Tanzania's human rights body calls for urgent action to combat child abductions

Dar es Salaam. The Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition (THRDC) has issued several recommendations aimed at addressing the alarming rise in abductions and enforced disappearances recently reported in the Lake Regions.

The coalition urges the Tanzania Police Force to implement proactive and preventive measures and to keep the public informed about ongoing and potential threats to address the crisis in the Mwanza, Mara, Simiyu, Shinyanga, Geita, and Kagera regions.

Read: Why Lake Zone leads on list of 'children theft'

The call to action emphasises the need for enhanced police intervention to effectively protect citizens and urges the expedited implementation of the National Action Plan for People with Albinism from 2023/24 to 2027/28, highlighting the critical importance of fast-tracking this plan.

"This plan is crucial for the protection of people with albinism and must be implemented without delay," reads in part the THRDC statement signed by the Lake Zone Coordinator, Ms Sophia Donald.

THRDC recommendations follow the Tanzania Police Force report published through the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

The Crime Statistics and Road Safety Report for the year 2023 shows that the country’s 40 police administrative regions registered a total of 73 cases of ‘theft of children’ last year.

Read: Parents, schools on alert amid child disappearance reports

Yet, out of the number, seven police administrative regions of the Lake Zone alone accounted for 35 cases, which is equivalent to almost 48 percent of the total number.

Mara and Kagera regions led the list, each with eight cases of theft of children in 2023. Mwanza and Geita followed in the third and fourth positions, with seven and five cases, respectively.

Simiyu reported three cases of theft of children last year, with Shinyanga and Tarime-Rorya having two cases each.

However, THRDC is also requesting the government to allocate special funds for strengthening protection systems for children and people with albinism, particularly in light of the upcoming elections.

“This funding is crucial to enhance safety measures for these vulnerable groups during heightened risk,” reads another part of the statement.

Furthermore, the statement says community involvement is another critical aspect, saying they encourage members of the public to report individuals involved in crime incidents and abductions to security agencies to enhance justice to take its course.

According to THRDC, harmful superstitions and beliefs associate human body parts, especially from people with albinism, with wealth and power, stressing that the community should abandon such beliefs to reduce the violence and discrimination facing people from the vulnerable group.

"Superstitions and myths that endanger the lives of people should be expelled. We promote a collaborative approach to tackling issues and advocate for collective efforts to expose and report perpetrators of heinous acts,” reads the statement.

"A united front is essential in combating these crimes and ensuring the safety of all citizens, reminding the government of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities' concerns regarding the inadequate investigation of violence against people with albinism,” adds the coalition, saying they highlight the need for improved accountability and thorough investigations into such crimes.

"The government must address these concerns and ensure justice to victims," stresses the coalition, noting that an independent commission should be established to investigate the vices and take perpetrators to justice.

Read: Parents, schools on alert amid child disappearance reports

THRDC emphasises the necessity of an independent commission for an unbiased investigation of incidents.

It urges the government to ratify international conventions aimed at combating torture and enforced disappearance.

The coalition believes that the ratification would demonstrate its commitment to upholding human rights and addressing the incidents on a global scale.

Finally, the coalition calls on all leaders and government, party, religious, and civil society organisations to publicly condemn the incidents and work towards ensuring the safety of all citizens.