Please watch this video and consider the questions below.
Questions
1. Do you have such a discrimination based on diseases in your country?
If yes, what kind of diseases?
2. What is the most effective way to change people's mind in Tanzania?
(That means "what is the best way to stop such persecution in Tanzania?")
3. Should the government protect albinistic people in Tanzania?
4. Which do you think is more effective to stop it, by banding it by a law or by educating people about the diseases?
<basic information about albinos in Africa>
Albinism is a genetically inherited condition which is very rare and worldwide affects approximately one in twenty thousand people Although rare in the western world, albinism is quite common in sub-Saharan Africa, likely as a result of consanguinity.” Both parents who may or may not be albinos themselves must carry the gene if it is to be passed on to the child and is common both in male and female and is not specific to any race or ethnic group. Statistics prove that fifty percent of albinos in Tanzania have an albino relative which they know of although very few understand or are educated about the medical and genetic causes of this condition. Most people believe it is a punishment from God or bad luck and that their “disease” could be contagious which is often the view of even members of the medical and professional community. These misconceptions, coupled with the lack of education are some of the key reasons that albinism is so heavily persecuted. This lack of knowledge around people with Albinism (PWA) means that myth and superstition in the name of witchcraft take place of medical and scientific facts in the minds of many albinos and native Africans which in turn has major effects the social integration of albinos into society. Ninety eight percent of albinos die by the age of forty for reasons which could easily be prevented.
Persecution of People with Albinism (PWA) may occur for different reasons. One is based on the belief that certain body parts of albinistic people can transmit magical powers. Such superstition is present especially in some parts of the African Great Lakes region, it has been promulgated and exploited by witch doctors and others who use such body parts as ingredients in rituals, concoctions and potions with the claim that their magic will bring prosperity to the user ("muti" or medicine murder)
As a result, people with albinism have been persecuted, killed and dismembered, and graves of albinos dug up and desecrated. At the same time, people with albinism have also been ostracised and even killed for exactly the opposite reason, because they are presumed to be cursed and bring bad luck. The persecutions of people with albinism take place mostly in Black African communities, especially among East Africans.
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