Be who you are NOT who you aren't: August 2010

Monday, August 16, 2010

FREE

Behind bars I was

Bars of hate

Bars of discrimination

Behind bars I was placed

Placed by hate

Placed by discrimination

Behind bars, I was frozen

Frozen with fear

Frozen with misery

Behind bars, I was bound

Bounded by disgust

Bounded by oppression

Behind bars, I was chained

Chained by rejection

Chained by isolation

Behind bars, I was trapped

Trapped under the load being put on me

Trapped in a large abyss

Behind bars, I was crushed

Crushed under my oppressors’ feet

Crushed under their stampede

Behind bars, I was held

Held for being who I am

Held for being special

Behind bars I was

Behind bars

I am

No more

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HUMAN RIGHTS IN BOTSWANA

Botswana has always been classified as a shining example of democracy, peace and comprehensive civil liberties. Does that mean that all individuals are at liberty and all rights are observed?
Well, that a simple and direct answer: NO. Generalised laws DO NOT in any way protect and fulfills the rights of the marginalised population/oppressed. Majority rule has never been and will never be part of Human Rights. Oppressing on the basis that most people concur should never be condoned.

In Botswana we have 3 Human Rights organisations that fight tirelessly for the inclusive and protection of EVERYBODY.

We have Ditshwanelo, Centre for Human Rights (www.ditshwanelo.org.bw) focus on all human rights

There is also Botswana Network of Ethics, Law & HIV/AIDS (BONELA) which focus on human rights inline with HIV/AIDS (www.bonela.org)

The other human rights organisation is called LEGABIBO: Lesbians, Gays & Bisexuals of Botswana and it focuses on LGBTI (lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgendered and intersexed) people's rights.

Remember, Human Rights are very important and everyone is responsible to ensure that no human being is made to suffer or be oppressed.

Lets keep up the good battle to ensure REAL EQUALITY

UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Article 1.
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and
conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Article 2.
Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any
kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin,
property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political,
jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be
independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.

Article 3.
Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

Article 4.
No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.

Article 5.
No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Article 6.
Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.

Article 7.
All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All
are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any
incitement to such discrimination.

How do you address stigma?

Someone asked, how do you deal with stigma?

I thought of it and said:

First: be sure that you dont have any self-loathing stigma. Appreciate who you are and love the person within yourself. Achieve that and make sure that its you strongest quality then it will not be rattled by anything or anybody.

Second: in life there are different people
1. Those that love all people unconditionally
2. Those that hold PhDs (pull him/her down), they are there just to get you down so if you are not high enough in spirit they will succeed in getting you down.
3. Those that only address injustices when it affects them. As people, we have to have good consciences enough to say to someone who is hurting/wronging someone that what they are doing is wrong
4. There are those people who think who just seat and wonder what the hell just happened. Their reactions are usually late. Dont allow yourself to be from these group. They usually suffer the risk of being toyed with or being their friends/family/people's back-up plan.
5. Those that take charge of their lives

All the above are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

If you love and appreciate yourself nobody will dare mess with you. Bullies usually pick on the weak/voiceless. Whenever you hear someone say something bad about a certain group of people challenge it and say your side of the story. I am not saying you should say you are part of the group (you dont have to be to ask for justice, love and fairness) but just try explain to that individual from the other side. Maybe all that individual needs is a bit of explanation/education. Remember we are raised in different societies and the societal upbringing, practices and injustices differ. Many people still have the "hear-say stories" they might have heard something bad about certain people e.g gay people, sex workers, mentally challenged e.t.c. Wherever you are, and someone starts bashing gay people, sex workers, mentally challenged, e.t.c dont allow that to happen. If you let it happen without challenge, that person's bashing might influence the others around to bash/attack but if you explain or give a different perspective, that will leave people thinking an they might start understanding issues better.

Stigma is addressed by challenging it and educating people on issues they lack knowledge of and how much of a damage to a person stigma can do

It was the UDHR, almost 60 years ago, that first recognized what have become nowadays universal values: human rights are inherent to all and the concern of the whole of the international community. Drafted by representatives of all regions and legal traditions, the UDHR has stood the test of time and resisted attacks based on “relativism”. The Declaration and its core values, including non-discrimination, equality, fairness and universality, apply to everyone, everywhere and always. The UDHR belongs to all of us.

More than ever, in a world threatened by racial, economic and religious divides, we must defend and proclaim the universal principles --first enshrined in the UDHR-- of justice, fairness and equality that people across all boundaries hold so deeply.

Enduring Relevance

Human rights are not only a common inheritance of universal values that transcend cultures and traditions, but are quintessentially local values and nationally-owned commitments grounded in international treaties and national constitutions and laws.

The Declaration represents a contract between governments and their peoples, who have a right to demand that this document be respected. Not all governments have become parties to all human rights treaties. All countries, however, have accepted the UDHR. The Declaration continues to affirm the inherent human dignity and worth of every person in the world, without distinction of any kind.

Ongoing struggle

The UDHR protects all of us, and it also enshrines the gamut of human rights. The drafters of the UDHR saw a future of freedom from fear, but also of freedom from want. They put all human rights on an equal footing and confirmed human rights are essential to a life of dignity.

The UDHR drafters’ vision has inspired many human rights defenders who have struggled over the last six decades to make that vision a reality. The contemporary international human rights edifice that originates in the UDHR is to be celebrated. But it has yet to benefit all of humanity equally.

The struggle is far from over. As the Declaration’s custodians and beneficiaries, all of us must reclaim the UDHR, make it our own. While we are entitled to our human rights, we should also respect the human rights of others and help make universal human rights a reality for all of us. In our efforts lies the power of the UHDR: it is a living document that will continue to inspire generations to come.

((source: www.un.org))

Be who you are NOT who you aren't

Transit to International AIDS Conference, Vienna

Monday, August 16, 2010

FREE

WHY AM I BEING TREATED LIKE A SECOND CLASS CITIZEN OF "MY COUNTRY"?

HOMOPHOBIA IN BOTSWANA 1

HOMOPHOBIA IN BOTSWANA 2

FIGHTING HOMOPHOBIA IN BOTSWANA

HUMAN RIGHTS IN BOTSWANA

UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Poems

Poems

Poems