The Albinos of Tanzania

 The Albinos of Tanzania 

Fighting for a future

by R. J. Reilly Shelhart

I've just watched a YouTube video about the horrendous atrocities that have been committed for many generations, and are still being committed, against the albino population of Tanzania. Tears and outrage, that's my first reaction.  It's going to take a while to fully process the story I've just seen. I highly recommend this documentary. These resilient, beautiful, amazing children will give you so many reasons to smile. Take a minute to stop and smell the roses, as they say. We all need to appreciate how fragile and precious every life really is.

The title of the video that I watched is:

Born Too White: What It's Like To Have Albinism in Tanzania | Albino Documentary | Documental

WARNING: Contains graphic descriptions of violence. This topic is unsettling, and unsuitable for younger or sensitive individuals. The information presented here is based on that video and other sources. The opinions, conclusions, and religious beliefs are my own.

Albinism is a lack of the pigment called melanin. There is so much more to it. Melanin protects the skin against the ravages of the sun, especially UV rays, and plays an important role in the function of the retina, in the back of the eye.  The result is an exponentially higher risk of skin cancer and lifelong visual difficulties.  The eye has trouble focussing  under certain conditions and moves back and forth very rapidly to compensate.  They eyes, themselves will also be devoid of pigment, leaving them to appear pale blue, lavender, pink or red.  If the eyes do still have some pigment, they might be any usual eye color, but the color may change. The eyes are very sensitive to light and can be damaged, just like the skin. [**, ***]

There is quite a high rate of babies born with Albinism in Tanzania, as compared to other countries in the world.  Even 2 parents with dark skin can have a child with albinism, if both parents carry the recessive gene and pass it on. And, of course, if 2 people with Albinism have children, all of their children will be albino.  If only one parent has the gene, they can pass it on to their children, making them a carrier. In a country with a a predominately dark skinned population, albino children soon realize that they are different, feeling especially so if they are the only albino in their own family group. [*, **]

Sadly, anyone who manifests the condition can be targeted for violence, because of long held superstitions. Witch doctors continue to perpetuate the fiction that the bodies of people with albinism have magical properties. They say that this magic can be harvested from the body to make potions. They attempt to achieve this by violently removing parts of the body. This is not a willingly undertaken surgical procedure, but, instead takes the form of vicious and brutal attacks. The teeth, organs, sexual organs, tongue, and limbs are often the most sought after.  As expected, violently removing these body parts by force, usually with nothing more than a blunt machette, often leads to death.  Those that survive the ordeal, are left with devastating scars, disabilities and traumatic memories. [*]

Greedy witch doctors spread these superstitions to drum up business and make money. The people that pay them these huge sums of money are never caught and charged.  Some say that they are government officials. Witch doctors charge thousands upon thousands of dollars for their services and they pay a portion of their wages to the thugs that do the dirty work for them. These thugs are promised more money than they could earn in any other job. So, they become butchers for hire.  In some cases, the money is such an irresistible temptation, that a person's own family will sell them to these butchers. [*]

Another incredibly disturbing thought is this: The evil individuals that pay for these body parts and human remains to be obtained, have them prepared into potions by witch doctors. That's weird and disturbing in and of itself, but how the body parts are obtained is even more so. Often the limbs and organs are "harvested" by vivisection. In other words, the victim is still alive. There is no care given for the safety or comfort of the victim. Instead individuals are kidnapped, dragged into a secluded area, butchered and left to die. Even when the individual survives the initial attack, these brutal tactics often result in infection.

The body parts stolen during these attacks can be kept as a talisman of good luck, made into a poultice to be applied to the body, or consumed. You read that correctly, consumed! As if the torture & murder of vulnerable children wasn't enough, the perpetrators add cannibalism to the list of horrible things they do in the name of superstition.  It makes me sick to think of it.

This video was SO hard to watch. These people, even including small children, are being targeted, mutilated, vivisected, murdered, and in some cases eaten, just because they're pale skinned in a community where most people are not.  It's the most bizarre form of racism I've ever heard of. It's like the Jeffery Dahmer of ignorant bigotry.  I can't stop shaking my head; I just can't wrap my mind around this kind of lunacy.

One bright spot in all of this unimaginable tragedy, is that the Tanzanian government is waking up and taking action. Slowly, changes are being made to protect people suffering from albinism, especially the children. There are a few fortified locations in Tanzania where albino children can go in extreme cases, if they live in an immediately dangerous area.  Most, never go home again.  There is little to do, and conditions are poor. The children spend all day in relative isolation, with almost no contact with the outside world and no mental stimulation. There is nothing to do, nothing to play with, and precious little to break up the monotony of the days. And, although the situation is not ideal, most decide that it's a better alternative to risking attacks, infection, mutilation and death.  Hopefully, in the future, the conditions will be improved, so that the safe havens will be better stocked and more geared towards the developmental needs of the children.

Thankfully, there is aid available, including skin clinics such as the ones supported by an organization called Standing Voice, based in Tanzania, but headquartered in the U.K. [ http://www.standingvoice.org/ ]  They help to combat the scourge of skin cancer among the albino population by education, medical checkups and treatment. There are also eye clinics, as well, where children can apply to get eye glasses to improve and preserve their vision.  So, there is SOME progress being made, but full safety and equality are still a long way off. [*]

The one drawback to this fledgling progress is that the trade of albino human body parts is now spilling over into the bordering nations, as the demand is still high.  Unfortunately, the number of cases of violence against albinos in Malawi has begun to rise, even as Tanzania's incidents have declined. [*]

I believe that Jesus can heal the wounded heart.  He can fortify the fractured soul that has been ill used and betrayed.  His love is the purest balm for the souls's deepest wounds. He can restore the trust and joy that was stolen from these children and fill their hearts with forgiveness and mercy for their attackers. That's the kind of power that Jesus has.

Jesus can even forgive and restore the most badly mangled soul, even that of the aggressor. (That does not mean that they should not still meet justice in this world. They absolutely should!)  In order for this redemption to happen, though they'd have to repent, ask God for forgiveness for what they've done and asked the Holy Spirit to live in their heart. (Acts 2:38, 26:18)
[ https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/search=Acts+2:38&version=HCSB ]
[ https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+26:18&version=HCSB ]

And if these criminals don't seek forgiveness for their sins and beg God's mercy, the devil will gladly welcome them to hell when they die. And, make no mistake, this won't be a punishment from God, but rather, the path they've chosen for themselves. When they choose to commit these atrocities, they push God's love away and ignore His laws. Those who reject God's free gift of forgiveness and choose not to reconcile with Him, will get exactly what they asked for: separation from God. (Revelation 21:8)
[ https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+21:8&version=HCSB ]

And whether the monsters who commit these crimes repent and turn from their ways or not, their evil power is temporary and will not last forever.  Just as God heard the blood of Abel crying out from the ground, he will see the tears of mothers in Tanzania, falling on the faces of their wounded children. Perhaps the children of the next generation can grow up with more wisdom, love and understanding than the present generation. Maybe they can rise up and end this heinous slaughter of innocents.

I pray that the truth of God's Word overcomes the witch doctors' lies.  I pray that power of Jesus's name stamps out the superstitions, once and for all. I pray for those who are committing these terrible acts of violence, that their eyes would be opened to the truth, peace and love of Jesus. And, I pray for the protection, healing and salvation of the albinos of Tanzania and Malawi.

Sources:
*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfNZrlXMJrs
**https://www.healthline.com/health/albinism
*** https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/albinism/symptoms-causes/syc-20369184