Algerian imams join in the fight against AIDS

2007-07-04

Until now, few in Algeria have been inclined to engage the religious community in raising awareness of the dangers of AIDS. Religious Algerians have made the decision to participate more actively to curb the spread of this dangerous disease.

By Mohand Ouali for Magharebia in Algiers – 04/07/2007

[File] The 20,000 mosques that unite Muslims every Friday have a social duty in raising public awareness, said the minister of religious affairs.

In a departure from tradition, religious communities in Algeria have become increasingly involved in AIDS education in the country. To this end, the Ministry of Religious Affairs organised a seminar on Monday (July 2nd) in Algiers, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on the role of religious leaders in the fight against AIDS.

Eighty imams representing 12 Arab countries, as well as Orthodox Christians, participated in this meeting, overseen by the Chahama Institution, a network regrouping religious organisations in Arab regions involved in the fight against AIDS. This network held a first meeting in Egypt and a second in Algeria, with the objective to identify religious figures willing to fight against AIDS. These meetings have had participation from not only men of worship, but also sociologists, doctors and psychologists.

Minister of Religious Affairs Bouabdellah Ghlamallah outlined, in a message to the audience, the important role that mosques have to take in terms of raising awareness of this disease. "The 20,000 mosques that unite thousands of believers each Friday in Algeria have a social duty, and must therefore get involved in raising public awareness, as was done with the threat of avian influenza or during the World Day for the Fight against AIDS," Ghlamallah said in his message. He added that "AIDS is not a taboo subject in the mosque," and refuted the view of certain preachers who describe the disease as "divine punishment", indicating that the imams and morchidate (female clerics similar to imams) are coming together in "re-education centres" (prisons) to lead awareness campaigns regarding prevention of the disease.

Mohamed Laribi, Director of Research and head of the AIDS awareness project at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, told the press that "religious discourse is more persuasive and will therefore be more effective in the fight against AIDS".

The Director of Religious Orientation at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Mohamed Aissa, said it is necessary that "religious discourse be constantly updated" for maximum impact. He said AIDS victims should not be blamed for their illness, and called on parents to provide their children with sexual education.

The local representative of the UNDP in Algiers, Marc Destanne de Bernis, said the priority of the Chahama Institution is "to reinforce the capacities of religious leaders to drive the fight against AIDS by using more modern training methods". Regarding religious leaders, he said that they have "the ability to dispel fears and misunderstandings, and to promote compassion, solidarity and respect in their place".

Egyptian Representative of the Ministry of the Wakfs, Hussain Khidr, gave a speech calling for compassion towards AIDS sufferers, while Father Sourour, representing Pope Chenouda III of Egypt's Coptic church, called for "doubling efforts to fight this curse and for accepting AIDS victims living among us without discrimination".