The government has recommended circumcision for people in Papua over the past two years as a new approach to curbing rapid increases in, cases of HIV/AIDS infection.
In other parts of Indonesia, circumcision is common and is a part of a culture that has been preserved within the community over many generations. In Papua, however, people do not always prioritize common practices in place of the lingering presence of older practices.
For Papuans, circumcision is often considered to be in opposition to baptism, because it tends to be related to Muslims.
“The tradition of the church in Papua does not recognize circumcision because it has been replaced by baptism, despite the fact that the Bible does not state that circumcision is replaced with baptism. But baptism is a fulfillment of circumcision. Jesus himself, as a Jew, was also circumcised,” Isak Samuel Kijne college theological lecturer Rev. Sostenes Sumihe said on Monday.
“After the circumcision campaign, many Papuans began circumcising their children and many called us to ask whether circumcision is against our religion. I told them that it is not against religion and it is not a sin.”
Papua AIDS Eradication Commission (KPA) head Constant Karma said that based on a recommendation by the World Health Organization (WHO), circumcision could curb 60 percent of HIV/AIDS infections.
“Based on WHO recommendations, circumcisions can suppress HIV/AIDS infections by up to 60 percent, so we are obliged to disseminate good information,” he said.
Constant cited that 100 percent of the Toraja ethnic community residing in Papua are followers of Protestantism, carried out circumcision and there were very few that had been infected by the disease.
“Presently, the number of people living with HIV/AIDS in Papua has reached 10,500 cases, and 80 percent of them are Papuans and 20 percent are non-Papuans. Of the 20 percent, only 14 cases involve those from the Toraja ethnic community,” he added.
According to Constant, the circumcision campaign, which has been conducted over the last three years, has yielded significant results. Last year, of the 350 children circumcised, 76 were Papuan children. The program was sponsored by the National Family Planning Board. “This shows that members of the community are starting to understand the importance of circumcision for medical and health reasons.”
According to Sumihe, Papuan churches grouped under the Papua Church Association will issue pastoral calls in efforts to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. “HIV/AIDS is a serious issue in Papua, so that the church is called upon to prevent its followers from spreading it.”
Comments (15)
sockittome | Sun, 13/11/2011 - 09:11am
More sex education needed, put a sock on it or use condoms.
Circumcision was around before any of these religions were.
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Dr Stephen Moreton | Sat, 12/11/2011 - 02:11am
A letter replying to this report was published on Thursday. It is full of misleading statements, and half-truths. I have tried repeatedly to send a reply by e-mail but it fails each time because the editor's e-mail account is full. Meanwhile, for anyone interested in a less hysterical view on circumcision, I recommend www.circinfo.net for answers to the common anti-circumcision claims, and evidence for its medical benefits.
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Steven | Fri, 11/11/2011 - 23:11pm
Israeli organization is training local doctors all over Africa to circumcise adult men in order to reduce the spread of HIV/Aids on the continent. Operation Abraham Collaboration (OAC) sent Israeli doctors to South Africa, the country with the largest population living with HIV/Aids over 5 million infected, to train doctors to perform the delicate procedure. The World Health Organization has declared that circumcision is an “additional, important intervention’ in the campaign against the spread of the HIV/AIDS. The results are based on clinical trials performed in Africa that found a sixty percent lower occurrence of the infection in circumcised men.Operation Abraham is expected to decrease the enormous infection rate in South Africa, through their expert knowledge OAC is also training South African doctors in circumcision and will be going to other places in Africa to do the same. After five days of training local doctors, the team went to the hospitals and oversaw further procedures. A senior nurse who took part in the missions said that their initiative’s goal is “not only teaching the doctors how to do it, but how to do it in very high volume.” Israeli surgeons are specialists in this field from vast experience with Jewish Russian and Ethiopian immigration, to the country, which ushered in tens of thousands of males wanting to be circumcised. The South Africa National Department of Health selected OAC as the best practice in male circumcision for HIV reduction.
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Rahim: cicumcision is not mentioned in the Koran | Fri, 11/11/2011 - 23:11pm
I am not a proponent of male circumcision, because it is not absolute necessary according to the Islamic laws, but one should not forget that all early Christians were initially (former) Jews, including St. Paul and Jesus. Jesus and Paul were circumcised. Even the Father Abraham was circumcised in old age. Thus it was considered as a sign of covenant with God. Logically, the circumcision has nothing to do with Islam in real sense, but it is a Jewish. The Muslims follow just the traditional Sunna. In Islam the circumcision is a Sunna. It is not mentioned in the Koran.
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Steven | Fri, 11/11/2011 - 23:11pm
That is one reason why our HIV numbers are lowest in the world because a super majority of our sons are circumcised at birth. I think they are finding that uncircumcised men are at a higher risk of HIV and if circumcising the men or son's at birth the chances of HIV go down significantly. Remember this also has to do with drug abuse and not just homosexuality. If we can get rid of AIDS and then Cancer we would be in great shape. Actually add in diabetes too.
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Edo E | Thu, 10/11/2011 - 10:11am
@ Suyadi, you wrote: "it is not suggested to another beliefs." Please read about Judaism. Jews have been circumcising their babies thousands of years BEFORE Muslims, who COPIED their tradition, unfortunately making it traumatic, compulsory and painful to kids (not babies!) nearing puberty (and anyone converting). Circumcision does not protect from anything, not even from HIV.
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Suyadi | Wed, 09/11/2011 - 16:11pm
Circumcision is an Islamic way of protecting "mankind" especially those who are Moslems, so, it is not suggested to another beliefs. If another beliefs want to do it, it is only because they know how to protect themselves such a very acute illness (HIV/AIDS). Live side by side with others is a miracle of being Indonesian, please do not mix between religiuosity with our great togetherness. Peace for us, always.
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Hugh7 | Wed, 09/11/2011 - 10:11am
Why are children being circumcised? Children do not have sex, and will grow up to want to choose their own way of protecting themselves against HIV. (By that time, there may be a vaccine.) Cutting the genitals of non-consenting people is a human rights violation. The WHO only recommends cutting adult volunteers.
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Hugh7 | Wed, 09/11/2011 - 10:11am
@Rahim. That study has long since been disproved. It turns out that cervical cancer has a genetic component and Jewish women have some immunity. When they repeated the study using the wives of circumcised and non-circumcised gentiles, there was no difference. Subsequent studies have only compared different countries. Circumcision is a "cure" looking for a disease, and HIV is only the latest of many.
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Rahim from Germany to @Dr. Ronald Goldman | Tue, 08/11/2011 - 19:11pm
To @Ronald Goldman, Ph.D. | Tue, 08/11/2011 - 10:11am
You wrote: "Many professionals have criticized the studies claiming that circumcision reduces HIV transmission..." In an empirical study (1948) it was found that the wives of the circumcised Muslims and Jews have less cervical cancer, because the contagious bacteria do not have a place to reside under the foreskin (prepuce) of penis. The Koran does NOT explicitly demand the male or female circumcision. It is NOT mention in the Koran. The Muslims men are circumcised (in most cases), because the prophet was already circumcised. We, the Muslims, are following the Sunna (i.e. the way of the prophet and includes everything he said, did, caused, ordered or allowed to happen.)in this particular case.
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Carsten Jorgensen, Ubud | Tue, 08/11/2011 - 16:11pm
Studies in Africa claim that adult male circumcision significantly reduces the risk of men acquiring HIV. Many professionals question the reliability and validity of these studies. However, some others take the leap of recommending adult male circumcision as an HIV prevention strategy. Publishing such a report in the United States appears to support the American cultural practice of circumcision. Such judgments are dangerous.
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Ron Low | Tue, 08/11/2011 - 15:11pm
"If Ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing." Gal. 5:2
THOU SHALL NOT STEAL healthy normal body parts.
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Edo E | Tue, 08/11/2011 - 13:11pm
The bruhaha about circumcision and its alleged "benefits" was spearheaded by "certain" groups with an own agenda, mostly, where else, in the USA, where the people are manipulated to become dumb and dumber in an appalling way. Millions of American men have been, through deception, circumcised for decades. Now we are seeing Papuas being circumcised. To fight against HIV, some claim. The question here is: how come the Papuas could be infected with HIV at all? Have infected prostitutes been sent there on purpose? Papua is known for its immense natural resources. How many non-Papuan transmigrants are being send there? Who could be interested in having the Papuas circumcised?
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obladi oblada | Tue, 08/11/2011 - 10:11am
The headline cracks me up!! Too Islamic? Or is it too Jewish or is it too Protestant? Whatever the logic is, the church in Papua has some major soul searching to do...
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Ronald Goldman, Ph.D. | Tue, 08/11/2011 - 10:11am
Many professionals have criticized the studies claiming that circumcision reduces HIV transmission. They have various flaws. Authorities that cite the studies have other agendas. Circumcision causes physical, sexual, and psychological harm. Other methods to prevent HIV transmission (e.g., condoms and sterilizing medical instruments) are much more effective, much cheaper, and much less invasive. Please see http://www.circumcision.org/hiv.htm for more information.