Discrimination Of Albinos in Africa.

An Albino Man in Tanzania

It is reported that one in three Africans are albinos. The people that face many medical complications like many minorities since time immemorial have faced social problems as well. Since 2007 there have been headlines of the appalling atrocities committed against albinos. Among them killings or grave injuries that lead to their immediate death. Also, there has been a rise in rape cases among albino women. All this is said to be initiated by witch doctors who demand albino body parts for their wealth enhancing charms and recommend sleeping with an albino as a cure for HIV and AIDS. 
 When I read about the killings I was saddened and mortified. The saying "history repeats itself" is true. Since time immemorial minority groups have been persecuted simply because we have not taken the time to understand and celebrate their differences. Instead, we have gone from fearing their differences to hating them. We have examples of minority groups that have been discriminated against, these include the African Americans, Aboriginals, Native Americans and even the Jews. All these groups were different from the people that persecuted them. It was only after years of mistreatment that we celebrated the fact that black skin is just as beautiful as white skin and that Native American culture is rich with stories that teach us lessons about family and the environment. However by the time we as a world realised this, great damage had been done. We had forced the Native Americans to give up their culture and feel bad about it and blacks had been so de-humanized that they were filled with self loathing. Is that what we really want for the albinos?
 We should be embracing the albinos as fellow brothers, after all all that makes them different is their skin colour. Putting aside their poor health, they are capable of doing and achieving anything. They are not invalids! Salif Keita an internationally recognised singer has proven that.
 Solving this problem is more than just jailing the perpetrators. We need to enact laws that will show everyone that albinos are equal citizens and protected by law. We need to respect their differences and immerse them into society instead of allowing them to live on the threads of it as outsiders. Albinos should be treated accordingly so that their medical complications do not get in the way of their education and careers. I applaud the progress being made in Tanzania as they have just elected the first albino to Parliament but I think that there is room for more action. I would like to get to a point where fathers keep their albino kids instead of throwing them away. What about you?
If you are interested you can read more about the first albino law maker in Tanzania.