22 February 2011 – In a continuing effort to increase the military's awareness of HIV/AIDS, UNMIS began an eight-day course on the pandemic for Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) officers today in Wau, Western Bahr El-Ghazal State.

The mission's HIV/AIDS unit, in collaboration with medical personnel from UNMIS' Kenya contingent, will train sixty soldiers per day, or a total of about 500 officers, from the state's Joint Integrated Units (JIUs).

"HIV/AIDs is a dirty war, difficult to be defeated," said Bahr El-Ghazal JIU Commander Brig. Valentino Tokmac during the opening ceremony.

Cautioning soldiers on the disease's dangers, Brig. Tokmac emphasized the importance of HIV/AIDs awareness in liberating the people of Southern Sudan from the pandemic, referring to it as another war facing the new nation.

As the result of a referendum held in January, Southern Sudan is set to gain independence on 9 July this year.

"I know that military are always in favour of the three Ws that stand for war, wine and women," Brig. Tokmac said. Warning the soldiers that HIV/AIDs found ways of spreading through these three Ws, he called on them to amend their behavior during social interaction.

Representing the UNMIS Malakal Sector Commander, Lt. Col. Benson Ngeiywa praised the troops for their active response to the call for training. He urged them to be more proactive in their participation during sessions.

Lt. Col. Ngeiywa reiterated the commitment of UNMIS military contingents to build the capacities of local military forces as stipulated in the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

Brig. Tokmac thanked the UNMIS HIV/AIDs unit for creating awareness among JIUs, adding that this would allow soldiers to empower others, including family members and communities they worked in.

Composed of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the SPLA soldiers, JIUs were formed in 2005 following the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.