WHY We Have NO Social Life
AIDS in West Papua
(and why I'm blogging on a Saturday night!)

I knew that the HIV/AIDS infection rate in West Papua was considerably higher than the rest of Indonesia, and I understood that this probably meant some pretty big numbers, considering the prevalence of commercial sex and the fact that adequate and informed sexual education is found nowhere either formally, or non-formally.

What I didn't realize is that West Papua has the highest per-capita rates of infection not only in all of Indonesia, but in Oceania, and the island of New Guinea (even higher than PNG!); infection rate is reaching sub-Saharan African levels! West Papua is truly in the eye of the HIV storm.

Projections show that possibly 3% of the population of West Papua is infected with HIV/AIDS. And because of numerous factors, not the least of which is the booming resource economy currently operating in West Papua, these numbers are projected to increase exponentially in the coming years. These statistics don't hold for Raja Ampat, as until recently it has remained a fairly remote area. However, infection has begun, as development has driven the migration of many natives of Raja Ampat into the city of Sorong -- hub for transportation, trade, and, the spread of HIV infection.

HIV/AIDS infection will be difficult to control without education. "Most Papuans have heard of HIV/AIDS. But condoms are a different story. In a 2001 study, only 29% of people interviewed across the province could identify a condom when shown one." (Lesley Butt, AIDS in West Papua: Top Ten Reasons to Worry) An education program that will address this current level of knowledge will have to be immediate and intensive if it intends to make a difference! However, sex in Indonesia is still fairly taboo -- a topic shrouded in silence, shame, and secrecy. Until recent years condom ads were considered pornography and thus illegal. Good luck convincing government officials that this is a true crisis, and getting them to back SexEd and condom distribution initiatives!

So why is it exactly that we don't have a social life... Wasn't that the title of your post, Ange? Are you sure you didn't mean to entitle it "Why we have no SEX life"... no, no, no... You see, aside from all of the horror spelled out in the statistics, there is a very scary and completely incomprehensible practice taking place after dark in Sorong... A friend told us that a few HIV/AIDS infected people have taken to 'sticking' people with infected needles in bars and clubs. What is the logic behind this? I can't imagine. It just seems sick to me. What, "I'm going to die because of this evil virus, and I'm going to take as many people down with me as possible... or what!?" Needless to say, I have never been to a bar in Sorong. I have absolutely no desire to play Russian Roulette, and don't really like the 'Discos' in Indonesia anyway!