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Albinos in Malawi call for probe of the human parts market

Albinos in Malawi have called for a probe of the human body parts market. Andrew Ndhlovu of Malawi News Agency writes The continued killings of albino...

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CSJ Contributor2 min read
March 6, 2017Blantyre, Malawi
Albinos in Malawi have called for a probe of the human body parts market. Andrew Ndhlovu of Malawi News Agency writes The continued killings of albinos in Malawi have prompted some leaders of the Association of Persons with Albinism in Malawi (APAM) to ask the government to probe the network  of individuals fuelling the murders. APAM President Overtones Kondowe made the appeal in Malawi capital Lilongwe at a press briefing on Monday. He said government should set up a commission of enquiry to probe where the body parts of people with albinism are sold. “We are worried now with the recent attacks on people with albinism, as we thought that abductions and killing of people with albinism has stopped the trend is still going on,” Kondowe noted. He said that limited knowledge on albinism at all levels and weak criminal justice system have largely contributed to the rise in number of cases for abducting and killing of people with albinism in the country. “Lack of prosecution of attacks’ cases and poor quality of investigating cases are living people with albinism at risk day by day,” Kondowe pointed out. He added that failure by government to provide funds for targeted services in health, education and social protection to persons with albinism is the major gap which is there for protection of people with albinism. APAM President said they need to deal with public negative perception on albinism due to high levels of ignorance, poverty and erroneous beliefs. He asked government to fully implement various recommendations by United Nation expert on how to end attacks and empower persons with albinism. ‘Government must act fast in implementing recommendations by UN which is to empower persons with albinism by putting them in higher positions to end discriminations against albinism,” Kondowe explained. Commenting on the issue, Citizen Alliance vice chairperson Leon Matanda said they is need for Malawians to work together to make sure that people with albinism are protected in society. “This is not just for APAM but all of us in the country to make sure those persons with albinism have the safe security and this requires us to be actively involved in protecting them,” he viewed. So far they have been 111 cases from 2014 on abduction and killing of persons with albinism and 19 of them are murder cases.      
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Reporting for the Centre for Solutions Journalism.

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