environment in which to care for the sick and the orphans. Already, many Christians have made spontaneous efforts to help their afflicted brothers and sisters - groups such as the "Friends of the Cross", Religious, hospital chaplains, Christian founders of associations for fighting against AIDS - and many others. A women doctor goes even further. She says: "When considering the fight against AIDS, it's not enough for priests in Burundi to restrict themselves to the administration of the Sacraments, to anointing the sick, to baptising, to giving Holy Communion, and to celebrating Masses for the Dead. No. Christians are looking for a clear, re-assuring and steady message from their pastors".
A recent inquiry means that 23% of children in primary school have already had their first sexual experiences, and that 32% of students under 19 years of age, said that by the start of going to secondary school, they'd already had sexual relations. Within the Church, there's no debate possible about using condoms. However, Bishop Nterere does say that the HIV-positive partner has the moral obligation to care about the health of the other partner, so perhaps in this area there is room for such a debate. Nevertheless, within the civil society, the debate is certainly not closed.
It's good to note that the Church in Burundi is lifting the curtain on matters concerning AIDS. Archbishop Simon Ntamwana of Gitega is president of the Bishops' Conference of Burundi. He says: "Henceforth we don't say we don't know". The Church is going to involve itself in the fight against AIDS and its consequences. The workers "in the vineyard" want to be up and doing something about the situation. They insist on being sufficiently trained and informed about AIDS so they can take efficacious action.
Establishing the National Catholic Office For Fighting Against AIDS is a clear and unequivocal sign that the fight is on. The Office will be much more than a simple "watchdog" on HIV/AIDS. It wants to be an active planning centre so that as the present century draws to its close, positive action can be taken to stop the spread of AIDS.
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