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"id": 207428,
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"speaker_name": "Mr. Sungu",
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"legal_name": "Gor Eric Sungu",
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. I just want to support this, and say that this is one of the most important Motions that have come to the Floor of this House. I want to take the opportunity to congratulate Prof. Mango for bringing this Motion to the Floor of the House. Orphans can be created by any cause, including accidents and other diseases like cancer. But we must also submit that, in fact, the cause of the vast majority of orphans is HIV/AIDS, and this is because it tends to affect both parents. Therefore, it is right to focus on it. Now, let me just say this, orphans are the most under-privileged. They suffer discrimination, are exposed to hardships and are vulnerable. Let us begin from where we are. Let me begin from myself. Let us just assume that I was to die today and my wife tomorrow. Who is going to look after my child? Just imagine without me or both parents, what chance does the child 3362 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES August 22, 2007 have in life? Who will take care of them? Who will educate, feed, clothe and give them security that parents offer their children? Who will offer them housing? Who will offer them equal opportunities that we so much crave in this society? We take our children to the most expensive schools because we are alive. Since we are parents and hon. Members in this is honourable House, we need to focus on how to help those children who were unfortunate enough as to lose their parents, because they are never going to have the same opportunities as those with parents, even if they are poor. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, everyone craves upward social mobility. Everyone craves a chance to inherit their parents' property, including land! Even in business investments, we know for sure that orphans are actually very vulnerable, because the society has become different. In the past, we used to have family values and systems, whereby if one died the brothers and members of the immediate family would take care. These days, more often than not, you will hear that if one dies, the spouse is left exposed to marauding-in-laws, who want to take over even sofa sets. Immediately they go to court about land, forgetting that the first people who have a right to inherit their parent's property are the children, who are disadvantaged, who are often young and not able to speak for themselves, so that they can also have a chance. Let us look at the question of HIV/AIDS. Who is most affected? The pandemic most affects people who are in the most economically active group. They are usually the younger ages. These are often the most useful people in society. It also goes without saying that often they are very bright people, able and educated. A look at the newspapers columns on the obituaries will show you the engineers, the professors, the journalists, educators, people from all walks of life, doctors and even hon. Members who have died, and often their wives follow. These are also the most upwardly mobile people and they are hard working. The most important thing is that you will find that, usually, they are the sole bread winners of their families, including the extended families. We know from biology that children inherit genes from their parents and, therefore, without saying anything else, we know for sure that some of these children would be the most capable, brightest and hard working but they are disadvantaged. They are disadvantaged because they do not have their parents. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the social insurance that we used to have as traditional African groups, communities and as the so-called tribes - I do not like the word \"tribe\" because we are communities and nationalities - has fallen to pieces, because of modern economic pressures brought upon us from outside our societies by the West. Protecting these children is the duty, and responsibility, of hon. Members. We should create a law that will ensure that if one dies, their child will be protected. There can never be a greater honour than to protect the right of the under-privileged, as hon. Members of this august House, because that is why we are here. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, indeed, most orphans suffer tremendously. Many of them are denied their genuine inheritance in land and other things. There are also other social issues like forced labour; children are forced to work as maids in the houses of those who have money, because they do not have parents. There is the international problem of human trafficking. Many orphans are now open to abuse, and this is a major international issue. You will find a child trafficked even from Kenya to another country where they are forced to be a prostitute, work in inhuman conditions and they do not have any protection whatsoever. Therefore, we need to give these children our protection. The creation of a Fund, as suggested by this Motion, is one of the most important things, in my own humble opinion, that this august House could do to help our children. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, to enhance the protection of these disadvantaged and vulnerable orphaned children, we need to offer them educational support. I dare say that if we were August 22, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 3363 human beings who are serious and mindful of others for the welfare of society and just Government of men, as per our motto, we would give all orphans in this country free education right from primary, secondary and university without doubt, so long as there is proof that they are orphans. The social problem that we have in this country is lack of equality of opportunity. Some groups of people have got more advantage over others, because of the fact that they have more opportunities. Let us give our children a fighting chance to survive. Let us also give them hope and support, by supporting this Motion and making sure that there are legal structures that would help to make sure that the orphaned child is protected. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, in the book entitled Oliver Twist there is a statement saying \"Oliver asked for more.\" He was punished because of lack of social equilibrium and proper care in orphanages. We know that there are many orphanages, some of which are well-run. But we also know that there are some of them which are run by Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), which are not really serious about helping these orphans. In my constituency there is an organisation called Mothers of St. Theresa. I also have the honour of being the Chairman of Bunge Football Club. We have worked with this organisation of Mothers of St. Theresa. They even got the Nobel Peace prize in recognition of their support for the orphaned child using home-based care. In families, you will find, at least, one or two people who will care about some of these children. Home-based family care is very important because these people go and provide just one meal per day. They also provide uniforms and, occasionally, school fees, if they are able to get it. I know of a number of senior people who have come through this system and are now holders of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees, yet, they were orphans. But because they were given an opportunity to progress in the social strata, through the educational system, they were able to have a chance, because many of them were very bright. Without that kind of support, I dare say that we are going to lose a whole generation. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, Europe lost almost a third of its population to the scourge or plague called the black something. That was during the medieval time. In the Second World War---"
}