African archbishop claims condoms were infected with AIDS

Maputo, Mozambique, Sep 28, 2007 / 08:46 am

The head of the Catholic Church in African country of Mozambique is suspicious of the condom campaigns created to avoid the spread of AIDS and is proposing abstinence instead.

However, Archbishop Francisco Chimoio’s opposition to condoms goes beyond the Church’s teaching on sex and sexuality. He believes that some European-made condoms have been deliberately tainted with the HIV/AIDS virus to kill African people.

"I know of two countries in Europe who are making condoms with (the) virus on purpose, they want to finish with African people as part of their program to colonize the continent," Archbishop Chimoio told Reuters on Wednesday.

"I also know some companies who are manufacturing anti-retroviral drugs already infected with the virus, also in order to finish quickly the African people", he added.

The archbishop declined to name the European countries in question or the source of his allegations.

Catholics make up 17 percent of Mozambique's population. More than 16 percent of Mozambique's 19 million people, mostly aged between 14 and 49, are infected with HIV/AIDS. About 500 infections are recorded every day, according to the health department. AIDS patients occupy more than 50 percent of Mozambique’s hospital beds.

Diogo Milagre, deputy executive chairman of Mozambique's National Council for the Fight Against AIDS, said the government's efforts to combat the scourge were hampered by a struggling health infrastructure and staff shortages.