WHERE IS THE VILLAGE? - The Plight of the Minor
Correspondent | Monday May 11, 2020 20:06
1. We harbour paedophiles and incest perpetrators within our families and in most cases their deeds go unreported. We have normalized defilement because we readily accept promises of one taking responsibility of a child borne from such an act with a minor.
When such incidents occur within our families it requires us as a nation to introspect on the values that we hold dear and to interrogate our family system as to whether it is what we would like it to be and to achieve. Are we the mothers, fathers, uncles, aunts, cousins, siblings and grandparents we would like each and every child to have?
2. In the immediate past and present, local newspapers repeatedly report on incidents in which our political leaders are implicated in such cases, and in some instances, are the perpetrators. One might ask, where is the family? where are Magosi and Magosana? where are Baruti? A few years back newspapers reported of an incident in which a political leader was alleged to have defiled a minor in the village of Sebina. A lot of time and energy was spent on proving that the child was not a minor at the time. A campaign was started butalso went silent. Calls were made for the perpetrator to step down but they fell on deaf ears.The ruling party went mum as one of them was implicated. Recently newspapers reported of allegations of defilement by the Member of Parliament for Nata-Gweta, Paulson
Majaga. Where is the village that raises these children when children fall prey to the villagers? Where is justice for our children?
3. Let us as a nation stand together and condemn in the strongest terms all acts of defilement and paedophilia against our children. Let us report such acts because failure to makes us accomplices of such crimes. We would like to implore on our leaders to take the necessary steps to protect our children from us and uphold the values that we hold dear as a nation. Our judicial system remains our last hope in having justice for the girl child.
4. BOSETU strongly condemns all acts of sexual child abuse in all its forms. We wish to call on the highest office of the land, of His Excellency the President, Dr Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi, to take its rightful place in protecting its citizens and specifically the future of our country, our children. Can exemplary action be taken against leaders who perpetrate abuse of children.
Our Students are Our Children, hands off our children!!!
From BOSETU Gender Desk