News

Albinos in Tanzania – the killings continue

Despite worldwide media attention and a newly passed EU Resolution albinos in Tanzania are still living in fear for their lives.  Albino activist Josephat Torner says “People are hunting us like animals…and nobody is taking action”.

Josephat, a member of the Tanzania Albino Society (TAS), co-ordinated a peaceful demonstration in Dar es Salaam on October 19th 2008.  More than 1,000 protesters called for an immediate end to the killings, the Tanzanian government to take urgent steps to protect albinos and the international community to stand beside them. 

The demonstration is the first of many awareness raising events planned by a newly formed steering committee which includes the Tanzania Albino Society (TAS), ADD International, Sight Savers International and two Tanzanian women’s organisations.  MP Al-Shymaa Kway-Geer will be supporting the demonstration and the Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete will address the gathering. 

Josephat’s co-ordination role is that of a volunteer, working with support from ADD Tanzania in their Dar based office.  In Tabora, Josephat has been secretary for the Tanzania Albino Society and chairman for Shivyawata, the national disability umbrella, for five years.  Both organisations are supported by ADD Tanzania.

Read a report in the Tanzanian Citizen newspaper about the demonstration.

Click on the links below for news reports of the demonstration.

BBC World News
Africa News
ABC News
African Press Agency
IPP Media

At another demonstration in Shinyanga on December 6th, sacks were worn as a sign of mourning.  ADD Tanzania volunteer Josephat Torner and local churches jointly organised the demonstration condemning the ongoing killings of albino people.  Similar demonstrations will be held in Mwanza on December 13th and in Tanga on December 20th.  

The EU Resolution
The European Parliament passed the new Resolution in regard to:
• The United Nations General Assembly’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 10 December 1948
• The African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights of 27 June 1981
• The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which is binding and applied without exception
• The UN Declaration on the rights of minorities of 18 December 1992.