UN for urgency in handling albino attacks
United Nations (UN) has advised Malawi to urgently address criminal acts against people with albinism, observing that the current state of affairs can best be described as a crisis.
Speaking during national commemoration of the International Albinism Awareness Day where President Peter Mutharika was the guest of honour in Kasungu on Monday, UN resident coordinator Mia Seppo said the state of security for people with albinism is worth bringing shame to a nation; hence, the need to address it with urgency.
She said: “This state of affairs is bringing shame to the nation [Malawi]. We need to make sure that this changes and we guarantee security to people with albinism.”
Malawi has come under international spotlight over increased cases of killings, abductions and grave exhumations of people with albinism.
Seppo said while providing the security, efforts should also be undertaken to dispel myths that people can get rich after using charms from body parts of people with albinism.
In his remarks, the President ordered Malawi Police Service to ensure security for people with albinism so that their right to life is upheld.
Association of People with Albinism in Malawi (Apam) president Boniface Massa also appealed to government to urgently address the problem people with albinism face.
He said: “We need to be respected, loved and known. We need to be allowed to take part in the nation’s development. We are happy that you have set a national technical committee to deal with the problem. However, we need urgency in these matters. We emphasised on a commission of enquiry because we need to solve these atrocities.”
The commemoration, spiced by performances, was celebrated under the theme Together We Can End Human Rights Violations Against Persons with Albinism. n
