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Make private eyes hunt albino killers
2008-05-06 09:50:14
By Editor
A certain country was once about to go to war for what it considered just claims. It had the moral support of its allies, who were fond of condemning the adversary country on a daily basis.
The leaders of those friendly states constantly assured the head of state of the country that was about to go to war that they would support him to execute the war to their very last warrior.
War did occur as the enemy country was indeed attacked. But much to the chagrin of the attacking country, when the war became really hot and there was an acute need for human reinforcements and more military hardware, the friendly states that had kept condemning the enemy in the most vehement terms did not send in even a single soldier or rifle.
Rather, they just kept sending in herds of cattle, every time vowing that they were prepared to support the war effort to the very last cow!
What followed is history: The attacking country eventually lost the war because the support that it had counted on most was not there.
This story has a lot in common with the plight of albinos in Tanzania. For quite some time now, there has been a rise in the number of incidents of albinos being murdered by superstitious characters apparently all out to get charms they believe would enrich them.
These grisly incidents have provoked a public furore and an avalanche of condemnations from politicians, human rights activists, media people, and various other people jointly and severally.
In Mwanza Region, traditional herbalists have resolved to cooperate with the police in exposing individuals they know or suspect to be behind the murder of albinos.
That done, it seemed there was now light at the end of the tunnel. However, although quite some time has passed since, we are yet to hear of any tangible developments that have led to arrests in Mwanza Region and elsewhere. Albinos continue being killed while public indifference to their plight continues to grow.
On National Albinos Day last week, albinos used the leaders of their national association to express profound shock at the killings directed at them. They called for their plight to be declared a national disaster.
We support the call, while asking the national association of albinos and all men and women of goodwill to seize the initiative by employing private detectives and commissioning capable lawyers to bring those responsible to the temples of justice.
If this is not done, it is quite possible that albinos will continue receiving an unending flow of sympathy, support, pledges of imminent action, et cetera, but to no effective purpose while the killers maintain their murder spree.
Those behind these nasty incidents are human beings who can also be outwitted, out-manipulated and out-maneuvered by strong-willed people.
They must be hunted, flushed out and made to face the full wrath of the law. There is no short cut to success in this.
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