The hard life of African albino blacks. Albino blacks in Africa

The hard life of African albino blacks. Albino blacks in Africa

Attention, the post contains violent text material and photographs of limbs. It is necessary, even very necessary, we need to talk about it, know it and do it only correct conclusions.

Introduction

What is happening these days in Africa in the 21st century defies common sense. It is a real crime that our developed countries turn a blind eye to the terror that occurs on the territory of these seemingly small, picturesque and exotic countries. Terror perpetrated by the citizens themselves against their “dissimilar” fellow citizens. The authorities of these countries officially declare their complete powerlessness to do anything to stop the bloodbath.

What is Albinism?

From (Latin albus, “white”) - congenital absence of pigment of the skin, hair, iris and pigment membranes of the eye. There are complete and partial albinism. It is currently believed that the cause of the disease is the absence (or blockade) of the enzyme tyrosinase, which is necessary for the normal synthesis of melanin, a special substance on which the color of tissues depends.

The African authorities blame the village shamans for the current situation, whose opinions the population still listens to; they simply sacredly and stupidly believe them. Attitudes towards albinos are ambiguous even among the “black magicians” themselves: some attribute special positive properties to their bodies, while others consider them cursed, bringing the evil of the other world.

Bloody Tanzania

In Africa, the killing of albinos has become an industry where the majority of the population cannot read or write and generally considers it an absolutely unnecessary activity, and even less understanding of medical nuances.

But there are various superstitions in use here. Residents believe that an albino black man brings misfortune to the village. The dismembered organs of albinos are sold for a lot of money to buyers from the "I'd like to notice" Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Kenya and Uganda. People blindly believe that the legs, genitals, eyes and hair of people with albinism confer special strength and health. The killers are driven not only by pagan beliefs, but also by the thirst for profit - an albino hand costs 2 million Tanzanian shillings, which is about 1.2 thousand dollars. For Africans this is just crazy money!

Just recently, more than 50 people who differed from their compatriots in skin color were killed in Tanzania. They were not just killed, they were dismantled for organs, and the organs of albino blacks are sold to shamans. It so happens that those who hunt albino blacks don’t care who they kill: a man, a woman or a child. The product is scarce and expensive. Having killed one such victim, the hunter can live comfortably, by African standards, for a couple of years.

/assets0.lookatme.ru/5501411263/framework/plugins/b-slideshow/stylesheets/arrows.gif" target="_blank">http://assets0.lookatme.ru/5501411263/framework/pl...ideshow/stylesheets /arrows.gif); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: 2px; -repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; "> /assets0.lookatme.ru/5501411263/framework/plugins/b-slideshow/stylesheets/arrows.gif" target="_blank">http://assets0.lookatme.ru /5501411263/framework/pl...ideshow/stylesheets/arrows.gif); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; cursor: position; top: 2px; background-position: -20px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;

Below is 76-year-old Mabula, squatting in his dirt-floored bedroom, next to the grave of his granddaughter, five-year-old Mariam Emmanuel, a small albino who was killed and dismembered in next room in February 2008. The girl was buried right in the hut so that hunters for albino body parts would not steal her bones. Mabula says that there have already been raids on his house a couple of times, after the death of his granddaughter, hunters wanted to take her bones. The photo was taken on January 25, 2009 in one of the villages near Mwanza. Mabula guards her house day and night.

The picture shows a Tanzanian teenage girl sitting in the girls' dormitory of a public school for the disabled in Kabanga, locality in the west of the country near the city of Kigomu on Lake Tanganyika, June 5, 2009. The school began accepting albino children at the end of last year, after Tanzania and neighboring Burundi began killing albinos in order to use parts of their bodies in witchcraft rituals. The children's school in Kabang is guarded by soldiers of the local army, but this does not always save children from hunters for their bodies; cases where soldiers collude with criminals have become more frequent. Children cannot even take a step outside the walls of their classrooms.

Little nine year old Amani sits in recreation primary school for the blind in Mitido, photograph taken January 25, 2009. He was admitted here after the murder of his sister, five-year-old Mariam Emmanuel, an albino girl who was killed and dismembered in February 2008.

In Europe and North America There is one albino for every 20 thousand people. In Africa their number is much higher - one per 4 thousand people. According to Mr. Kimaya, there are about 370 thousand albinos in Tanzania. The government of the country cannot guarantee the safety of any of them.

Nature

It so happened that the Africans, who by a whim of nature turned out to be white, had to flee from their own neighbors. Their life often resembles a nightmare, when you don’t know whether, when you wake up in the morning, you will be able to live until the evening. Apart from ignorant people, albinos are mercilessly tormented by the hot African sun. White skin and eyes are defenseless against powerful ultraviolet radiation. Such people are forced to rarely go outside or apply copious amounts of sunscreen, which many simply do not have the money for. Because there is simply no one there who doesn’t have them!

The picture shows small albino children at recess in the courtyard of the primary school for the blind in Mitido, the pictures were taken on January 25, 2009. This school has become a real refuge for rare albino children. The school in Mitido is also guarded by army soldiers, children feel safer than at home with their parents.

/assets0.lookatme.ru/5501411263/framework/plugins/b-slideshow/stylesheets/arrows.gif" target="_blank">http://assets0.lookatme.ru/5501411263/framework/pl...ideshow/stylesheets /arrows.gif); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: 2px; -repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; "> /assets0.lookatme.ru/5501411263/framework/plugins/b-slideshow/stylesheets/arrows.gif" target="_blank">http://assets0.lookatme.ru /5501411263/framework/pl...ideshow/stylesheets/arrows.gif); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; cursor: position; top: 2px; background-position: -20px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;

In this photo taken on January 27, 2009, Nima Kayanya, 28, makes a clay pot at her grandmother's house in Ukerewa, Tanzania, where her brother and sister, who are also albinos like her, now live. Ukerewe, an island on Lake Victoria located near the city of Mwanza, is a safe haven compared to other regions of Tanzania.

African sorcerers say that amulets made from albino blacks can bring good luck to the house, help in a successful hunt, and win the favor of a woman. But amulets made from the genitals are in particular demand. It is believed that this powerful tool, which cures all diseases. Almost any organ is used. Even bones, which are ground and then mixed with various herbs, are used in the form of decoctions to impart mystical power.

/assets0.lookatme.ru/5501411263/framework/plugins/b-slideshow/stylesheets/arrows.gif" target="_blank">http://assets0.lookatme.ru/5501411263/framework/pl...ideshow/stylesheets /arrows.gif); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: 2px; -repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; "> /assets0.lookatme.ru/5501411263/framework/plugins/b-slideshow/stylesheets/arrows.gif" target="_blank">http://assets0.lookatme.ru /5501411263/framework/pl...ideshow/stylesheets/arrows.gif); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; cursor: position; top: 2px; background-position: -20px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;

These hunters are real bloodthirsty savages; they are not afraid of anything. So in Burundi they burst straight into the mud hut of the widow Genorose Nizigiyimana. They grabbed her six-year-old son and dragged him outside. Right in the yard, having shot the boy, they skinned him in front of his hysterical mother. Having taken the “most valuable” things: tongue, penis, arms and legs, the bandits abandoned the mutilated corpse of the child and disappeared. None of the local villagers will help the mother, since almost everyone considers her cursed.

Court and body parts

In this photo taken on May 28, 2009, parts of the human body, including a femur, and flayed skin, which are on display in the courtroom during trial over 11 Burundians. The defendants are accused of killing albino blacks whose limbs were sold to healers from neighboring Tanzania, in Ruyigi. During judicial trial Burundian prosecutor, Nicodeme Gahimbare demanded a sentence of one year to life imprisonment for the defendants. Gahimbare had sought life imprisonment as punishment for three of the 11 accused, eight of whom were in the dock for the murder of an eight-year-old girl and a man in March this year.

African albinos

Red Cross

The well-known organization the Red Cross is actively recruiting volunteers, conducting its propaganda all over the world, very often Africans themselves join it. Pictured July 5, 2009, a Tanzanian Red Cross Society (TRCS) volunteer holds the hand of an albino baby at a TRCS picnic in public school for the disabled in Kabanga, in the west of the country near the city of Kigomu on Lake Tanganyika.

Despite the fact that we live in the civilized 21st century, the century of discoveries of “development and technology,” but despite this, in the far corners of our planet the blood of innocent people and, most importantly, small children is still shed.

It just shocked me! Find out why being born an albino in Africa is so dangerous and what makes people so cruel to them. Incredible facts that give you goosebumps...

Today we would like to talk about a topic that is rarely discussed. You may have seen albinos several times. Maybe you even know one of them closely. As is known, albinism is a genetic disease characterized by the absence of melanin pigment in the skin, hair and iris of the eyes.

Exercise, stick to proper nutrition And !

Both people and animals are susceptible to this disease. The lack of melanin also causes other serious skin diseases, because in this case the skin is too sensitive to the effects of sunlight.

Being an albino is not at all easy, but it is even worse to suffer from this disease in countries with a hot climate. For example, in Africa.

Today we will tell you the story of a young African model, Thando Hopa. It was thanks to her that the world became aware of the monstrous difficulties that albinos are forced to face.

History of the Tando Hopa model

Tando Hopa is 24 years old. This girl is not only a model, but also a lawyer. She considers herself very lucky, because being an albino in Africa is a real curse. She completed her studies in Johannesburg. It was there that the girl attracted a lot of attention due to her delicate and exotic appearance.

Thanks to this, Thando became a catwalk star and began to shine on magazine covers. Thando is one of the few business representatives with albinism known in our world.

It is possible that it was success and fame that prompted her to study law in order to tell the world about the social drama, unfamiliar to most people, that is playing out in Africa.

Albinism as a curse in Africa

It may seem strange to you, but it’s true: exactly Africa is one of the continents with the most people living with albinism. There are especially many albinos in Tanzania.

Experts still do not fully know the reasons for this strange phenomenon. There is a suspicion that the culprit of albinism is consanguinity and heredity of the first settlers from Europe who came to African continent. It is here that the number of albinos is 15% higher than in other regions of the world.

According to Tando Hop, albinism in Africa means not only a serious physical defect, but also a real social drama. Sun rays They are very aggressive here, which is why many people develop blindness. After all, human skin and eyes without melanin are extremely sensitive to the sun and need serious protection. In addition, society is very suspicious of such “special” people.

Albinos are often called “zeru-zeru,” which means “child of the devil or ghosts.” Albinism is believed to be the result of a sin committed by parents who made a pact with the devil himself. The white skin of the children is considered evidence of this conspiracy. This is why many mothers choose to abandon such children.

A living albino is worth nothing, but a dead one is worth its weight in gold. Why is this happening? The fact is that some ethnic groups in Africa, as well as sorcerers in distant villages, believe that the blood and organs of albinos have magical properties and treated for various diseases. Thus, people suffering from albinism find themselves on a par with rhinoceros horns and elephant tusks.

Some people are willing to pay a lot of money for an albino, and he could easily be deprived of a limb or even killed.

Many humanitarian organizations have been sounding the alarm for a long time, trying to convey this monstrous truth to others. Very often, armed groups of people go out at night to hunt for children and adults with albinism. When they find their victim, they amputate the limbs or take the life defenseless person. This is due to the fact that a lot of money is paid for the blood and organs of albinos. Because of this, cruel killers do not experience the slightest shadow of doubt when taking the life of their next victim. Of course, we find it difficult to believe such cruelty.

Being an albino in Africa is a real curse. It is good that there are people like Thando Hopa who are not afraid to open the eyes of the world to this monstrous drama. Many international organizations strive to protect and provide social support to these unfortunate people whose lives are in danger every day. This is especially true for Tanzania.

It is known that people die there every year. a large number of albinos. They become victims of attacks by heartless people or die as a result of untreated diseases. Skin burns, infected wounds and cancer are the main problems that people with albinism have to face.

Today, many of the children who have been attacked are forced to adapt to life without limbs. And despite this, many of them continue to smile. Although it is not at all easy to be different, to be different from the rest. Unfortunately, it still often happens in society that people who are different are persecuted.

What is happening these days in Africa in the 21st century defies common sense. It is a real crime that our developed countries turn a blind eye to the terror that occurs on the territory of these seemingly small, picturesque and exotic countries. Terror perpetrated by the citizens themselves against their “dissimilar” fellow citizens. The authorities of these countries officially declare their complete powerlessness to do anything to stop the bloodbath.

Albinism (Latin albus, “white”) is a congenital absence of pigment in the skin, hair, iris and pigment membranes of the eye. There are complete and partial albinism. It is currently believed that the cause of the disease is the absence (or blockade) of the enzyme tyrosinase, which is necessary for the normal synthesis of melanin, a special substance on which the color of tissues depends.

In Europe and North America, there is one albino for every 20 thousand people. In Africa their number is much higher - one per 4 thousand people. According to Mr. Kimaya, there are about 370 thousand albinos in Tanzania. The government of the country cannot guarantee the safety of any of them.


It so happened that the Africans, who by a whim of nature turned out to be white, had to flee from their own neighbors. Their life often resembles a nightmare when you don’t know whether, when you wake up in the morning, you will be able to live until the evening. Apart from ignorant people, albinos are mercilessly tormented by the hot African sun. White skin and eyes are defenseless against powerful ultraviolet radiation. Such people are forced to rarely go outside or apply copious amounts of sunscreen, which many simply do not have the money for. Because there’s simply no one there who doesn’t have them!


In South Africa there is a belief that an albino disappears after death, as if melting into thin air. In this regard, there are always several “defects” who want to check: is it true or not? And... they kill albinos!



The African authorities blame the village shamans for the current situation, whose opinions the population still listens to; they simply sacredly and stupidly believe them. Attitudes towards albinos are ambiguous even among the “black magicians” themselves: some attribute special positive properties to their bodies, while others consider them cursed, bringing the evil of the other world.



Albinos in Tanzania live in constant fear for their lives. Local shamans pay for their blood, eyes and other body parts, which are used in pagan rituals. It is believed that a person who kills an albino gains special power by coming into contact with the other world. Despite the efforts of the authorities, it has not yet been possible to stop the wave of reprisals against citizens without pigmentation.



The picture shows small albino children at recess in the courtyard of the primary school for the blind in Mitido, the pictures were taken on January 25, 2009. This school has become a real refuge for rare albino children. The school in Mitido is also guarded by army soldiers, children feel safer than at home with their parents.


A small island of relative safety for albinos is the Oncological Institute in Dar es Salaam. In the alley near the hospital there are Africans with milky skin and rust-colored hair. Their bodies are covered with burns and scabs - in addition to the shamans, albino people are suffering from skin cancer. Unlike Europe, where people with congenital lack of pigmentation can receive timely qualified assistance, in Africa they rarely live past 40 years.



The well-known organization the Red Cross is actively recruiting volunteers, conducting its propaganda all over the world, very often Africans themselves join it. Pictured July 5, 2009, a Tanzanian Red Cross Society (TRCS) volunteer holds the hand of an albino toddler at a picnic organized by TRCS at a government school for the disabled in Kabanga, in the west of the country near the town of Kigomu on Lake Tanganyika.


Remember one of the mutually exclusive concepts - white black man? It even sounds somewhat funny in the ordinary minds of representatives of this race. However, in reality, such a phenomenon, although rare, does occur.
Usually albino cubs are born in animals, but this also happens in humans. Well, where else could this happen if not in Africa?! But it’s one thing to be born with such an anomaly, and another thing...to survive with it. Exactly to survive! See below for details on how difficult this is.

(Total 14 photos)

East Africa and especially Tanzania is an area with abnormal high share albinos - it is 15 times higher than the world average. Albino blacks are the most vulnerable part of local society - they are hunted, chopped into pieces and eaten as medicine. The West saves them in special boarding schools.
On average, there is 1 albino per 20 thousand people worldwide. This ratio is 1:1400, in Kenya and Burundi – 1:5000. Scientists still cannot clearly explain why in these areas the percentage of albinos is so high. It is known that both parents must have the gene for this deviation in order for their child to be born “transparent”. In Tanzania, albinos are considered the most outcast part of society, and they are forced to marry among themselves. Perhaps this is the main reason for the abnormally high percentage of such people in these territories.

The high number of albinos is “regulated” by consumer consumption – in the literal sense! – the attitude of “classic blacks” towards them. For at least five centuries, there has been a belief that albino flesh is medicinal, and a real hunt is organized for them. Since 2006, at least 71 albinos have died in Tanzania, and 31 managed to escape from the clutches of hunters. You can understand the passion of the hunters: albino flesh, if you sell it to healers and sorcerers in parts - tongue, eyes, limbs, etc. – costs 50-100 thousand dollars. This is what an average Tanzanian earns over 25-50 years.

The demand for albinos increased sharply with the spread of AIDS in Tanzania. There was a belief that eating dried genitals would get rid of this disease.
Until recently, hunting for albinos was almost not punished - the system of mutual responsibility of the local society led to the fact that the community basically declared them “missing”. But Western public opinion, outraged by the brutal practices in Tanzania, forced local authorities to reluctantly begin searching for and punishing the cannibals.

In 2009, the first trial of the killers of an albino took place in Tanzania. Three men caught a 14-year-old albino, killed him and cut him into small pieces to sell to sorcerers. The court sentenced the villains to death penalty by hanging.

But this incident made the cannibals more inventive - they switched from killing albinos to cutting off their limbs. Even if the criminal is caught, they will be able to avoid the death penalty, and will receive only 5-8 years for grievous bodily harm.

Over the past three years, at least 90 albinos had their arms or legs cut off, and three died as a result of such “operations.”

98% of albinos in Tanzania do not live to be 40 years old. But this is not only due to their killing (for the sake of eating). Their skin and eyes are especially susceptible to ultraviolet radiation, and therefore by the age of 16-18, albinos lose 60-80% of their vision, and by the age of 30 they have a 60% chance of developing skin cancer.

It is not difficult to save your health - you need to constantly use it sunscreen and wear sunglasses. But in impoverished Tanzania, people do not have money for all this.

Albinos have one hope for salvation - the attention of the West. And he helps them survive. To Tanzania and other countries East Africa There are drugs for albinos, and most importantly, special boarding schools are being built for them with Western money, where high walls and guards, albinos live in isolation from the surrounding terrible reality.

This is such a difficult life in the already difficult African life. Even being born blue-black in our country cannot be compared to having white skin on a black continent...