MALAWI. Lilongwe: The United Nations has said that it is worried about the continued attacks on people living with albinism in Malawi. The UN has now demanded swift action from the authorities to find out and destroy the root cause of the problem. (This information is contained in a statement signed by the country’s UN Resident Coordinator, Maria Jose Torres, and made available to Transcontinental Times)
The statement comes after a 26-year-old albino man, Saidi Dayton was murdered in the eastern district of Mangochi. His body was located along the shores of Lake Malawi.
“Despite years of fighting for the rights of people living with albinism, the murder shows that there is much more to be done, to ensure that people living with albinism live a meaningful life,” said Torres.
She added that the UN would want the country to allocate more funding for the implementation of the National Action Plan For People Living With Albinism. It is a locally drafted framework that aims to address the challenges faced by people living with albinism.
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Why are people with albinism killed in Malawi?
Some people in Malawi, just like the country’s southern African neighbors believe that the body parts of albino people bring luck, through magic. Bodies of the dead are exhumed and their bones are removed to sell.
Malawi’s northern neighbor, Tanzania had to ban the presence of witch doctors which were seen to be fueling the vice.
Sometimes family members of the victims aid the perpetrators of these murders in disclosing the whereabouts of their relations for easy tracking. Most of the perpetrators of such attacks of people living with albinism have been arrested. Some are even sentenced to life imprisonment.
In Malawi, there are around 7000, to 10,000 people who are living with albinism.
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