No condoms for inmates

2003-05-22 16:18

Mbabane - The Swazi government has turned down calls for the supply of condoms to prisoners.

HIV/Aids awareness campaigners' calls for the distribution of condoms to prison inmates would not be met as sodomy was a crime, said Swaziland's correctional services commissioner Mnguni Simelane on Thursday.

Giving condoms to prisoners would be tantamount to condoning, or even encouraging, homosexual behaviour.

He was, however, in favour of training programmes for inmates and warders.

Simelane launched an anti-HIV/Aids training course for prisoners and warders at Matsapa Central Prison last week. The programme would eventually be extended to the country's 12 other prisons.

Swaziland's HIV-rate is put at around 40%.

Simelane said sodomy was a serious problem in prisons, and had been highlighted by a recent case in which a prisoner charged a fellow prisoner with sodomy, and with infecting him with HIV.

The "alarming" public HIV/Aids rate of 40% is matched in the prisons.

Because of this prison authorities decided on the education programme.

He also said the problems of overcrowding and a shortage of warders should be addressed.

- SAPA