Albino killings hurt Tanzania’s image

Evaluating the situation in centres that take care of people with albinism in the country reveals many issues in relation to how serious the government and society are to end perceptions ...

Dar es Salaam. The resumption of albino killings has put the country, once again, in a difficult situation as far as its human rights records are concerned. Early last week 40-year-old Munghu Lugata was brutally murdered at her home in Mwachalala, a village in Simiyu Region.

Her attackers cut off her left leg above the knee, two of her fingers and the upper part of her left thumb, apparently while she was still alive.

UN Human Rights Office condemned last week’s killing promptly and called upon the government “…to take urgent concrete measures to protect people with albinism, and to actively engage in the fight against stigma attached to albinism through education and awareness-raising campaigns…”

“This killing and the terrible circumstances surrounding it sadly demonstrate that the human rights situation of people with albinism in Tanzania and other countries remains dire,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said.

Ms Pillay used the statement to highlight the fact that albino killings was a global problem: “All over the world, people with albinism continue to face attacks or suffer terrible discrimination, stigma and social exclusion. The UN Human Rights Office has received reports of more than 200 cases of attacks against people with albinism in 15 countries between 2000 and 2013, but it is believed the actual number could be much higher,” Pillay’s statement said.

But he zeroed in on Tanzania and pointed to the fact that centres that are used to keep displaced children and adult albinos are in appalling conditions.

“The High Commissioner also expresses concern about the appalling living conditions in at least 13  Tanzania centres for displaced children and adults with special needs. These centres host hundreds of children with albinism who have been abandoned by their families or have fled their homes out of fear of being attacked or killed. Some are administrated by the government while others are run by faith-based organizations.”

“The 13 shelters are overcrowded, with very poor health and hygiene conditions. Many of the children with albinism living there reportedly suffer from skin cancer, partly due to the lack of awareness among the staff about a number of simple steps that can be taken to prevent this disease. Cases of sexual abuse have also been reported in some of these centres. Due to the very limited human and financial resources, teaching and learning materials are reported to be almost nonexistent in most of them.”

“I urge the Tanzanian authorities to take urgent measures to assess and address the situation in these centres, including allegations of sexual harassment and abuse, and the poor living conditions. The staff working with people with albinism should be trained on their special needs, in particular with regard to basic preventive measures to avoid skin cancer,” Pillay, who lived in Tanzania for several years while serving at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, said.

Analysts say the killing last week could also rekindle the attention on government’s perceived failure to prosecute albino attackers and murders.

In fact, Ms Pillay underscored that fact in her statement saying;  “Victims often face significant difficulties in bringing their cases to justice, fearing retaliatory attacks or further stigmatisation. Without effective and affordable access to justice, many cannot claim their rights.  The High Commissioner stressed that States’ obligation to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of such crimes is particularly critical due to the vulnerability of people with albinism. States must also ensure access to effective remedies, redress and rehabilitation, including medical and psychological care for survivors and victims’ families.”

In highlighting the issue of justice Ms Pillay, former international judge herself also echoed observations of a major report released by the United Nations General Assembly. The report on Attacks and Discrimination against Persons with Albinism released in September last year painted a dire picture.

 “While some investigation and prosecution seems to take place, sentencing appears to be extremely rare: of the 72 murders of people with albinism documented in the United Republic of Tanzania since 2000, only five cases are known to have resulted in successful prosecutions. 

While noting the State party’s commitment to prevent, investigate and prosecute cases of mutilation and killing of persons with albinism, the Human Rights Committee expressed concern about the high number of reported incidents in the United Republic of Tanzania and the limited number of court cases and slow proceedings in this regard,” the UN report said.

The police’s reaction was swift in last week’s attack, arresting two witchdoctors just few days after the killings. But all this brought into the fore memories of the past attacks and was a stark reminder of the sad fact that the shameful albino killings are far from over.

The last killings took place 14 months ago in January 31, 2013 in Tabora Region. That day, the seven year-old boy, Lugolola Bunzari, was brutally murdered. The attackers slashed his forehead, right arm, left shoulder and chopped off his left arm just above the elbow. Lugolola’s grandfather believed to be over 90 years old was also killed as he tried to protect his grandson, while his father and grandmother survived with serious injuries.

Attacks however, continued for the rest of the year including an attempt on a ten month old baby boy, Yohana John, on May 9, 2013 in Kasharunga Village, Muleba District, Kagera Region. In that attempt, the mother of the child hid Yohana in the bathroom and attackers fled after neighbours were quick to intervene.

With already worsening human rights records, partly owed to a less functioning judicial and legal system, the new wave of albino killings is likely to put technocrats and politicians scratching their heads on how to come out of it, “international wise”.

And with a government so sensitive to international reputation and image one of the solution could be to rush to international public relations firms.

Tanzania, like many other developing countries, banks much on an image to “survive” internationally. And the country, therefore, again like many other developing countries, spends millions of dollars annually to recruit Public Relations firm to boost its international image.

Mainly this is to ensure goodies from the West, in terms of donor financing, investment flows and so forth continue flowing to their countries.

Early this year the government had to engage the services of a UK-based PR and Marketing firm, to bolster its image following a scathing article in the British Media about its modest ways of dealing with the poaching menace.

Formerly mainly used by despots and dictators to bolster and service their images abroad, the practice has now become common among developing countries as they compete for attention from the world powers and multinationals to keep the much needed foreign currency flowing.

But experts say resorting to public relations firms is a shortcut that is unsustainable. The real solution lies in the political will and making necessary reforms and investment in the police and the judicial system.