Display of corpses is 'a rights violation'

A big pile of ashes from cremated Aids victims is displayed at Wat Phrabat Namphu in Lop Buri. Activists say the displays are a violation of human rights.

Many non government groups called on the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) yesterday to stop Thailand's infamous "Aids temple" - Wat Phrabat Namphu - from displaying corpses of Aids patients and Such information about the dangers of risky lifestyles.

 display, these activists said, was a violation to human rights.

The temple has explained that the dying Aids patients have given written consent with aim to warn other people against taking the wrong path of life.

The risky behaviours, for example, are about offering sex service and taking illicit drugs.

Supatra Nakhapiew, who heads Foundation for Aids Rights, yesterday said the patients who turned to Phrabatnampu Temple were so helpless and would have no choice but agreeing to the temple's request.

Her alliance felt the display for the Aids patients' corpses without any clothes on was like shaming them in public.

"Help given to the Aids patients is good but things should be handled in respect for human rights," Supatra said.

She also disagreed with Phrabatnampu Temple's decision to show the faces of Aids patients to raise donations.

Echoing her opinion was Boripat Donmon, the chairman of Thai Network for People Living with HIV/Aids.

"The temple should stop making money from deaths and sufferings of people," he said.

Boripat said he disagreed with the temple's guideline for a long time already.

"Access to Aids medicines is much better now. Hospitals can better accommodate the patients these days. There's no point in keeping Aids patients at a single settlement except you intend to bring them out of the society," he said.

Phrabatnampu Temple has provided shelter for Aids patients.

Asked whether such accusation was intended to damage the temple's reputation, Boripat said, "We know that if we speak against the temple, we may be condemned. But we think we just can't stay silent. What the temple does is unacceptable. The temple has made people in the society see Aids patients as bad folks".

NHRC chairperson Amara Pongsapich said her agency would look into the complaint.

"We will seek information from those involved," she said. She reckoned that the display of the patients' corpses suggested that the Phrabatnampu Temple might have violated human rights.

So far, she said the display of corpses had been ongoing for quite some time already.

"I wonder why the complaint is just lodged and why the complainants can't contact the temple directly to discuss their concerns," she said.

According to Supatra, she has contacted the Phrabatnampu Temple to no avail. So far, she said she has yet to talk to the temple's abbot Phra Alongkot Dikkapanyo.