Singapore bans Aids concert

[KiwiCoromandel]

Singapore bans Aids concert

24 March 2005

SINGAPORE: Singapore has rejected an application for a concert by a local Aids support group, citing concern over its gay performers following a spike in HIV cases.

Los Angeles-based Christian gay pop musicians Jason and deMarco were the planned feature performers for the April 3 Action for Aids event organised by Christian group Safehaven.

"Based on the duo's website and reports of their performances in the United States, it is assessed that their performance will promote a gay lifestyle which would be against the public interest," said the Media Authority of Singapore in a statement.

The ban follows comments this month by a Singapore government minister who said a gay and lesbian festival in August last year may have led to a surge in the number of local Aids cases, a remark that outraged gay activists.

Although Singapore has one of Asia's lowest levels of HIV infection, the number of new infections hit a record high of 311 cases in 2004, up 28 per cent from 2003. A third of the newly diagnosed cases were gay men.

Gay activists say many the remaining two-thirds appeared to be heterosexual men who caught the illness from prostitutes in nearby Southeast Asian regions such as Indonesia's Batam island just an hour's boat ride from Singapore.

Safehaven said the concert had aimed to raise funds for Aids programmes and increase awareness about HIV among gay people.

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http://stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3227632a1860,00.html

[Wolfie]

Christian gay

Isn't that an oxymoron nowadays?