For more information, please contact: Ms.

. Luana REALE, Head of Political, Press and Information Section- Delegation of the European
Union to Tanzania
Email: Luana.REALE@eeas.europa.eu
Direct Line: +255 22 2164503
Website: http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/tanzania/index_en.htm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EuropeanUnionTanzania
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EUinTZ
EUROPEAN UNION
ARTICLE

Tuesday, 19 August 2014

10 Questions on the Rights of People Living with Albinism to Live Safely in Tanzania
On August 18
th
a group of people living with albinism visited the EU Delegation and asked to talk to
me as the EU Ambassador to Tanzania. They were exasperated by the very recent violent attacks on
persons with albinism which resulted in the killing of Mapambo Mashiri (53), a husband who died
defending his wife who lives with albinism, Mungu Masaga (35). Sadly, despite his valiant efforts the
perpetrators still cut-off her arm and harmed her children. The cruel incident closely follows that of
Pendo Sengerema (15) whose arm was severed off as well by the assailants.
The representatives of people living with albinism came to the European Union in light of the open
letter written to Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda on May 19
th
from all the Ambassadors of the EU
Member Countries residing in Tanzania, on the surge of these barbaric attacks. This had been
followed by an article I wrote for The Citizen on the same matter a few days after, where we all
advocated to stop the killing and wounding of people with albinism, as well as ensuring prosecution
of the culprits.
The group who visited the EU Delegation on the one hand showed great concern for their security
since there had been some incidents the same morning at Buguruni Police Station when they
protested the handling of a case on a suspect of violence against people living with albinism. On the
other hand they provided me with quite a detailed list of issues surrounding the conditions and risks
of this group of people in Tanzania.
On the first concern, through contacts with the Acting Regional Commissioner of Dar es Salaam, Mr
Raymond Mushi it was possible to secure safe police-escort of the group as well as their interaction
with the Regional Police Commander of Dar Es Salaam. I am happy to report that the contacted
authorities acted immediately and with sensitivity. The media report that also the District
Commissioner of Tabora instructed the police to adequately identify and protect the people living
with albinism at risk, as there have been more calls for action from CSOs and individuals in the
country.








For more information, please contact: Ms. Luana REALE, Head of Political, Press and Information Section- Delegation of the European
Union to Tanzania
Email: Luana.REALE@eeas.europa.eu
Direct Line: +255 22 2164503
Website: http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/tanzania/index_en.htm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EuropeanUnionTanzania
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EUinTZ

On the second matter, I feel compelled to bring to the attention of the highest authorities in
Tanzania, as well as of the public at large, 10 Questions that I draw from the elaborated list of issues
the group submitted to me. I was impressed by the candid neutrality of the issues raised, which did
not point out at any category of supposed culprits in search of luck; such as miners, "witchdoctors",
politicians, or so. My 10 Questions are definitely the following:
1. Is there a new surge in the number of attacks to people living with albinism In Tanzania? Is
there a trend of these attacks not to be confined to remote rural/mining areas but to also
occur in urban areas as it happened in Tabora or Dar es Salaam?
2. If yes, why so? Are heinous practices of using body parts of people living with albinism
expanding from traditional believers related to mining activity to other segments of the
society, including better educated and well-off people?
3. Are there any dedicated public resources to secure protection and alleviate the conditions of
persons living with albinism? If the risk of increasing number and dissemination of attacks is
real, should special measures and resources be put in place?
4. Should people living with albinism be considered a disadvantaged group among the
disadvantaged? Or should they be considered on the same foot as the more commonly
identified vulnerable groups (women, children, elders, disabled, etc.)? In other words should
they be the subject of a specific policy addressing the special threats they are confronted
with?
5. How should safety and protection of people living with albinism be organised? Are measures
such as secured residential camps or special schools for children living with albinism carrying
the potential of segregation and exclusion? Are they just temporary solutions? Some people
living with albinism even consider protected expatriation as a possible solution
6. Is Legal Aid to victims of attacks, to their families and to their associations being considered?
7. What is the record so far with investigations and prosecution of suspected attackers,
instigators and final clients? Impunity with regard to these three types of culprits should not
be accepted.
8. Should a special investigation be set up with the support of specialised bodies to find out
more information about where the severed body parts end, where the market places are,
what prices are involved, who are the actors and the clients of such inhumane practice?
9. Which authority/ies has/have been identified as primarily responsible in the government to
give response to the grievances and requests of the people living with albinism?





For more information, please contact: Ms. Luana REALE, Head of Political, Press and Information Section- Delegation of the European
Union to Tanzania
Email: Luana.REALE@eeas.europa.eu
Direct Line: +255 22 2164503
Website: http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/tanzania/index_en.htm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EuropeanUnionTanzania
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EUinTZ

10. What can the top leaders of Tanzania do to educate the population and to instruct the
appropriate institutions to put an end to the hurting and killing of people living with
albinism, as well to secure appropriate and timely prosecution of the culprits?
The European Union is deeply concerned with the attacks on people with albinism in Tanzania; it
condemns the recent attacks, and is committed to supporting the Human Rights of people with
albinism. The occurrence of the attacks in the recent weeks represents a disturbing trend. I am
respectfully looking at Tanzania's leadership to address these issues and show people living with
albinism they are neither ignored, nor abused for their condition.

Filiberto C. Sebregondi
EU Ambassador to Tanzania
Dar es Salaam