ANALYSIS OF THE KILLINGS IN TANZANIA

ACCORDING TO THE OFFICIAL TALLY OF THE GOVERNMENT, 40 TO 60 PEOPLE WITH ALBINISM, INCLUDING CHILDREN, HAVE BEE KILLED AND MUTILATED FOR TRADE OF BODY PARTS. OTHER SOURCES SPEAK OF MORE THAN FIFTY VICTIMS. FOR THE ENTIRE THE PAST FIVE YEARS WITCHCRAFT PRACTICES IN TANZANIA HAS RAISED MANY EYEBROWS WITHIN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND LOWERING DOWN THE REPUTATION OF OUR NATION. THIS IS ACCORDING TO VARIOUS MEDIA REPORTS. THE RECENT AND MOST RIDICULOUS WAS A REPORT FROM LAKE ZONE, WHERE A HUSBAND WAS ARRESTED FOR TRYING TO SELL HIS ALBINO WIFE FOR USD 3000. MOREOVER THE LEG OR AN ARM OF PEOPLE WITH ALBINISM CAN FETCH BETWEEN US1,000 AND US$3,000. DESPITE THESE PRICE THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY CHOPPING THE ALBINO BODY PART, IS STILL VERY POOR AND LIVING BELOW ONE DOLLAR. IN THIS YEAR 2010,TWO PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CAUGHT SELLING ALBINO BODY PARTS, AND THIS IS THE REPORT BY POLICE IN KAGERA ,WHERE KAGERA REGINAL POLICE COMMANDER(RPC) HENRY SALEWI SAID ‘THE SUSPECTS JACOB PUHILIP FROM MURUVYAGIRA VILLAGE AND BIHAGARA MALU A RESIDENT OF KABANGA, THEY WERE OFFERING THE BODY PARTS AT PRICE OF 600,000TSHS’’.MR SALEWI TOLD THE SUNDAY NEWS OF TANZANIA THAT LAST OCTOBER ,TWO OTHER SUSPECTS WERE ARRESTED AT KINANGI ISLAND IN MULEBA DISTRICT LOOKING FOR THE BUYER OF HUMAN BODY PARTS SUSPECTED TO BE OF AN ALBINO. HE CONTINUED TELLING THE SUNDAY NEWS PAPER THAT SIX ALBINOS HAD TO DATE BEEN MURDERED IN COLD BLOOD IN KAGERA REGION DUE TO SUPERSTITION BELIEF.THE KILLINGS HAVE BEEN INSPIRED BY NIGERIAN MOVIES. REPORT.

MANY WITCHDOCTORS INTERVIEWED RECENTLY IN LAKE ZONE OPENLY AGREED THAT THEY USE HUMAN BODY PARTS TO MAKE GOOD LUCK CHARMS THAT CAN MAKE THEM RICH AND INSISTING THAT THE ALBINO PARTS ARE THE BEST THOUGH THEY ALSO AGREED TO USE PRIVATE PARTS OF OLD WOMEN.