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KEYNOTE
SPEECH BY HIS MAJESTY, THE CHANCELLOR ON THE | |
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MASTER OF CEREMONIES,
CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE
UNIVERSITY COUNCIL,
VICE-CHANCELLOR,
PRO-VICE CHANCELLOR,
director of lapca,
NUL HIV/AIDS COORDINATING COMMITTEE,
NUL COMMUNITY,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
I DEEM IT TO BE A GREAT
HONOUR AND PREVILEDGE FOR ME TO HAVE BEEN INVITED BY THE MANAGEMENT OF THE
UNIVERSITY TO OFFICIATE AND TAKE PART IN THIS HISTORIC OCCASION MARKING AND
COMMEMORATING THE WORLD AIDS DAY BY THE NUL COMMUNITY.
This commemoration AUGURS WELL WITH THE TRANSFORMATION process that
is taking place in this University. THROUGH
THIS COMMEMORATION, YOUR ARE NOT ONLY JOINING THE FIGHT AGAINST HIV/AIDS BUT
YOU ARE ALSO SENDING OUT A POWERFUL MESSAGE TO OUR COUNTRY THAT THE NATIONAL
UNIVERSITY OF LESOTHO IS NOT AN IsLAND BUT A
MASTER OF CEREMONIES,
SINCE 1988 LESOTHO, IN KEEPING WITH THE CUSTOMS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE WORLD
COMMUNITY, HAS BEEN OBSERVING THE INTERNATIONAL WORLD AIDS DAY. AS MANY OF
YOU WILL RECALL, WE OBSERVED THE 2002/2003 WORLD AIDS DAY AT MAFETENG WHERE
WE WERE JOINED BY AMBASSADOR STEPHEN LEWIS, THE SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF
THE UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY GENERAL ON HIV/AIDS.
EVERY YEAR, WHEN WE COMMEMORATE THE
WORLDS AIDS
DAY, WE DO
SO WITH
IT DOES NOT COME AS A
SURPRISE, THEREFORE, THAT THE THEME FOR THIS YEAR IS
“ELIMINATION OF
STIGMA
AND DISCRIMINATION AGAINST
PEOPLE WITH HIV/AIDS.”
THIS
THEME, READ TOGETHER WITH ITS ASSOCIATED SLOGAN OF “LIVE
AND LET LIVE,” REMINDS
ALL OF US TO TREAT HIV/AIDS INFECTED PEOPLE MUCH THE SAME WAY AS WE WOULD
WITH ANY OTHER PERSON. THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAS ADOPTED “LIVE
AND LET LIVE” AS THE CAMPAIGN
SLOGAN FOR THE YEARS 2002 TO 2003 OUT of THE STARK REALIZATION THAT DESPITE
CALLS FOR EQUAL TREATMENT OF HIV/AIDS PATIENTS, IN PRACTICE, THEY
CONTINUE TO BE STIGMATISED AND DISCRIMINATED AGAINST.
MASTER OF CEREMONIES,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
Stigma and discrimination have been IDENTIFIED as major obstacles to effective HIV/AIDS
prevention and care. Stigma and DISCRIMINATION ARE harmful AND DEVASTATING TO PEOPLE LIVING
WITH HIV/AIDS. THEY
can lead to a sinking feeling of shame, depression, withdrawal,
self-condemnation, self-pity, worthlessness and guilt.
BECAUSE OF THIS MIND SET, HIV/AIDS STILL GENERATES A SENSE OF FEAR,
WHICH PREVENTS OPEN AND FRANK DISCUSSIONS.
THERE IS STILL A SERIOUS PROBLEM OF DENIAL ABOUT THE DISEASE BECAUSE
OF the FEAR OF BEING STIGMATISED.
EVEN AT THE MANY FUNERALS THAT WE ATTEND, IT IS HARDLY EVER DECLARED
THAT THE DECEASED DIED OF HIV/AIDS. MANY
PEOPLE REFRAIN FROM UNDERGOING HIV/AIDS TESTS OR SUFFER IN SILENCE FOR FEAR
OF LOSS OF BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS OR BEING STIGMATISED BY FRIENDS, FAMILY
MEMBERS AND, INDEED,
I HOPE THIS
GROUND-BREAKING COMMEMORATION OF THE WORLD AIDS DAY BY THE UNIVERSITY
COMMUNITY WILL ENCOURAGE ALL OF US TO BREAK THE INAPPROPRIATE HABIT OF
STIGMATISING AND ENGAGING IN DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES AGAINST PEOPLE LIVING
WITH HIV/AIDS AND OPEN OUR MINDS TO CONSIDER HIV/AIDS AS A DISEASE LIKE ANY
OTHER, AND NOT SOMETHING TO BE ASHAMED OF.
BY
ORGANISING AND CONVENING THIS COMMEMORATION, THE NUL COMMUNITY IS SENDING A
POWERFUL MESSAGE THAT YOU ARE NOT SPECTATORS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST HIV/AIDS
BUT THAT YOU ARE DETERMINED TO JOIN THE NATION IN COMBATING THIS SCOURGE
WHICH IS THREATENING TO WIPE OUT OUR NATION FROM THE FACE OF THE EARTH.
IT IS ONLY THROUGH
REGULAR EXCHANGE
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
IN LESOTHO, DISCRIMINATING AGAINST PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS CAN, TO SOME
EXTEND, BE TRACED TO OUR CULTURE.
AS MANY
OF US
KNOW, IN LESOTHO, IT IS A CULTURAL TABOO TO OPENLY ENGAGE IN
DISCUSSIONS ABOUT SEX BECAUSE TO DO SO IS DEEMED DISRESPECTFUL.
BECAUSE HIV/AIDS IS INCORRECTLY ASSOCIATED WITH SEX, PEOPLE LIVING
WITH HIV/AIDS ARE OFTEN VIEWED AS PROMISCUOUS AND IMMORAL AND CONSEQUENTLY
ARE UNFAIRLY AND UNJUSTLY TREATED AS OUTCASTS IN VIOLATION OF THEIR RIGHT OF
FREEDOM FROM DISCRIMINATION AS EMBODIED IN OUR CONSTITUTION AND OTHER international human rights instruments.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
AS I HAVE SAID IN ANOTHER FORUM ON THE HIV/AIDS SUBJECT, ONE OF THE
DISCRIMINATORY MISCONCEPTIONS DIFFICULT TO DISLODGE FROM OUR MINDS, IS THE
COMMON BELIEF THAT WE MAY GET INFECTED THROUGH CASUAL CONTACT WITH A PERSON
MASTER OF CEREMONIES,
SO FAR I HAVE
DEaLT WITH
THE INJUSTICES, STIGMA AND DISCRIMINATION WHICH PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS
OFTEN ENCOUNTER IN THEIR DAILY LIVES BUT LITTLE ABOUT THE DISEASE
ITSELF AND ITS IMPACT ON
OUR ECONOMY.
The first
Although the HIV/AIDS deSease cuts across all age groups, statistical trends
show THAT
IT IS MOST prevalent
AND TAKES ITS TOLL among the MIDDLE AGE GROUP OF OUR SOCIETY.
THIS IS THE AGE GROUP OF BREADWINNERS AND COMPRISES THE MOST
ECONOMICALLY PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF
OUR SOCIETY. THE
NUL
where hiv/aids
has struck, it is not only a direct cost to the
family and friends
but also
to the Employing institutions.
WHAT THIS means IS THAT AN EMPLOYER HAS to CONSTANTLY invest in
training replacements to those who die, are absent from work or unable to
perform due to illness. IT
IS CLEAR THAT WE HAVE NO ALTERNATIVE BUT TO MAKE HARD BUT LIFE-SAVING
DECISIONS. AS LONG AS
THERE IS NO KNOWN CURE FOR THE DISEASE, OUR ONLY HOPE AND WEAPON FOR OUR
SURVIVAL IS TO ADOPT AND ADHERE
TO STRICT PREVENTIVE MEASURES, COUPLED WITH DRASTIC CHANGE IN OUR SEXUAL
BEHAVIOURAL PATTERNS, PARTICULARLY AMONG THE YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS.
MASTER OF CEREMONIES,
ALLOW ME TO CONCLUDE MY
REMARKS BY ONCE MORE commending AND CONGRATULATING the management
of our University for THEIR foresight in setting up the HIV/AIDS
Coordinating Committee
in this University
to
formulate
I
also wish
to express my
heartfelt gratitude
to the members of
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| SOURCE: HIS MAJESTY'S OFFICE |