WUNRN
Jennifer Nichols Albinism Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q63XWdhGdRE
My
Struggle with Albinism – Girl’s Testimonial Video
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Office of the UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights
http://albinism.ohchr.org/human-rights-dimension-of-albinism.html
PEOPLE WITH ALBINISM FACE MULTIPLE FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION WORLDWIDE –
WOMEN & GIRLS WITH ALBINISM
Albinism
is still profoundly misunderstood, socially and medically. The physical
appearance of persons with albinism is often the object of erroneous beliefs
and myths influenced by superstition, which foster their marginalization and
social exclusion. This leads to various forms of stigma and discrimination:
The
right to freedom from discrimination requires States to adopt comprehensive
strategies to ensure that persons with albinism are afforded equal protection
under the law and in practice.
From: WUNRN LISTSERVE [mailto:wunrn1@gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, March 13, 2015 3:33 AM
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Subject: Girls & Women with Albinism - Discrimination, Violent
Attacks, Killings
WUNRN
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Calls for
Action after Surge in “Stunningly
Vicious Attacks” on People with Albinism in East Africa – GIRLS & WOMEN with Albinism
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=15673&LangID=E
GENEVA (10 March 2015) – The UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein on Tuesday expressed revulsion at a recent surge
in violent attacks against people with albinism in several East African
countries. In the past six months, at least 15 people with albinism in
Tanzania, Malawi and Burundi were abducted, wounded, killed or subjected to
attempted kidnappings, including three such incidents in the past week alone.
“These attacks are often stunningly vicious, with children in
particular being targeted,” Zeid said. “As a result, many people with albinism
are living in abject fear. Some no longer dare to go outside, and children with
albinism have stopped attending school because of the recent spate of assaults,
murders and kidnappings.”
In Malawi alone, at least six incidents have been reported in
the first ten weeks of this year, compared to four incidents recorded over the
previous two years. In Machinga District, in the south of the country, where
several kidnappings and killings have taken place, groups of men are reported
to be roaming around hunting for people with albinism.
During the night of 3-4 March, a 14-year-old girl was
abducted by two men from Kalombo village, in Machinga District, but managed to
escape. The following night, a two-year-old boy called Chakupatsa Stanely was
reportedly kidnapped in another village in Machinga called Murukhu. After the
boy’s mother screamed for help one kidnapper was caught, but the other two
escaped, possibly across the border into Mozambique and the child has now been
reunited with his family.
Four other attacks targeting people with albinism have been
documented in Malawi since the beginning of the year:
The situation has also been worsening in Tanzania. Last
Saturday (7 March), a six-year-old boy, Baraka Cosmas Rusambo, was attacked in
his home in Kiseta village, in Sumbawanga district. The attackers fled with his
right hand after cutting it off with a machete. Baraka and his mother, who
suffered serious head injuries, are both in hospital. The police have moved
Baraka’s two siblings, who also have albinism, to a safer place and have
arrested seven suspects, including Baraka’s father.
“Since January, two other incidents have been reported,
including the attempted kidnapping of a four-year-old boy, and the atrocious
killing of a one-year-old baby, Yohana Bahati, who was kidnapped from his home
on 17 February and later killed, with his arms and legs hacked off,” Zeid said.
A total of eight attacks have been reported in Tanzania since
August 2014, during which two people with albinism were killed; one was
kidnapped and is still missing; two others sustained major injuries and had
limbs cut off by attackers; one was gang-raped; and two managed to escaped from
their kidnappers.
The High Commissioner stressed the importance of combatting
impunity for crimes against people with albinism. “The ban on witchcraft
imposed by the Tanzanian authorities in January is a step in the right
direction, as is the conviction of four people in Tanzania over the 2008
killing of a woman with albinism,” he said. “However I am concerned at the
death sentences pronounced by the Court and I hope Tanzania will maintain its
moratorium on the death penalty.”
Zeid called on authorities to prevent attacks on people with
albinism in all countries where they are occurring, bring to justice alleged
perpetrators and ensure that redress and rehabilitation for survivors and their
families are made a priority.
He said that attacks against people with albinism are also
taking place in other African countries, including in Burundi, where 19 killings
of people with albinism have been reported since 2008. The latest incident took
place on 12 December 2014, when a man was found dead, with a leg hacked off.
According to reports, 11 people have been arrested in relation to attacks
against people with albinism in Burundi, of whom six escaped and one was
convicted. The elaboration of a national policy to promote and protect the
rights of people with albinism in Burundi has been proposed but not yet
initiated.
“All over the world, people with albinism continue to suffer from discrimination and social exclusion,” the High Commissioner said, urging governments to do more to help them lead normal, productive lives. He highlighted the result of a recent study in Pakistan, which showed the multiple layers of human rights problems faced by people with albinism, including social rejection, medical and psychological problems, as well as confinement to poverty.