Not Black Enough -- Albinos in Africa

WHOA!

"SOUTH AFRICA, Nov 26

"Africa's albinos are perhaps the last minority group to find a voice. Treated like outcasts from birth, albinos are shunned and even murdered. But now, albinos are mobilising, starting in Zimbabwe. Tichaona Zinhumwe reports.

"ALBINOS in Zimbabwe complain that they are despised and shunned by other Zimbabweans because of their skin colour and, generally, treated like second-class citizens.

"Very few Zimbabweans accept albinos, says Dr John Makumbe, founder member of a new trust that sets out to help albinos. 'Traditionally albinos used to be killed and ostracised like lepers,' recalled Makumbe, who is an albino.

"According to Makumbe and other albinos, the discrimination starts from birth, and even today, albinos are still treated like social outcasts. The persecution, Makumbe said, is more noticeable during childhood. 'When I went to school the other children refused to share the desk or books with me,' he said.

"'Even now, if I happen to be the first passenger, the bus has to be full for someone to join me on the seat. If they sit with me they desperately avoid to be in contact with me.'

"The university lecturer explained that people often shun albinos - people with pale skin, hair and eyes due to lack of colouring matter - because of society's uninformed fear that albinism is infectious. Discrimination against albinos is also prevalent in different forms within the public and private sectors. Makumbe recalled that he had to fight 'very hard' to receive full pension benefits after he joined the government Public Service in 1982.

"He was put on a restricted pensions benefit scheme when he joined the civil service, while everybody else received their full benefits. As a result of Makumbe's struggle, all albinos now in the Public Service receive full pension benefits.

"The Albino Trust of Zimbabwe (ATZ) was formed recently in the Zimbabwean capital to provide a forum for albinos to have a voice. ATZ also aims to protect albinos against persecution and to assist them with funds for health care. According to Makumbe, who is a Political Science Lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe, one in every 5000 school children in Zimbabwe is an albino. Translated on a national level, this would mean that two in every 10,000 people in the country of about 11.5 million is an albino, he added.

"The Trust has embarked on a vigorous educational and sensitisation campaign through the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation's (ZBC) Radio Four Educational Channel.
According to Dr Isdore Pazvakavambwa, the Trust has to counter a host of traditional beliefs and myths surrounding albinos. For example, he said, many women still spit when they see an albino. 'This bad habit is prevalent among women who believe if they don't spit, they will have an albino child,' he said.

"And when a woman does give birth to an albino child, she may be branded as an adultress by her family. ''My uncles and my late father believed that me and my brother were children of sin, born out of extra-marital affairs,' said Letwin Karombo, adding that her mother was accused of having an affair with a white man.

"Richard Nyathi, head librarian in the Ministry of Trade and Commerce whose albino brother died of skin cancer three months ago, said that the new organisation should explore ways to help albinos to access good health care. Many albinos, he added, cannot even afford sun cream lotions which protect their skin from the sun's rays.

"Nyathi said the Trust should also encourage employers to not discriminate against albinos. ''If they call you for a job interview and discover you are an albino they will not give you the job, because they fear you might put off their clientele,' he said, recalling incidents when potential employers turned him away because of his skin colour.

"David Chimhini, the Executive Director of Zimrights, a human rights group here, said his organisation will support the Trust in its efforts to protect the rights of albinos. He also urged albinos in Zimbabwe to report any violation of their rights to his organisation and called on society to accept albinos as equal citizens.

'''Albinism is just a genetic disorder and not a disease as some of our people think,'''' he said. IPS/Misa, November 26 1996)"

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