The fight against HIV/AIDS involves commitment from all circles of society, according to South African Supreme Court Judge Edwin Cameron, who lives openly with AIDS. 

Guest speaker at the Law Society of Lesotho organised Justice Peter Mofokeng Memorial Lecture on October 13, Judge Cameron said HIV/AIDS is a normal disease like any other disease, but what is not normal is the nation's response to it.

This epidemic can be fought and won only if nations could normalise their response towards it. Nations are still fighting this losing battle so many years since the first AIDS case was reported, because in their own deepest minds, they still think of it as a contamination.

"By preventing AIDS through treatment," Judge Cameron said, "we give hope to all people affected by this epidemic. And when hope returns, the ignorance, fear and hatred will begin to subside, and by showing hope through treatment, we will also address the stigma that surrounds this disease."

What people need is a heartfelt, unified, emphatic, unconditional commitment from governmental leaders to set the pace so that people could follow and fight this disease.

Chief Justice Mahapela Lehohla of the High Court of Lesotho echoed Judge Cameron's words, showing how AIDS continually depletes workforces around the world only because of the stigma that surrounds it.

He said the nation must realise the grim reality of this pandemic and as a result fight it in a brave and illusive manner which attacks and kills the young and the old, the rich and the poor as well as the powerful and the weak.

Law Society of Lesotho president Advocate Zwelakhe Mda expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the part Justice Mofokeng played in the fight for the protection of human rights in those days where there was no law that supported human rights in Lesotho.

Had he been still alive, Justice Mofokeng would have been found among those fighting for the rights of AIDS infected people. Judge Cameron had been invited to this lecture because HIV/AIDS positive people still suffer the abuse of their rights, advocate Mda said..

Justice Mofokeng died on May 13 1986.

14 October 2005