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Tanzania: Albino Talisman
Albino Talisman They are totally white, yet they are pure African. Their bodies do not produce the melanin enzyme that gives color to skin and in turn protects it from UV rays. The first threat for them is the sun. Sunscreen is a luxury they do not have. Poverty, the lack of education and cancer puts many African albinos’ lives at risk. But the most horrific threat, mostly in Tanzania, is a macabre ‘black market’ that has been founded against them. Albino limbs, believed to act as talisman, are sold from five to twenty thousand dollars! Since December 2006, 56 albinos have lost their lives and others have been mutilated. Desperate fishermen and gold-diggers who want to bring money and good fortune into their lives, will not stop murdering these innocent victims; their witch doctors advise them to do so. On April 2009, I plunged deep into the centre of these crimes and have been living with albinos of Victoria Lake’ villages and city of Mwanza, Dar es Salam’ slum suburbs and schools where albino kids find a shelter. My plans is to travel to Ikerewe island of lake Victoria, to find another family, victim of the witch – doctor’s clients, who took the woman’s hand to use is a talisman. She survives. And everybody owns to protest for her. Then, far away in a Victoria Lake’s village, , the racist criminals took not only the hands of a woman. They also took her daughter. And in another village, a victim’s grandfather buried the dead body of his 5 year old grandson in the house, to avoid the despoilment. In Geita, area of the gold-diggers, I want to continue my photo- reportage. International press and public opinion should complain, protest and help for the cessation of this execrable crime and obligate Tanzania government to find solutions and stop it! Photographs by Maro Kouri
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