Commission condemns exhumation of albinos

IDDY MWEMA

Mr Bahame Tom Nyanduga

THE Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance (CHRGG) has strongly condemned increasing current incidents of exhuming albinos.

Speaking with reporters shortly after a meeting that brought together stakeholders, in the fight for
rights of people with albinism in Dares Salaam yesterday, the Commission Chairman, Mr Bahame Tom Nyanduga called for collective efforts to end such acts.
“When they are alive, they are hunted day and night and worse enough, they cannot rest in peace after their death as evil people still go to their graves and exhume them, this is not right at all,” he said.
Recently, a number of incidents were reported in a number of media outlets in the country that unknown people had exhumed the bodies of people with albinism for the intention of getting parts of the bodies. Mr Nyanduga said, according to the information they had, incidents of unearthing people with albinism at cemeteries have been taking place since 2006.
Last week, Tanzania Albinism Society (TAS) said such incidents threaten their peace and fundamental rights as human being. According to their statement, the body of a person with albinism named Nelson Msogole (50),a resident from Songwe town, who died on March 28, 2011, was found dug up from the grave on March 20,this year.
Mr Nyanduga urged District and Regional security and defence committees to intensify security in places where people with albinism live. He, however, applauded the fifth phase government in addressing problems of people with albinism.
He noted the appointment of Dr Abdallah Possi,former deputy minister in the prime minister’s office responsible for policy coordination, parliamentary affairs, employment and persons with physical disabilities showed that people with albinism can be trusted with high government posts.
“People with albinism need to be given posts in our working stations. However, children with albinism must be encouraged to go to school as the current statistics shows most of them are denied their right to education and some parents fear to take their children to schools due to albinism killings,” he said.
Meanwhile,Beatrice Mpangala from Public Prosecution Office said so far three people had been sentenced to death after they participated in albino killings and cut their body parts.