Albino attacks in Malawi: Fedoma calls for legal protection
The continued attacks on people with albinism have raised questions on the seriousness of law enforcers to halt the practice with three cases recorded this month and the alleged culprits are still at large.
Federation of Disability Associations in Malawi (Fedoma) has called on for legal protection while calling for the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to join in the fight for the rights of people with albinism.
Boniface Massa Chairperson for Association of Persons with Albinism in Malawi (APAM) disclosed on Friday that there had been three incidents this month where the victims have either been abducted or killed and their body parts removed.
One of the incident happened in Jali area in Zomba where a woman was killed. Zomba is among other four districts which are registering cases of attack on persons with albinism.
Machinga, Mulanje and Ntcheu are other districts where cases of attacks on people with albinism have been recorded.
“There is negligence on the part of our police to pursue the reported cases. We ask government to start treating issues concerning people with albinism with urgency, otherwise our lives are at stake; we are living in fear,” said Massa.
Massa noted that the recorded cases of attack on people with albinism were registered in districts close to the country’s borders.
Massa bemoaned: “We need other stakeholders to help us and join the fight against this wicked acts. The authorities come to our funerals; buy food, coffins but they don’t want to protect us. We demand security.”
Fedoma Executive Director, Action Amos said issues concerning people with disabilities should not be a window dressing but need to be mainstreamed in the society.
He then called on government to be on forefront protecting people with disabilities.
About seven cases of attacks on people with albinism have been recorded in the country since 2009 but no person has been convicted linked to the attacks. In 2009 there were attacks on people with albinism, in 2013 two girls were killed, 2014 two girls were abducted and one woman was found killed in Mulanje district.
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Es muy triste, la ignorancia de las personas que comentas este tipo de barbaridad, merecen un castigó grande
Those who are albino have enough to deal with (avoiding the sun more so even than azungu) without having the fear of attack. As others have said, we don’t choose this condition just as we do not choose our other charateristics. Should you be attacked for having big feet?
Guyz Dont Infringe Others Rights,we R Differ In Colours Bt We R The Same ppo,so Pliz Stay Away 4rm this bad practices.
kulakwa uku. A Malawi tafika pamenepa kufuna ndalama? Kenako adzati akufuna anthu afupi kapena a maso a 4ways. Paja pakatipa amadula ziwalo anyamata achichepere ati omwe sanagonepo ndi mkazi. Poyamba amapha azimayi. We are all at risk as human beings iwo akangoganiza kuti mtundu wakuti utilemeretsa basitu. Let’s unite and fight this
@2 just a word on incest! Incest is not the pure reason behind albinism. If you recall your biology on meiosis and mitosis you will find that incest brings similar genes together that have the resulting negative attributes in the physical characteristics of the resulting organism. But albinism is a result of recess genes coming together to form an organism. It could be from an incest relationship or a normal one provided the parents have offered recess genes in both cases. The thing is you can have dominant-dominant or recess-dominant or dominant-recess or recess-recess which are the four possible combinations. Note that the first three will always manifest a desired organism because there is an allele that is always dominant hence its name but when the allele is recessive and meets another identical recessive allele albinism is the result regardless of the source. So even you and your wife if you contribute recessive genes but are not related an albino can result. No offence taken. Thank you.
The other thing i see is lack of civic education in these districts concerned.Bcz an educated citizenry always engage in protecting the community.And doesnt spare anyone where albino or what colour,they are all entitled to be treated the same way.
Eish i fear that Malawi will now become Tanzania where by you can hardly see an albino person walking alone fearing attacks.But its a shame to Africans as a whole bcz you do not choose to become an albino & we are all humans.I wonder why humans are now engaging in activities like these.This totally inhumane charater & must not be accepted at all.That is why were regarded as Dogs to the outside world bcz of our actions.And they dont spare anyone we are all included as if we all practise such activities.Stupid behaviour & must not be tolerated at all.
The call is genuine. Government should do something about it. What I know is that people who kill albinos come from Mozambique and Tanzania. They are assisted by local people.
Kodi aja amati kulibe ufiti nanga ichi nchiani?
Chakwera is a matured politician.In Malawi we have never seen an opposition leader assisting govt as heis doing.Well done man of GOD keep it up.
Government and all stakeholders need to urgently do something about this.Perpetrators when caught must be punished heavily.
IN AFRICA THIS STARTED IN KENYA, TANZANIA AND OTHER COUTRIES, BUT NOW IT IS COMMING COMMON IN MALAWI ————WHY ????????????? MALAWIANS LETS LOVE ONE ANOTHER, WHY LOVING MONEY, LOVE YOUR RELATIVES AND FRIENDS—–THAT IS UFITI.
Ogwidwayo tidzagawane ndi kutafuna.Serious.Revenge!
Obsolete African myths.I am proud to be African but things like these make me doubt if i should be absolutely proud
We might not know the cause of albinism. Always check your relationship in case there is close blood relationship. Avoid obvious incest. Sorry for my albino friends
Lets protect these beings by en4cing law.