Tanzania's Albinos 'Killed Like Animals' For Body Parts Used In Potions

In the rural areas of Tanzania, men, women, and children with albinism--a lack of pigment that makes them appear glaringly white--are waging an extensive human rights campaign against communities who routinely attack them for their hair or body parts, used in potions to attract wealth and good luck.

As BBC explains, the tradition of cooking albinos into potions is not a new one in Tanzania, and the parents of albino parents are forced to fear that, at any minute, a band of men may kidnap their children to sell to wealthy sectors of society for use in witchcraft.

It is estimated, the BBC notes, that 30,000 albinos live in Tanzania. Within that population, the number of violent attacks resulting in death in recent years is alarming...MORE:

TANZANIA'S ALBINOS 'KILLED LIKE ANIMALS' FOR BODY PARTS USED IN POTIONS

I know this is a very distressing article, but this is the first I've heard of this particularly horrific atrocity...and I felt it should be shared. Perhaps, with greater awareness of this issue things will begin to change.

To say that atrocities such as this can't possibly happen in 2014 is naive, to be sure. Nonetheless, according to this article, this is taking place with greater frequency.

a reply to: IAMTAT

Just another example of what you get with belief in superstition.

Very unfortunate that this still happens.

If you imagine that this almost certainly happened at the inception of man when we were immensely fewer in number, you begin to wonder what the repercussions of that would be over 100,000 years... Man is scornful and rarely forgives, unfortunately. Has the last 2-3000 years been the Albino's revenge?

It’s just another example of the condition of humankind. And they wonder why aliens don’t reveal themselves.

We are a sick species

One activist, Mashaka Benedict of the Sengerema Albino Society, tells BBC that educated and wealthy people in rural areas are the greatest threat to albinos. "How can a poor man offer $10,000 [£6,300] for a body part? It's the businessmen and politicians who are involved," he alleges, noting the lack of logic in the claim that albinos bring money and good luck. "If that's the case, why are we not rich?"

OP
There you go, the support system for this needs to be shut down.

Agree with OP this day and age it would be naive to think it does not happen, just finally finding out the surface of what is going on with these atrocities. Sadly, as it happens, elsewhere such as people are being slaughtered for food to be sold in restaurants:
Quetta, Pakistan
Nigeria

originally posted by: Willtell
It’s just another example of the condition of humankind. And they wonder why aliens don’t reveal themselves.

We are a sick species

What aliens? Maybe they're sick, too.

originally posted by: dreamingawake

One activist, Mashaka Benedict of the Sengerema Albino Society, tells BBC that educated and wealthy people in rural areas are the greatest threat to albinos. "How can a poor man offer $10,000 [£6,300] for a body part? It's the businessmen and politicians who are involved," he alleges, noting the lack of logic in the claim that albinos bring money and good luck. "If that's the case, why are we not rich?"

OP
There you go, the support system for this needs to be shut down.

Agree with OP this day and age it would be naive to think it does not happen, just finally finding out the surface of what is going on with these atrocities. Sadly, as it happens, elsewhere such as people are being slaughtered for food to be sold in restaurants:
Quetta, Pakistan
Nigeria

I don't know why "in this day and age" this is surprising. Humans are a pretty ignorant species. Why should we limit ourselves to committing atrocities on non-human animals?

a reply to: IAMTAT

Oddly these dont appear to be lucky for the albinos not quite sure that logic makes sense. See we want there body parts because it will bring us good luck yeah well we had to kill them to get obviously wasnt there day?? Am i missing something here are you sure this isnt made up???????

originally posted by: cosmic66
Very unfortunate that this still happens.

If you imagine that this almost certainly happened at the inception of man when we were immensely fewer in number, you begin to wonder what the repercussions of that would be over 100,000 years... Man is scornful and rarely forgives, unfortunately. Has the last 2-3000 years been the Albino's revenge?

It makes me wonder whether albinos were forced to leave Africa many thousands of years ago and eventually lost the ability to produce melanin properly. I have heard this theory before but I wonder if ancient DNA is tested for albinism.

In many cultures around the world, for many thousands of years, albinos of any species were considered to be 'Sacred'.

originally posted by: Tangerine

originally posted by: Willtell
It’s just another example of the condition of humankind. And they wonder why aliens don’t reveal themselves.

We are a sick species

What aliens? Maybe they're sick, too.

Or maybe they are albino and are afraid?

originally posted by: IAMTAT
In many cultures around the world, for many thousands of years, albinos of any species were considered to be 'Sacred'.

In which cultures "many thousands of years" ago?

a reply to: IAMTAT

Yeah, it's sad but it's been going on for years. It seems that, periodically, the media trots out a story on it and then it fades into the background again without much being done.

Then again, oppression of minorities is a big thing in large parts of the globe, including Africa, where there will go after the homosexuals, different religions or even people from the wrong tribe over the river. Count yourself lucky you live where you do, that's all I can say and I point this out to anyone who moans that the "UK is a craphole" or what have you - it could be far, far worse.

originally posted by: Tangerine

originally posted by: IAMTAT
In many cultures around the world, for many thousands of years, albinos of any species were considered to be 'Sacred'.

In which cultures "many thousands of years" ago?

It's pretty common knowledge that albino elephants, deer, buffalo and others have been regarded as sacred in recorded history by numerous cultures worldwide. It's not difficult to imagine why.

Such evidence is usually enough to suppose that the practice is quite ancient when observed in so-called primitive cultures, as is the case with anthropology and ethnology.

a reply to: IAMTAT

I've always wondered about this kind of logic, it is akin to a "lucky rabbit's foot". The rabbit had 4, and bad luck apparently happened.

Don't know if religion has anything to do with it. But the only description of Jesus i find is in revelations. "And in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters" (Revelation 1:13-15 . Sounds albino and black to me. Maybe to destroy or to get closer. Just a guess, religious / superstitious people can do funny things.

originally posted by: skalla

originally posted by: Tangerine

originally posted by: IAMTAT
In many cultures around the world, for many thousands of years, albinos of any species were considered to be 'Sacred'.

In which cultures "many thousands of years" ago?

It's pretty common knowledge that albino elephants, deer, buffalo and others have been regarded as sacred in recorded history by numerous cultures worldwide. It's not difficult to imagine why.

Such evidence is usually enough to suppose that the practice is quite ancient when observed in so-called primitive cultures, as is the case with anthropology and ethnology.

But you haven't actually answered the question. You simply repeated your claim. I am aware that white buffalo are considered sacred by the Sioux but I'm unaware, even in that case, of the belief going back "many thousands of years". So I'll ask again, in which cultures "many thousands of years" ago were albinos sacred?

what a terrible situation.

and the comments beneath that article are a depressing snapshot of modern racist trollage. unbelievable.

I watched a documentary about this before imnot sure what its called but I remember a man who had made out of his country to america and had climed some mountain to say that you can do anything.There were camps full of albinos to keep em safe from people who wanted to kidnap em.Also he said that he was kidnaped as a kid i think but had been rescued.

originally posted by: Tangerine

originally posted by: skalla

originally posted by: Tangerine

originally posted by: IAMTAT
In many cultures around the world, for many thousands of years, albinos of any species were considered to be 'Sacred'.

In which cultures "many thousands of years" ago?

It's pretty common knowledge that albino elephants, deer, buffalo and others have been regarded as sacred in recorded history by numerous cultures worldwide. It's not difficult to imagine why.

Such evidence is usually enough to suppose that the practice is quite ancient when observed in so-called primitive cultures, as is the case with anthropology and ethnology.

But you haven't actually answered the question. You simply repeated your claim. I am aware that white buffalo are considered sacred by the Sioux but I'm unaware, even in that case, of the belief going back "many thousands of years". So I'll ask again, in which cultures "many thousands of years" ago were albinos sacred?

It's not me who stated it in the first place, but regardless; white Harts, Elephants, Buffalo, Moose and Rhino are revered on four different continents. I regard this as common knowledge for anyone with a moderate reading of history, culture and mythology which is why i was surprised by your line of questioning.

I guess that you don't know anything about Ancient British and Irish traditions or mythology for example, where white Harts and Bulls have been revered in local festivals and folk lore during recoded history. This is also reflected in mythology and story such as The Tain, The Mythological Cycle of The Tuatha and Arthurian legend. These stories have their roots in the early iron age at least and certainly predate The Roman Invasion of Britain.

Then there is the position of Albino Elephants from India to South East Asia. Sacred White Elephants are present within The Pancatantra and The Kathasaritsagara, which are not thousands of years old but in turn take many of their stories from The Brihat Katha which was probably first committed to text about two thousand years ago from much older oral tradition.

Now of course, there can be no firm proof of what happened in prehistory (which if we are talking "thousands of years" like you ask then we are likely dealing with prehistory) but we can use what we have as evidence... and it's good enough for anthropology, archaeology and ethnology so it's as good a method as we have.

So when a tradition exists in recent memory and recorded history, and is reflected in older folklore and mythology then it's fair to assume considerable antiquity, provided we use a little common sense and methods accepted by academia.

So i've given you more detail... However i did already answer your question but you just needed to apply a little knowledge, which i assumed on your part.