Lakes state speaker: enshrine disable people’s rights in constitution

By Manyang Mayom

February 28, 2011 (RUMBEK) – The Lakes state Legislative Assembly speaker John Marik Makur said that “persons with special needs want their rights enshrined in the constitution”. Makur, said that the South Sudan’s interim constitution, which is under review, does not address special needs.

Makur, who uses a wheelchair as he suffered from polio in his childhood talked to thousands of people at the launch of a polio vaccination campaign on 22 February, 2011. He called upon the local community to vaccinate their children, explaining that he knows from experience what it means to suffer from polio. He noted that “all children need special care since the future of the nation depends on them”.

Marik appealed to the government, applicable institutions and members of the public to give equal opportunities to people with disabilities, stating that “disability does not mean inability”. He explained that people with disabilities are discriminated against in education, the health service and the job market.

He said that although South Sudan has won freedom after many years of struggle, the new nation is victim to other evils that have to be fought against. They include polio, corruption, tribalism, and HIV/AIDs.

“Polio is one of the bad diseases, I have tasted how bad it is – I am one of the people affected by polio but I was brought up by my parent as educated person – all infected people are part of this society, let us not abandon them. Let us protect the children from polio – you can see me now sitting in front of you.” said Marik.

He appealed to those involved in reviewing the constitution of the new nation to explicitly include the rights of people with disabilities, adding that they deserve right to actively participate in the social life and decision making processes of the new nation.

He also expressed hope that polio be eradicated in South Sudan by 2015.

Marik said that “I would like those people affected by polio to be taken to school – those children with disabilities, not inabilities – they should get equal opportunities […] we are now free from our struggle of 22 years with the Khartoum government’s regime, but we are not free from diseases. Do not abandon those people with disabilities.”

The polio vaccination campaign launched on 24 February targets children aged five and below. It is a nationwide campaign that will conclude on 4 March.

(ST)