Americas News
Africans apply for asylum in Canada after AIDS conference
By DPA
Sep 2, 2006, 19:00 GMT

Johannesburg - At least 150, mostly African, delegates sought asylum in Canada at the end of a conference on HIV/AIDS in Toronto late last month, South African radio reported Saturday quoting Canadian reports.

Among the asylum seekers were large groups of HIV-positive women from South Africa and Zimbabwe, the reports said.

The South African Foreign Ministry said it had no knowledge of the asylum applications and was seeking clarification from its ambassador in Canada.

The AIDS conference in Toronto ended sensationally when a high- ranking UN delegate openly slammed South Africa for its controversial HIV-AIDS policy.

Around 5.5 million South Africans are infected with the disease.

South African President Thabo Mbeki and Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang have been criticized for their inadequate response to the epidemic.

Mbeki has in the past questioned the link between HIV and AIDS and Tshabalala-Msimang has famously pushed eating garlic and beetroot to fight off illness.