LEAVE PEOPLE WITH ALBINISM ALONE
Written by Millennium on July 28, 2019
THE reported cutting of fingers and extraction of a tooth from a 73 year old albino woman of Muchinga in suspected ritual practices makes sad reading.
Although the practice of hunting and killing albinos by some people in search of quick money is common in East Africa, the ugly practice seems to be gaining ground in Zambia as well and other parts of Africa at an incredible pace.
In some rings though, people with albinism have also been ostracized and even slayed for precisely the opposite reason, because they are assumed to be cursed and bring bad luck.
The subjections of people with albinism have been reported to be taking place mostly in Sub-Saharan African communities, especially among East Africans.
Pursuits of people living with albinism are based on the conviction that certain body parts of albinistic people can transmit mystic powers.
Such fallacy is present not only in Zambia but many parts of Africa where it has been disseminated and exploited by witch doctors and others who use such body parts as fixings in rituals, concoctions and potions with the claim that their magic will bring riches to the user.
As a result, people with albinism have been hounded, killed and dismembered, and graves of albinos dug up and desecrated.
These delusions, coupled with the lack of education, are some of the crucial reasons that albinism is so heavily offended.
This ignorance about people with albinism means that allegories and superstitions in the name of witchcraft take the place of medical and scientific facts in the minds of many native Africans, with and without albinism.
This in turn has major effects on the social incorporation of albinistic people as 98 percent of albinos die by the age of 40 for reasons which could easily be prevented.
So the chopping off of fingers of extraction of a tooth from Sarah Nsafwa of Kabulamwikiko Village in Mpika District must be condemned in the strongest terms by all who have respect for human being regardless of their class, creed, colour or religion.
Ms Nsafwa did not deserve to go through whatever happened to her because she is entitled to a full decent life as a human being despite being an albino which is not a sin even in the eyes of God her creator.
We are totally behind provincial police commissioner Joel Njase who has since strongly admonished that all those involved in this peculiar act their days were numbered.
In confirming the incident Mr Njase said police will pursue the matter and ensure that such criminals are brought to book and made to answer in accordance with the law,
‘‘Yes I can confirm that Police are investigating a case involving one Ms Sara Nsofwa aged 73 years who is an albino of Kabulamwikiko village in Mpika, who had her fingers cut off and one tooth removed by unknown people on Thursday,” he said
Mr Njase said the victim was currently receiving medical attention at undisclosed health facility.
He has correctly advised communities in rural parts of Muchinga to be on high alert and strengthen Community Crime Prevention Units (CCPUs) and report dubious persons to Police.
Suffice to say that those seeking wealth using such evil means should quickly be pursed, exposed, arrested and sent to prison for their heinous deeds.
This must happen sooner than later because it is clear that the main driving forces underlying these profiling crimes are ignorance, myth, and superstition, because they believe individuals with albinism possess superpowers or that their body parts bestow fortune and health.
