- Title: GUINEA: Human rights group urges government to protect people with albinsm
- Date: 20th April 2011
- Summary: VARIOUS OF ALBINO BODY-PARTS ON DISPLAY DURING THE ALBINO MURDERS COURT-CASE IN RUYIGI
- Embargoed: 5th May 2011 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Guinea, Guinea
- Country: Guinea
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA14KZ6G7PHS0WOEY3EABT0MRBN
- Story Text: A Guinean human rights group is calling on the government to do more to protect the rights of people with albinism in the country.
Guinea's Foundation for Relief and Integration of Albinos (FONDASIA) says that the country has no policy that safeguards the rights of albinos, saying many of them are often discriminated against and viewed with suspicion.
Dr. Morlaye Camara, FONDASIA's founder told journalists at a news conference that across Africa, many people did not like to see albinos succeed, telling of a rumor in Mali that was started about famous musician, Salif Keita.
"In Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Cameroon, Mali even here we almost accused Salif Keita who had to go to Bercy (an area in Paris) to receive a prize. Two days before his departure, at the airport, a body of an murdered albino was found. It was said that it was he who was responsible. This was not true. It is people who came from elsewhere, who wanted I don't know what.... So practically in Guinea, we want to avoid such things happening here," said Camara.
Albinism is a genetic condition that occurs when the body is unable to produce the melanin pigment. In much of Africa many albinos often face discrimination and they end up missing out on opportunities like employment.
Pathe Diallo, an official at FONDASIA says that he has been a target many times and that the public needs to be educated on the condition.
"Students did not want me to study with them. Some said they didn't want to be with me because at night they would dream of this or that, but still I managed to get them to understand that since my early childhood, albinism is nothing. Because God gave me the ability to understand and solve problems easily in front of the classroom, in writing papers and answering questions. Eventually people came to me," said Diallo.
According to FONDASIA there are about 420 albinos living in the capital Conakry and most find it difficult to get a job or even run a business because of the stigma they face everyday. Many have now resorted to begging on the streets instead.
On the outskirts of Conakry, Fanta Camara Diaby is lighting a fire to make lunch for her family. She is married to Camara who on top of running FONDASIA, is also a professor at the University of Conakry. She says his condition does not bother him and his attitude has helped him lead a normal life.
"It makes no difference to my husband whether he is albino or not. As long as I love him, that's what is important," said Diaby.
Camara is currently pushing to have a law to passed in parliament that can protect albinos in the country.
"There are families that are beginning to think that when you have an albino child, you already have 'capital'. The parent begins to bring them out as beggars. To avoid this, I decided to find a way to bring all these children to a center where they could at least study. They could do their schooling up to primary or high school and at least, as they grow up their parents can no longer exploit them," said Camara.
Camara teaches German at the University and tries to talk to his students and the people he meets about Albinism.
"As an albino, people do not want to approach him. But I know that even in homes with albinos, there is nothing wrong, nothing serious about them. We're here and it doesn't bother us whether Mr. Camara is albino or not," said Laminate Cocker, a student at the University of Conakry.
According to authorities no formal murder complaints have been launched in Guinea unlike in various other African countries where ritual killing have become common in recent years.
Albino hunters in Burundi and Tanzania often kill their victims and use their blood and body parts for potions that witch doctors claim can bring wealth and success.
Perpetrators in the region are hardly caught and convictions are rare, so human rights activists are now demanding that governments take more action.
In Burundi authorities have already started prosecutions against albino killers; they believe the murders are carried out by local residents who work with witchdoctors in neighboring Tanzania, where 53 albinos have been killed since 2007.
In 2009 eight people were on trial in Burundi's eastern Ruyigi town where human bones exhibited in a court-case shocked the world.
Scared of being targeted, some albinos in Burundi now live in a safe-house in Ruyigi, which is rented by the local government and is protected by the police. Most are children left here by their parents who are too scared to keep them at home, but have had to go back to work on their farms. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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