PERSON WITH ALBIÑISM MUST ESCORTS WITH POLICE

Persons with albinism in Malawi have joined hands with various organisations in calling for the int

roduction of police escorts, night patrols and roadblocks in suspicious routes to deal with increased killings and abductions of such people.Overtone Kondowe—president of the Association of Persons with Albinism in Malawi (APAM)—said this in Mponela, Dowa on Friday during a sensitization meeting police, World Vision and other stakeholders organized.Malawi Police Malawi Police needed in the ending of attacks on albinos.The event was aimed at sensitizing the public to the dangers of killing and abducting of persons with albinism in Malawi, where such incidents have reached critical stage, according to local authorities, UN agencies and Amnesty International (AI). Statistics say 20 of them (persons with albinism) have been killed and 67 others at large since such incidents started being reported in local and international media.Kondowe has since urged government to provide all persons with albinism with police escort services to and from different places considering that they are already few in the country.“While statistics show that we are about 10 000, we want government to provide us with tight security. This will make us not live in fear because our lives are still in danger despite having laws in place. Police patrols and escorts would be ideal,” said Kondowe.However, Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare Jean Kalilani said government is committed to ensuring that security for persons with albinism is tight.She said even those caught discriminating such people will face the law without haste.“Those people that will be caught doing such atrocities will be jailed for life and government is serious about this. We want to put a full stop to this because it is inhuman to think that bones or body parts of persons with albinism brings wealth,” she said.Jean KalilaniJean Kalilani says everyone needs to join the fight against albino attacks.Kalilani reiterated that police and community leaders, including members should also be on the alert each time there comes traditional healers in their locations because according to her they contribute to such incidents.Police at the event were upbeat about dealing with the act, saying measures are in place to provide tight security so that culprits are brought to book.During, the commemoration of the 2016 international albinism awareness day held in Kasungu, President Peter Mutharika said: We say NO to this darkest evil of our times! This is our “big NO”, and this is our collective voice even against those parents and relatives who sell their children in the night privacy of their homes.He said culprits have taken away enough lives of people, but time has come for them to face the law. “You have taken away enough peace of our people with albinism. Now you will face the arm of the Law!” said Mutharika.Traditional healers remain banned from doing their business in the country following a high court order that some lawyers obtained in Mzuzu some three months ago.