The Rivona issue exposes many myths. That Goa is tolerant and open and above all inclusive. And once the mask that we wear which propagates these myths slipped, fell and lay buried in the soil of Rivona, it sullied the conscience of Goa. But even here, there are doubts. Has the rest of Goa even woken up to the fact that a group of parents in a Church school in Rivona, picked up cudgels against an orphanage which was giving care and learning to children, 13 of whom happened to be HIV+, transmitted in all likelihood from their parents. As long as these children were in the orphanage peace prevailed. As soon as they had to be admitted and indeed were enrolled into the Rivona school, parents reacted as if plague had struck. Throwing common sense and sensitivity to the wind, they demanded that the children be sent to other schools, displaying in the process, utter insensitivity and gross selfishness. It was not ok for HIV+ kids to study with their children yet it was fine if they studied elsewhere. The elsewhere school in Sulcorna did an encore forcing the children to get back to Rivona.
At this point of time we were led to believe, with information coming from the school as well as the Church, that the Rivona issue was amicably resolved. We don’t know who gained by giving this impression because after a lull of a few days, the issue erupted again when Goa realised that nothing had changed. This time the school at Rivona buckled and made the nuns of the orphanage agree to move the 13 children to a very fine care and education home run in another part of Goa, far from Rivona. Herald, in principle disagrees, with the decision even though it may have been taken in, what the school and the Church felt, was in the best interests of the children. We disagree because, an act like this is an abject surrender to the forces that seek to treat HIV+ affected as untouchables. This is a telling blow to the tireless efforts by so many to change the mindset of people like the parents of Rivona and tell them that if they did not see reality, they could keep such beliefs to themselves. The decision to move the children to another part of Goa and to another institution is as much a deplorable act as that of the parents to block the entry of the children from the orphanage to the Rivona school.
This also stands out as an exercise in weakness and futility because the parents of Rivona were not satisfied. They wanted the perfectly healthy other children to be tested for HIV before allowing them to enter school. This is a cruel joke that has been allowed to play out too far. The act of the parents is not only immoral and unethical, it is downright illegal. No law can force anyone to undertake the HIV test. And these are no ordinary children. They have been living in protective care with other HIV+ children and have undertaken medical examinations. And the hypocrisy of these parents became evident when they refused the suggestion of the school to do the HIV test on all children only to be fair to the orphans. While the suggestion itself was incorrect, the response further shamed all civil society. The parents should decide if they want to be part of this civil society because their actions have certainly not qualified them to be its members.
Moving on, it’s a relief that the education department has directed the school authorities to admit the 23 healthy students. But the danger is that the issue of shifting the 13 affected ones to another institution is not being raised. The directions would be to bring them back and include them too. As far as the parents are concerned, they should be free to take their children out and run the risk of setting a very poor example.
The parents of Rivona have not done themselves proud and Goa should not forgive them.
