UN Calls For Urgent Action Against killing Of Albinos

Troubled by the killing of 21-year-old man with albinism in Blantyre last week, the United Nation (UN) Malawi has made renewed calls for urgent action to eliminate abductions and killings of persons with albinism.

Police said on Saturday they found a body of Ian Muhama which was damped in Maoni Township in Blantyre.

The body was mutilated and his limbs were found near Mudi River in the same location on Sunday.

In a statement released on Tuesday, UN Malawi expressed sadness over the killing and called on government to fully implement the National Action Plan on Persons with Albinism.

Reads the statement in part: “The United Nations in Malawi is deeply saddened by reports that the remains of a man with albinism have been found near Blantyre.

“Several of his body parts, such as his limbs, had been removed. The UN Malawi is engaging relevant authorities to better understand the circumstances surrounding investigations on this case.”

South West Police Region spokesperson Ramsey Mushani said the body was found in a decomposed state without both legs and hands on Saturday.

He said: “The body was buried in the area on the same day. However, on Monday police exhumed the body for an autopsy following the discovery of limbs on Sunday.”

Mushani said police have since booked a pathologist Dr Charles Dzamalala to conduct an autopsy to establish whether body parts found on Sunday are from Muhama’s body.

In an interview on Tuesday, the deceased’s father Michael Muhama said the family is seeking justice on the death of their son.

He said: “I am very disturbed and I am seeking justice for my son.”

The deceased’s father said the body and the body parts were buried on Monday night at Makina Village, Traditional Authority Juma in Mulanje District.

Association of People with Albinism (Apam) president Ian Simbota said the association has demanded an investigation into the killing of Muhama.

He also questioned police conduct to bury a body without investigations.

“It looks like police wanted to hide some information because they were not willing to share information,” he said.

Over 170 people with albinism have been killed or abducted in the country over the past seven years, according to Apam.

This year, apart from Muhama, two other people with albinism were attacked; a 12-year-old in Machinga district, who narrowly survived abduction and a 26-year-old man, Saidi Futon Dayton, who went missing on January 27.

In December 2017, UN General Assembly adopted resolution on persons with albinism where it stressed the need to address the root causes of discrimination and violence against persons with albinism.

The UN also called for awareness-raising and social behaviour change campaigns.