Stop advertising body parts of people with albinism
Another individual with albinism was brutally killed, in Ntcheu. Another innocent soul gone too soon. This young person is part of over 50 reported killings people with albinism in Malawi. The Malawi Government, CSOs, NGOs and people of Malawi have joined hands to fight against this inhumane act.
One question that people still ask is, why is it that despite the advocacy, we still have new cases reported almost every week? In my previous article, ‘hands of people with albinism in Malawi’, I touched on the issue of looking at the inhumane act, as a system that has buyers, middlemen/vendors, and sellers. I then argued that to effectively eradicate this practice, the final buyers have to be identified, and brought to justice. We have to cut the head of the snake, and not the tail.
In this article, I argue that individuals, organizations, and the media, need to stop playing the role of a marketer for the buyers, middle and sellers of body parts of people with albinism.
In 2014, the Malawi Government, warned people that they will be arrested, if they call a person with albinism ‘Dhilu (Source of income).’ This was after they discovered that the language used in personal interpersonal communication has the potential to fuel the practice the abduction, killing, and exhumation of the remains of people with albinism.
This was after; media reports started covering the issue of the killing of people with albinism and the reasons why people do so. The journalists, in trying to present a complete story covers all aspects involved to provide a comprehensive picture. However, individuals would only pick the part about ‘charms and the money.’
This begs the question; what kind of language are we using in our daily conversations? Does it in any way hint on the perceived benefits of killing and exhumation of the remains of people with albinism?
In April 2016, local media houses covered a suspect who explained that they are people who offer ‘K1.1 billion for bones of people with albinism.’ I, find the sharing of this information to be among the factors that fuel the killings. Because you are essentially telling the people involved in the act, that any person with albinism that they see, is a potential K1.1 billion. This puts a target on any person with albinism. The more we share this information, is the more we are putting the lives of people with albinism in Malawi and across, southern Africa in danger.
To even make matters worse, the coverage further, exposes the weaknesses in the laws. This is even giving more reasons for those involved in this inhumane act to continue. Because essentially, we are saying, there is a market, and you can get away with it.
They are organizations that are conducting awareness campaigns in communities. This is very commendable and must continue. The question however is; what kind of message are these organizations sharing? Is there a chance that in raising awareness about the inhumane act, you might also be throwing an advert for people who are buying the body parts of people with albinism?
I, therefore, believe that in the process of looking for ways to deal with the vice, we might want to check the information that we provide to the general public. We need to ask, what are some of the unintended effects that this information might have on the lives of people with albinism?
- Chimwemwe John Paul Manyozo, is a Malawi Student at University of Sussex, in Brighton, UK
Good point!..Good people, there is one thing that puzzles in these issues, failure to arrest the real actors. Apparently, most if not all murderers of the reported cases have been arrested. I dont want to go case by case here…a good number of people have also been arrested for being found with bones of people believed to be albinos(i dont know how different the bones look). Up to now, no single buyer has been identified and arrested…no single sing’anga has been arrested despite being told daily that the killings are being fueled by sing’angaz…All we hear is that there is… Read more »
The first thing that must be done to fight against albino killings is to outlaw all herbalists in our country. They are the ones who bring funny things to our people.
O………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..O You have done well to bring up this issue as a contribution to this publication . . . . . . and paradoxically, Nyasatimes is the PRIME culprit of this irresponsible gesture! . . . I, for one, and other well-meaning readers, have consistently pleaded with Nyasatimes’ reporters to desist from publishing prices of albino body parts. Alas! Our plea has always fallen on people who listen but not with ears (of this, am very certain)!; as these insensitive Nyasatimes’ reporters continue to publish the unnecessary and tasteless information almost in each and every article about albinos. ………………………………………………………………………… The… Read more »
Nice one koma malonda anji opanda mtengo
This is neither funny nor laughing matter.
I find it strange that non of the convicts of this vice hasn’t mentioned who and where their buyers are. Have the law enforcers an interest in this direction when investigating cases of murders concerning persons with albinism. I concur with the writer above that it is head that must be found and cut and not the tail.