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Purpose

HIV/AIDs has the potential to seriously compromise the success of peace support operations and ultimately the well being of societies and economies of countries in the Asia Pacific region. It is a security issue that, while not a part of operational execution of a mission, is of interest to all participating nations because of the seriousness and peculiar nature of the threat.

Background

For millennia deadly diseases have spread with horrific results by the movements of populations fleeing conflict, following conflict or participating in conflict itself. At times mortality rates of military personnel were higher because of disease than because of injuries sustained in the fight. Indigenous populations that had not previously been exposed to the disease were particularly hardest hit. More so now than in the past militaries are extremely mobile. Today's conflicts are complicated by the affected country's limited capacity to respond to and recover from the epidemic because of a non-existent or insufficient public health care system, further delaying long-term recovery from the immediate effects of the crisis, long after peace has prevailed. Particularly in the case of HIV, which is incurable however manageable, and has a lengthy incubation period, the disease becomes even more deeply rooted, jeopardizing the future of the country and the ultimate success of the peacekeeping mission. Societal attitudes about the disease further compliment meaningful response methods.

Discussion Points

1. What is the scope and nature of the problem?
2. How does the HIV/AIDs issue impact on complex emergencies?
3. What are some of the current initiatives in this area, as they relate to the military?
4. Do models exist that successfully addressing prevention, response, mitigation, planning and executing a plan?
5. How can cultural, national, ethnic and religious sensitivities and needs be taken into account?
6. How can countries work together/apart to begin to address this problem?
7. What strategies can be used effectively to meet the civil-military challenges regarding HIV/AIDs?

Discussion Summary

There are several reasons why this disease is more challenging than others, when looking at the link between peacekeeping forces and the spread of HIV/AIDs: 1) There is no data about peacekeepers; 2) There is a lack of consistency in policies about HIV testing and the distribution of condoms; 3) Because of troop movement, different strains of HIV are being transmitted between countries; 4) There are no behavioral studies prior to going on deployment; 5) An ethical dilemma is created: by supporting the use of condoms to combat the spread of the disease, are we inadvertently promoting promiscuity; 6) The way people act at home doesn't necessarily apply in a mission because the mentality when deployed is one of going on holiday, or being outside the bounds of everyday convention; and 7) Many countries test their military personnel when they get home, but the results are not reported to the UN.

The countries where there have been huge steps made in the fight against AIDS show collaboration from a national armed force program. However, the non-military elements of a peacekeeping force are more problematic. Many police forces assume that people with seniority do not need training. Civilians are very sexually active but do not receive condoms because they are believed to be able to afford them with their allowance. It is also assumed that civilians are exposed to media (e.g., newspapers, TV broadcasts, internet, etc.) and so therefore are more informed.

Often the UN personal and NGO personnel outnumber the peacekeepers and they come in with no training, which they should have. One cannot expect to have a large impact if they are only trained just before or just after they arrive to a mission because they are in those moments already dealing with chaos. Just after they are deployed, there is little opportunity for debriefing. This is why it is important to train at home, in anticipation of deployment. All UN personal need to be informed: secretaries, truck drivers, etc. They need to have an understanding of disease threats but also of the specific situation into which they are going. Every population group that is present in the crisis situation has the same risk factors, so they all need to be trained.

Controlling the spread of HIV/AIDs is beyond the mandate of the peacekeeping mission, however, it is our job not to worsen the situation. The assignment of an AIDS officer to every peacekeeping operation is a step in the right direction. This issue should not be ignored by the peacekeepers, but when the peacekeeper is there for only 5-6 months, they can't really get a good grip on the situation. People who are there for a long time are better equipped to conduct that kind of intervention.

Many people in East Timor have never seen a condom. Pictures of condoms cannot be shown because of opposition from the church. Condoms cannot be displayed. The sensitivity of sexual issues in East Timor is very serious in both the general population and the peacekeepers. Because of this, the discrete role of NGOs is very important. They maintain a low profile and are working at the community level. It is important to keep working with community leaders and church leaders. Some of the most conservative countries that do not want to promote promiscuity have had to come to the realization that we cannot expect everyone to follow their societal norms and that the use of condoms should be promoted.

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