GAY INFONESIA - Gay in West Sumatra: 'Combating' LGBT to prevent HIV / AIDS. West Sumatran Vice Governor Nasrul Abit said his side was preparing to "eradicate" the so-called "deviant sex" among gay groups to prevent HIV / AIDS.
But the move, according to activists, is based on "hatred," and will lead to discrimination.
Data on the number of LGBTs recorded in the province are "thousands" but no valid figures, Nasrul said, adding that LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) numbers are "getting more and more," and could increase the number of HIV cases.
"Every night in Padang roam about 100 people, one serving three people, so 300 being served, 150 wearing wives, it's infectious, they're not sick now, it's just 10 years from now, because of their current deeds, "Nasrul told BBC Indonesia correspondent Endang Nurdin.
"We can not eradicate them now, because they do not have valid data, just socialized, those who are exposed to us treat, who have not been exposed not to be affected, we socialize through the family, if the data shows West Sumatra many LGBT," he added.
In the past month, news and social media chirp related to the number of gays in West Sumatra have been widely lifted, but Nasrul said there is no valid amount yet.
But Nasrul said it is working with hospitals and communities to reduce the number of gay people to reduce HIV / AIDS.
LGBT activist Hartoyo called the efforts of the West Sumatra provincial government as a move that would lead to discrimination.
"My guess (this step) is not to eradicate HIV, because if it is run now it has been missed," Hartoyo said referring to the involvement of the LGBT community in the government's program to reduce HIV / AIDS.
"The basis of hatred against this group ... hatred breeds discrimination," he added.
The highest HIV rate in Jakarta
Director of the UN AIDS agency, UNAIDS, for Indonesia, Krittayawan Boonto said the number of people affected by HIV in Indonesia reached 620,000, with the highest number in Jakarta as 45,000 people and followed in Jayapura, Sorong, Bandung, Surabaya and Denpasar.
The rate of transmission of new HIV cases, according to Krittayawan, reached 48,000 per year, down from 60,000 in 2010. But this figure is still high as it will increase the number of cases approaching a million in the next few years if it is not suppressed.
Of these new rates of transmission, Krittayawan adds, 30% of them are gay men, while 30% are injecting drug users' wives, commercial sex worker users, and gay men's wives. The rest is a drug user with a syringe.
"The trend we see is 48% in 2000, the highest drug use, but now the highest in wives (drug users with hypodermic needles, gentleman to prostitutes and gay men's wives) and gay men."
Krittayawan said the commitment of the Indonesian government through the Ministry of Health in reducing HIV / AIDS is high by providing infrastructure including thousands of Puskesmas for HIV / AIDS examination and treatment.
But the incidence of LGBT groups, including raids on gay spas in Jakarta, for example - makes people afraid to open up that they are gay and at risk of contracting diseases through sexual contact and needle syringe.
"The incidence of LGBT makes people more paranoid ... In the present circumstances they are afraid to say they have a risk (HIV), the current incident makes people afraid and people do not want to seek health services (to check or seek treatment)," said Krittayawan.
"It's a pity because Indonesia has infrastructure of more than 3,000 Puskesmas that can be visited for HIV testing and there are several hundred clinics ... so there is infrastructure but the environment makes it difficult," he added.
Raid gays positive action
On December 14th, 10 men were sentenced to two years in jail for participating in a gay sex party in a sauna.
The ten men included at least 141 people who were arrested in a raid on a sauna and gym in Jakarta last May.
While in Aceh, two gay men were sentenced to flogging in May last year, which is the first punishment for homosexuals in the province that applies Islamic sharia.
In West Sumatra - though not included in the high provincial category in HIV / AIDS figures - local authorities will register gay numbers, the group considered a cause of the high rate of the disease, before implementing the policy in April.
Data from the Ministry of Health in December 2016 showed the number of HIV in West Sumatra recorded 1,883 cases. Not yet clear what the current number.
Deputy Governor of West Sumatra, Nasrul Abit said what he called "deviant sex" by the gay group behind the HIV / AIDS case will be affected in the next 10 years.
"Socialization will be done through the school, through religious counselors coming into the family that this action is not good for health, as a Muslim is also a sin that can poison our young people."
"So if we do not eradicate the young generation right now, they will suffer for 10 years, that's the information from the hospitals that take care of them," said Nasrul
"We have no repressive actions, it is only a matter of awareness that do not engage in deviant sex which can result in their health being disrupted and transmitting HIV / Aids,"
"We invite the entire community of West Sumatra in order to understand that the deviant sex behavior, gay disease can result, this we will do is socialization to the community," he added.
Director of UNAids for Indonesia, Krittayawan Boonto said his so-called "positive" and "supportive" approach will be faster in addressing HIV / AIDS.
He cited Thailand's record of 100,000 new HIV infections per year in the 1990s but was reduced under 10,000 within the next few years through condom use campaigns.
"Intensive focus on prevention, so everywhere (related) people who have sex (recommended) use condoms," said Krittayawan.
"The successful, supportive environment, the information loving, in a positive environment," he added.