South Africa: TAC Slams China for Deporting HIV+ Musician

http://allafrica.com/stories/200901220100.html

South Africa: TAC Slams China for Deporting HIV+ Musician

20 January 2009

The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) has condemned the deportation of a Cape Town musician who was kicked out of China due to Her HIV-positive status.

The woman, who refused to be named, has since returned to the city after she was allegedly ordered by the Chinese authorities to leave that country after her blood tests showed she was HIV-positive.

She and her band colleagues had reportedly gone to Beijing at the beginning of the month to start a six-month contract to perform at a well-known hotel.

According to that country's laws, foreigners have to go through an extensive medical examination, including blood tests, before they can get a work permit.

After her blood results came back positive, she was allegedly told by a doctor to leave the country within 48 hours.

Government authorities also ordered the hotel to kick her out, saying she could not longer stay in the country or perform as there was something wrong with her blood.

The TAC has since labelled the singer's deportation a "gross human rights violation" and a "setback" to the prevention and anti-stigmatisation campaigning made by Aids activists.

Regis Mtutu, the TAC's international solidarity co-ordinator said the TAC condemned such action unreservedly.

"This approach is not helping towards the work that we've been doing and such an attitude encourages people not to test.

"What makes this case even more violating is the fact that she was never counselled or informed about her HIV test.

"That was a retrogressive step by the Chinese authorities.

"With other progressive organisations and action groups we will discuss the matter and see how we can put pressure on governments, including America, that put a general ban on HIV foreigners from entering their countries," he said.

Mtutu said the TAC was also keeping an eye on America's review of its laws pertaining to HIV-positive workers, and "we hope the new Obama administration will accelerate that review", he said.

I don't see how this is a retrogressive action by the Chinese government. The Chinese law clearly stipulates that aliens that are found to be HIV are to be deported. Whether this is wrong, unfair etc. is one point. But the fact is they are not going to make exceptions to please human right activists, and if the singer was aware of her condition she should have made the research about whether the Chinese would allow her working prior to traveling to Beijing.