Human ALBINOS in Africa Killed for Body Parts

[Kofi]

I read it somewhere a few days ago that stupidity kills faster than all the weapons of mass destruction put together. Stupidity is the most dangerous enemy we came to meet in this cruel world. Just imagine a world without stupidity. Just imagine a world without superstitious beliefs. Just imagine a world without foolish men and women. Just imagine a world without wicked men. We are all foolish men in this world. There is no wise man in this world of ours. However, the difference between some of us and the others is that, although we are fools we know the fact that we are fools whereas the others don't even know the fact that they are fools.

We keep blaming others for the problems we face. We think others are the evil doers making us unhappy in this world. We think others are the cause of all the problems we face in this world forgetting that we suffer due to our own stupidity and ignorance. The same stupidity that causes suicide bombers to kill themselves and others in Aghanistan, in Pakistan, etc. continues to destroy our beloved continent Africa. The same stupidity and wickedness that caused an Indian mother to abandon her 2-day old baby in a gabbage can, continues to destroy several innocent lives in Africa today. This sad story is a an example of how stupidity and ignorance destroy Africa. This is how illiteracy and extreme superstitious beliefs continue to destroy our beloved continent.

Albinism is a curse in certain parts of Africa. Albinism is a disaster in certain parts of Africa today due to illiteracy, wickedness and extreme superstitious beliefs. African Albinos are on the run and they are being hunted like wild Animals by some mad men who believe the body parts of albinos contain supernatural powers. Why is this so? you will not hear this in the cities and big towns but this is happening right now in some of our villages and small towns.. However, as most of us know, albinism isn't and shouldn't be a curse because Albinos are complete human beings just like you and I. Albinism is just the absence of the genetic factor responsible for skin color. Albinos are complete Human Beings just like any other Human being but some illiterate Africans are too blind to see and some Africans are too superstitious and sometimes too dumb to reason.

Mary Owido sits with her children Steven, left, Stella, and Brayan, at their home in western Kenyan town of Ahero.
The mistaken belief that albino body parts have magical powers has driven thousands of Africa's albinos into hiding, fearful of losing their lives and limbs to unscrupulous dealers who can make up to US$75,000 selling a complete dismembered set.
Mary Owido, who lacks pigment that gives color to skin, eyes and hair, says she is only comfortable when at work or at home with her husband and children.

"Wherever I go people start talking about me, saying that my legs and hands can fetch a fortune in Tanzania," said Owido, 36, a mother of six. "This kind of talk scares me. I am afraid of going out alone."

Since 2007, 44 albinos have been killed in Tanzania and 14 others have been slain in Burundi, sparking widespread fear among albinos in East Africa.
At least 10,000 have been displaced or gone into hiding since the killings began, according to a report released this week by the International Federation for the Red Cross and Crescent societies.

East Africa's latest albino murder happened in Tanzania's Mwanza region in late October, when albino hunters beheaded 10-year-old Gasper Elikana and chopped off his leg, the report said. The killing left Elikana's father, who tried to defend his son, seriously injured. Albinism is a hereditary condition, but occurs only when both parents have albinism genes. All six of Owido's children have normal skin color.

African albinos endure insults, discrimination and segregation throughout their lives. They also have a high risk of contracting skin cancer in a region where many jobs are outdoors.
Owido, a high school teacher in the western Kenyan town of Ahero, says she was forced to transfer from a better teaching job on the Kenya-Tanzania border town of Isebania in 2008 after an albino girl she knew was murdered and her body parts chopped off.

The surge in the use of albino body parts as good luck charms is a result of "a kind of marketing exercise by witch doctors," the International Federation for the Red Cross and Crescent societies said.

The report says the market for albino parts exists mainly in Tanzania, where a complete set of body parts - including all limbs, genitals, ears, tongue and nose - can sell for $75,000. Wealthy buyers use the parts as talismans to bring them wealth and good fortune.
"Albinism is one of the most unfortunate vulnerabilities," said International Federation for the Red Cross and Crescent societies Secretary General Bekele Geleta. "And it needs to be addressed immediately at an international level."

The chairman of the Albino Association of Kenya, Isaac Mwaura, called the murders deplorable but said the killings have given albinos a platform to raise awareness. Almost 90 percent of albinos living in the region were raised by single mothers, Mwaura said, because the fathers believed their wives were having affairs with white men.

"When I was born my father said his family tree doesn't have such children and left us," Mwaura said.

Some African communities believe that albinos are harbingers of disaster, while others mistakenly think albinos are mentally retarded and discourage their parents from taking them to school, saying it's a waste of money, he said. Due to a lack of education, many albinos are illiterate and are forced into menial jobs, exposing them to the sun and skin cancer, he said. Those who manage to finish school face discrimination in the work place and are never considered for promotions.

"People are very blind to albinism but it is very visible. Now that we have this issue in Tanzania is when people have started to talk about albinism," Mwaura said. "Before there was a studious silence."

Help now. Spread the word and help save our Albino brothers and sisters from the hands of these stupid, wicked, wretched and worthless beings making life a living hell for our beloved brothers and sisters. Report any of these people you see abusing Albinos in your area to the higher authorities. It could be me and it could be you too so if you see something please say something and help save lives.

[Obedience]

This is a very sad situation. Most Albinos don't survive in the wild because of the lack of camouflage. However, there is no reason why Human Albinos should not survive. Human Albinos are not wild animals and they need no camouflage because under normal circumstances humans are not wild animals. From this story, there is no doubt that some Human beings are very wild animals predating on innocent Albinos.

i dont get this world blacks hate other blacks cause their different wow todays the day -.-

Originally Posted by Obedience

...Human Albinos are not wild animals and they need no camouflage because under normal circumstances humans are not wild animals....

I agree with you. Human Albinos need no camouflage to survive the same way white people don't need camouflage to survive in Africa. Albinos have been Africa since the dawn of time and they have survived even in the worst conditions. Take for example the hot sun in Africa yet they have survived up to this age. Human Albinos in Africa are just like the White people in South Africa but people in Africa are just too ignorant to see. One of my best friends in school was an Albino and she was the smartest girl in our class. She topped the class from grade one until the very last day in school. She even became our assistant girls prefect. It is not as if those harming human Albinos don't know what they are doing. They know very well what they are doing. The problem is that they are criminals and should be sentenced to death without any hearing. They are mostly armed robbers and blood ritualists and we don't need such people in our society. Not just Human Albinos. This is a major problem in all of Africa. People kill young girls especially virgins and remove their body parts for money rituals. We must eliminate all those criminals from our society.

This is one of the most saddest stories I have read this year. It is very sad how people can behave like animals towards their own brothers and sisters just because of their skin color. I don't know how to express my feelings but I think this is just too stupid and sad at the same time.

At first I thought only Africans believe in Juju but I was wrong. One day a friend of mine in Africa told me some white people came to their village looking for 'Juju masks' (containing black magic). Some white people have been coming to Africa for black magic and they encourage 'black markets' where they buy human body parts to do their Juju.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

This is one of the most saddest stories I have read this year. It is very sad how people can behave like animals towards their own brothers and sisters just because of their skin color. I don't know how to express my feelings but I think this is just too stupid and sad at the same time.

I agree with you and i feel so bad for these Albino people. It is very sad to read such stories

We had a similar problem in Guinea Bissau some years ago. In our case it wasn't the Albino people but young girls under 16 years old. Girls under 16 are mostly virgins and it was believed that virgin blood had some magical powers which can make people rich. This barbaric idea caused so many deaths in Guinea especially in the villages where there are no law enforcement agencies. Most Africans are far behind time and if we continue like this then there is no hope for us.

[Mother Ethiopia]

This problem used to be very common in Nigeria back in the days when ritual killings were very common in Nigeria. I was in Nigeria with a friend and we almost got killed by some ritual killers who operate mostly in bars and clubs at night. It's been a quite long time since I heard about Killing of Albinos in Ethiopia although I heard the problem is very common in South Africa and also in Central Africa.

and what is the government doing about it? What is the function of the African government? Can't they do something? what are they doing in the higher offices if they can't solve problems like this? People spoke against colonization but I think colonization would be better in situations like this because Africans cannot govern themselves.

[Sweet_Soul]

This is just sad. How could people be so cruel to their own people? This is what the Bible talked about. Wickedness is on the rise and most men don't even feel the pain in hurting their own blood relatives. The end is very near.

[msjackiebrown3]

superstitious beliefs are the killers in every society. The same way a terrorist kills himself and the rest in the name of Allah, the same way Africans kill Albinos in the name of super powers. Education is the solution to most of these problems because there is nothing you can do to convince an illiterate that those stupid ideas don't exist. We need to start educating the public.

[world-love]

Wow heartbreaking... I recently watched a documentary about this issue and it breaks my heart what these people endure. An albino man from Canada heads an organization that has been trying to fight this problem in some countries. I wish I could remember his name. In response to the comment about "what is the government doing about it" (Guest), I believe that many times many officials are ignorant towards the issue and in my opinion can only most effectively be resolved by educating the people.

very sad and mad at the same time! ... don't send money to Africa. send them books. these people need education for goodness sake!

$75000? ask yourself where do the buyers get that kind of money from? do you know some foreigners come to Africa purposely for the so-called super powers?

this is sick!!! what is the government doing about it? nothing?????