Canadian House of Commons condemns attacks on Tanzanian children with albinism

The campaign against the murder and mutilation of Tanzanian adults and children with albinism was unanimously supported by the Canadian House of Commons on Wednesday, Oct. 26.

Members of Parliament supported a motion by Langley MP Mark Warawa that condemns the attacks on adults and children with albinism for their body parts, expresses the support of the citizens of Canada for people with albinism in Tanzania who have been the victims of such attacks,

urges the Government of Tanzania to prosecute perpetrators of these crimes "actively and aggressively" and calls on Tanzanian authorities "to take immediate action to prevent further violence against persons with albinism and to bring to swift justice those who engaged in such practices

."...Read the Rest of the Story Here

Tanzania's Attorney General forms team to probe albino killings

THE Attorney General's office has formed a national task force that will investigate into the killings of albinos in the country.

Deputy AG George Masaju told the Public Accounts Parliamentary Committee at the weekend that incidents of albino killings were on the rise, and thus a cause for concern.

"We are serious on the issue, we cannot just remain silent while someone is being killed...Read the Rest of the Story Here

Turn not a blind eye: Act!

This blog is dedicated to decrying the animosity leveled against people with albinism. It seems there’s been a recrudescence of violence against albinos in Tanzania in recent months.

Some of the albinos have been hacked, humiliated and even killed by people seeking their body parts to sell to witchdoctors who make charms and potions using them.

The witchdoctors have made people believe that when they take the charms and potions then they will increase their wealth bases, improve their security and safeguard their positions.

On this blog, I vent my heart’s contempt regarding the goings on.
Human life is sacred and no one has the right to cut someone else’s life short.
Albinos are human beings and they, too, are entitled to live.

Here I share links to PREVIOUS pieces I did to voice my stand on this issue:

1. This war will one day be won, but first...

2. Who will speak up for us if we don't stand up for them?

3. It's our call dear brethren

Gruesome Criminal Acts continue against children with Albinism in Tanzania

Here I reproduce Under the Same Sun's (UTSS)recent report on the violence and stigma leveled against albinos in Tanzania.

UTSS advocates for the rights of persons with albinism wherever they face discrimination.

Peter Ash, Under the Same Sun's CEO, says impassionately: “Justice has not come and horrifying crimes against children with albinism continue unabated in Tanzania. Only firm and decisive action on the part of Tanzanian government and society will stem this tide of innocent blood being spilled!”

In the last 10 months there have been four gruesome attacks against persons with albinism in Tanzania. Here are the facts:

1. Only four days ago on October 14, 2011 the machete attack and attempted murder of 12 year Adam Robert occurred in Geita Region, Tanzania. A man seeking his body parts for sale to witchdoctors and their customers began hacking off his arm. He resisted and was left laying in front of his home with multiple wounds including three fingers which were severed from his right hand. His three fingers will quickly fetch a handsome price in Tanzania’s continuing black market for albino body parts. Adam survived the gruesome attack and reported to police that his father, stepmother, uncle, and another male relative were involved in this criminal act. His testimony was confirmed by neighbours. Adam is currently in hospital suffering from severe wounds and trauma. He says he can never go home to his family. WARNING: The photos are GRAPHIC 1.Click HERE to see the Photo 2.Click HERE to see the Photo


2. On May 13, 2011, the murder by poisoning of 14 month old infant Doto Mbiti from the Ibanda Village, Geita Region, Tanzania occurred. His horrific killing was committed by an aunt simply because she did not want a child with albinism in her family. Two hospitals were unable to treat the poisoning and baby Doto passed away after extreme suffering in Sengerema Hospital. His tiny body is buried in the floor of a dirty animal shed to prevent the body parts from being stolen by those who poisoned him. The news of Doto’s murder was delivered to UTSS by his parents in August of 2011. The parents did not report his death to the police because of fear that they would never survive the Sukuma tribes’ traditional revenge. “Sukumas cannot stand relatives who reveal family secrets to the authorities” they said. The family also revealed that there have been several attempts to steal the body parts from the grave for use in witchcraft rituals.

3. In January of 2011 the abduction and bodily violation of 4 year old Meriki in Kasemie village, Geita Tanzania occurred. The assailant forcibly held the young boy for several hours. During this time Meriki’s hair was cut and collected by the attacker, for sale to witchdoctors and their customers. Albino hair is a hot commodity in Tanzanias’s dark underground market. When the man finally released Meriki, his grandmother noticed that part of his head had no hair and asked who cut it. He said the violation had been perpetrated by a neighbour, Mr. Robert Matage (40yrs). The crime was
reported to the police, Robert was questioned, and later released. On October 18, 2011 Tanzanian police told the media that the police could not interfere. UTSS believes this is an appalingly inadequate response.

4. On February 9, 2011 in Rukwa Region, three year old Juma Kapela was abducted while playing with a group of children. His recovery follows a four-day intensive search mounted jointly by the police, a team of Tanzania People’s Defence Forces (TPDF) soldiers and villagers. For their safety, Juma and his 5 year old sister Wande, who also has albinism, have been removed from their family, friends & village and relocated to a safer place some 400 miles from home.


Young children with albinism experience Horrific suffering and neglect in Tanzanian public boarding schools.

On October 17, 2011 UTSS received information about several children with albinism who are residents of the government operated Buhangija boarding school in Shinyanga Region. The situation in Buhangija School is appalling and disturbing! The head teacher of the school made these remarks concerning the spreading skin cancer affecting the young students;

“It is the children’s fault that they have skin cancer.”

A mother who recently lost her 28 year old daughter with albinism to skin cancer was told by a doctor in Shinyanga;

“Don’t worry, this is how these people (persons with albinism) are.”

WARNING: The photo is GRAPHIC Click HERE to see the Photo


UTSS Believes that this stigma and discrimination is killing thousands of Tanzania n citizens with albinism .

Edmund Burke once remarked, “All that is needed for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing!”. UTSS is unable to “do nothing”. We are asking that those perpetrating these atrocities
are brought to justice. We also seek a day when persons with albinism will take their rightful place in every level of Tanzanian society. We implore the authorities in Tanzania, media, NGO’s and all concerned citizens to raise the alarm about the ongoing slaughter and violation of persons with albinism in Tanzania.

Persecution of Albinos in Tanzania

Vumilia Makoye was like many other Tanzanians living with albinism. Due to her severe near-sightedness as well as constant ridicule borne from her peers’ ignorance, school was a constant challenge. She dropped out by age 17. One evening, Vumilia was eating dinner at home with her family in Tanzania when men approached her hut with long knives. Her family saw the men and tried to barricade the front door, but they were overpowered. Vumilia’s family watched as the men sawed off her legs above the knee and fled with her limbs...Click Here to Read the Rest

Albino ‘overcomes’ assailant

Story courtesy of Daily News, Tanzania

AN albino child who is admitted to the Geita Hospital in Mwanza Region after he was attacked by a man who was after his body parts said he survived by biting the assailant’s private parts.

Adam Robert (14), whose condition is improving said that he managed to bite the man amid the gruesome attack, forcing the goon to run away before cutting his fingers.

“When he was cutting my hand, I was yelling and after a few moment he started preparing to chop off my fingers. That is when I got the chance of biting his private part. That man managed to cut my fingers after I fell down while trying to escape,” narrated the shocked but brave kid.

Narrating the ordeal, Robert said that he met the man (suspect) last Friday, when he came looking for
his cow. Robert, who was grazing the cows, said that the man stayed with him at the grazing ground before disappearing in the forests.

“After a few minutes, the man came back this time offering me a hat but I refused telling him that I had mine with me, after which I decided to move closer to my home,” he said.

Later in the evening, Robert said that the man came to their house on the pretence of looking for his lost cow. He arrived finding the victim with his father.

“After introducing himself to my mother, I informed my father to have met with the man at the grazing grounds,” he said, adding that later the man left the premises.

According to the father, one Robert Tangawizi (36), the following day (Saturday) attacked the child and cut off his body parts before he run away. According to the father, the suspect is still at large.

Past Stories on this Blog

Click on these links to read some past stories on this blog.

...Who Are Albinos?

...Who will Speak up for us If we don't Speak up for Them

...Are you Really your Brother's Keeper?

...Prayer of an Albino in Tanzania

Kahama, Bukombe Districts named as most lawless

Kahama and Bukombe Districts of Shinyanga region are the leading districts for various acts of lawlessness including armed robbery, robbery and use of weapons.

Police Commander of Shinyanga region, Diwani Athumani, has confirmed that these districts have many challenges for the police force and voluntary protection where many criminal acts and murders of the elderly continue to be reported within the district.

This Commander gave this report following up the lead in various criminal acts especially of armed robbery and murders of the elderly last year.

Athumani told journalists that one of the main reasons for the existence of this situation is that these districts have a great influx of visitors from within and outside the Shinyanga region, adjoining regions and neighbouring countries.

Furthermore, he said these districts have had areas for large and small and mining industries of gold and diamonds.

Likewise, these districts have large influxes resulting from being on the main bitumen road from Isaka to the neighbouring countries of Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi and Uganda as well as the refugee camps which are in the adjoining regions of Kagera and Kigoma.

He said because of these circumstances, murders of the elderly and people with albinism have been occurring in these areas and other areas like Bariadi, Shinyanga, Maswa and Meatu involving a small percentage.

Concerning the steps which have been announced to be taken by the police force to tackle this situation, he said starting in 2011 police plan to ensure a peaceful and calm situation will be reinstated within all these lawless areas.

“As the police force, we have set ourselves the target for the year 2011 to ensure serious crimes reduce and stop and don’t exist at all: what I am saying is for those armed robbers to look other things to do,” Diwani said.

He made it clear that police using voluntary protection, will cooperate with citizens to get reports about crime and that these will not be leaked.

Moreover, he said that they will confirm they are using sungusungu to strengthen protection within these regions and that sungusungu groups, are getting education about protection and security strategies.