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Mandela, Gates appeal to South African youth to fight AIDS By DINA KRAFT Associated Press Writer JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP) _ The nation’s hero, former President Nelson Mandela, flanked by the world’s richest man, Bill Gates, called on South Africa’s youth to fight AIDS as previous generations battled apartheid. The two, along with their wives, made a joint appeal Monday to South African youth to fight AIDS, the disease that is spreading most quickly among the country’s young. ``The fight against AIDS will indeed require another social revolution,’’ Mandela told a gathering of university students he hosted along with Gates. ``Once more the youth of our country are called upon to play a leading role in a social revolution as they did so heroically in the revolutionary struggle against apartheid.’’ Mandela said just as in a war, alliances and partnerships would be needed for victory. Gates, the Microsoft tycoon who has pledged to use much of his fortune to improve global health, is considered such an ally, especially in Africa, where much of the foundation set up by him and his wife has been directed. The students welcomed Bill and Melinda Gates and Mandela and his wife, Graca Machel, with a song of praise for Mandela made popular in 1990 following his release from prison after being held 27 years by the white, racist regime. Since leaving office in 1999, Mandela has been outspoken in calling for action against the AIDS pandemic in South Africa. An estimated 5 million South Africans are infected with HIV _ more people than in any other single country in the world. Bill and Melinda Gates have made combatting AIDS one of the main commitments of their multibillion-dollar endowed foundation. In Botswana they gave $50 million to the first effort to provide free AIDS drugs on a wide-scale in Africa and $25 million to AIDS prevention in Nigeria, among other contributions. They are in South Africa calling for greater leadership and resources to fight the pandemic. Melinda Gates commended the forum of about 100 university students for rising above the stigma associated with AIDS here. ``This is what needs to happen in your country ... we need people desperately to speak out about AIDS,’’ she said. Mrs. Gates said women, who make up the majority of people infected with HIV in sub-Saharan African, had a special interest in speaking out. Fatima Bagaria, 26, herself HIV positive, told the gathering that stigma against those living with the virus was itself a disease. ``If you are going to stigmatize me for that then yours is not the company I desire,’’ she said to loud applause. In traditional African societies sex is not spoken about openly. Those with AIDS are often blamed for bringing the disease upon themselves for what is seen as being promiscuous. ``We need a fundamental change of mind-set with regards to the way we speak and behave about sex and sexuality,’’ Mandela told the young people. ``Boys and men have a particularly critical role in this regard, changing the chauvinist and demeaning ways sexuality and women were traditionally dealt with.’’ Gates asked the students why so many of their friends were reluctant to be tested for HIV, the virus the causes AIDS. The students said they feared finding out their status because in South Africa, treatment in the public health care system is still not available. Eileen Martin, 37, bone-thin and dying from AIDS, addressed the students. ``HIV/AIDS is not a football game ... it’s a deadly disease,’’ Martin said. ``Don’t have unprotected sex. Please.’’ On stage, the two HIV positive women, Martin and Bagaria, were embraced by Mandela and his wife and Bill and Melinda Gates as the students cheered. |
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