Barbara Among
5 June 2008
Kampala — HIV/AIDS is one of the major security threats, the commander of the Land Forces, Gen. Katumba Wamala, has said. He told delegates at the HIV/AIDS implementers' conference in Kampala yesterday, that to the military, the disease was not a medical issue but a security concern.
"A combat enemy is easy to deal with. You can know what kind of weapon he is using, you can even know the capabilities that he has, but with AIDS, it is a different cup of tea."
He added: "It affects the most important military resource; the personnel."
Katumba said many officers had fallen victim to the epidemic.
The security threat of the disease, he noted, had unfortunately not received a lot of global attention because of its silent nature.
The UN Security Council in 2002 passed a resolution declaring HIV as a global security threat and called for urgent intervention. However, not much has been done since then.
Katumba said treatment of HIV-positive soldiers, burial and paying terminal benefits was costly to the institution.
Dr. Godfrey Bwire of the UPDF said the HIV prevalence rate in the army was high, but he concealed the figures citing security reasons.
Several soldiers pointed out that the major cause of new infections was involvement in peacekeeping missions.
Lt. Col. Alain Azondekon from Benin, where 2,500 of its forces are sent to peacekeeping missions annually, said up to 90% of those who returned tested positive.
Uganda last year sent its troops to Somalia, a number of its Police officers are also serving in Liberia and in the Darfur region in Sudan.
Participants pointed out that much as the UN demanded soldiers to be screened before they were deployed, many got infected on the missions.
"When you are in a war, it becomes difficult to appreciate the real threat. If you tell a man on the battle-field to wear a condom, he will ask you how long you expect him to live," said Lt. Col. Stephen Kusasira, the UPDF HIV/AIDS programme director.
But rights activists questioned the army on its policy of discriminatory recruitment and mandatory testing before admission to the force.
The soldiers said the strenuous nature of military training and combat activities necessitated the policies.
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