MALAWI: A wave of Killings of Albinos in the Country; CCJP Issues a Statement

The Catholic
Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM)
recently issued a ‘Solidarity Media Statement’
on the killings of Malawian brothers and sisters with Albinism.

In the
statement signed by CCJP National Secretary, Chris Chisoni and titled “Time to take action to stop the killings of
Albinos in Malawi”, CCJP which is a social justice and advocacy arm of the
Catholic Church in Malawi, appalled by the current abductions and killings of
albinos being fuelled by an disdained desire for wealth and riches.

“CCJP is
saddened and at pains to note that some people, be they Malawians or not,
believe albinos have, due to their status, mystical or magical powers in their
body parts, that would make someone rich, and in some cases that would make
someone cleanse him/herself from HIV and AIDs,” read the statement adding that
“Whilst CCJP acknowledges the efforts being made by various stakeholders,
especially the media, local leaders and local security personnel, CCJP is
worried and unsatisfied with the deafening silence and passivity from other key
stakeholders, who in our considered view, seem not to see the contemporary
problems faced by albinos as genuine problems to cause much national worry and
coordinated interventions and responses.”

“We
therefore, call upon government and its relevant ministries like the Ministry
of Home Affairs and Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare, Faith
Based Organizations, Civil Society Organizations, Community Based
Organizations, local leaders and communities to take up various actions to stop
this public menace and defend the plight of our albino brothers and sisters,” read
the statement.

Among others
CCJP is worried that the Human Dignity of albinos is being denied as they are
being reduced to an exploitative functional value of being a source of wealth
for some people.

The
Statement further says, “Yet regardless of their albino status, which has clear
biological explanations, just like many other physiological disorders or
disabilities, they are normal human beings and need to have their human dignity
upheld and respected by all”.

CCJP was similarly
worried that the belief in sanctity of human life for all people was being
denied from albinos with the belief that their body parts can be a source of
wealth or healing powers.

CCJP
appealed for collective and national action to completely root out the problem that
is slowly creeping in the country.

“We further
contend that riches and wealth are only acquired through hard working,
financial management discipline and investing and there are no proven linkages
between the beliefs in magic or mystical powers to income generation. As such,
no one should be fooled to take another person’s life for the intention of
getting rich,” concluded the statement. For a full statement, please
refer to ECM website on www.ecmmw.org

Tanzania is facing a similar problem whereby activists say attackers have
killed at least 75 albinos in Tanzania since 2000 to use their body parts in
rituals. Recently, The President of Tanzania His Excellency Jakaya Kikwete
promised to end a wave of killings of Albinos, saying, “We will not allow
things to escalate as they did in previous years.”

The
president was pleading for close cooperation between the government and society
to end these killings of persons with albinism.

However,
soon after his statement, another child with Albinism in Sumbawanga was
attacked and seriously injured by unidentified people who disappeared with the
palm of his right hand after cutting it.

By Prince Henderson, ECM
Communications Officer and AMECEA Social Communication Office.