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A throwaway line has landed the Prime Minister in hot water after she was accused of offending 30 million leprosy sufferers.
Helen Clark came under fire after she said Fijian coup leader Frank Bainimarama would be "treated something like a leper" if he attended the Pacific Islands Forum meetings.
Leprosy Mission New Zealand is demanding an apology from the Prime Minister to leprosy sufferers worldwide for her "shockingly inappropriate" comment and a promise that she never use the word "leper" again.
It is the second time that a casual remark has caused her problems.
In September, she was forced to apologise to people offended by her use of the word "cancerous" to describe Don Brash, National's then leader.
Helen Clark could not be reached for comment last night.
Leprosy Mission New Zealand executive director David Hill said yesterday that her use of the word leper was insensitive.
"[She] is promoting stigma and discrimination by using the word 'leper' when she means that Bainimarama will be ostracised by the South Pacific leaders," Mr Hill said.
"Indicating that Bainimarama will be treated like a leper is degrading and insulting to the millions of people, who through no fault of their own, have had or have leprosy.
"Stigma such as this not only makes it more difficult for people to come forward for treatment, it often leads to human rights abuses.
"People affected by leprosy should be treated the same as everyone else - they are no different."
The World Health Organisation says there were 8646 registered cases of leprosy in the western Pacific region in 2005.
In September, Helen Clark's description of her political opponent as a "corrosive and cancerous person within the New Zealand political system" backfired.
A Herald-DigiPoll survey found that 73.6 per cent of people thought the comment was "not okay".
"I'm sorry if people have taken offence," she said at the time. "But clearly it is not a description one applies to people with cancer.
"I think people should consult their dictionaries."
