Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Superstition and barbarism in Africa: In Malawi, like other countries in the region, people with albinism are hunted down because of the belief that potions made from their body parts can bring good luck and wealth

In 2016, a UN expert warned that Malawi's estimated 10,000 albinos face "extinction" if they continue to be murdered for their body parts. Since November 2014, 19 albinos have been killed and there have been more than 100 cases of attempted kidnapping and disappearances. Graves of albinos are also targeted by criminals who remove bones in order to sell them. Amnesty International says that police lack investigative skills and the majority of cases remain unresolved. Activists say poverty contributes to the suspicion surrounding albinos and the belief that their body parts can be sold for large sums of money.

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