Following the Killing of Albinos for rituals, Tanzania government has banned soothsayers
in order to protect albinos, dozens of who have been killed in recent years for
their body parts which are used in power and wealth rituals, media reported on
Wednesday.
Home Affairs Minister, Mathias
Chikawe announced
the creation of a task force comprising representatives of the government and
the Tanzania Albino Society (TAS) to investigate the killings. About 70
albinos, people born without pigmentation have been killed in the east African
country over the past six years.
The
report says their body parts, ranging from hearts to genitals, are regarded as
powerful magical ingredients. However, it said that 10 people have been
convicted of murder.
"The new
task force will review court cases involving albino killings to make sure
culprits did not get away too lightly. Soothsayers are the ones fueling
albino killings, we are going to look for them and those who will be
apprehended will be prosecuted,’’ Chikawe said. He
stressed that “witchdoctors” claiming to make people rich should not be
confounded with practitioners of alternative medicine. Tanzania has thousands
of traditional healers who treat people medically and psychologically.
TAS chairman, Ernest
Kimaya, whose
organisation has 12,000 members, expressed a profound appreciation for the
important step taken by the government. “It is unthinkable, ridiculous and
totally unacceptable that in this century some people could be so easily
deceived by witchdoctors. Especially into thinking they could become rich
by killing fellow human beings whose only misfortune is being born with
albinism,’’ the TAS chairman said.
Photo
Credit: Voice of America/Reuters
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