02.19.2010 at 2:42 pm | 1 Comment »

New media tool exposes Tanzania Albino killings

Despite government efforts to stop the practice, the killings continue.

Since 2007, 53 children and adults with albinism have been slaughtered and many others have been left to die, with arms and legs cut off by people who believe that potions and charms made from the body parts of people with albinism can be used to ensure wealth and good fortune.

According to a report by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), released in November, 2009, thousands of children and teenagers with albinism were hiding and stranded in Tanzanian schools for the disabled while elders were unable to move freely to trade, study or cultivate fields for fear of albino hunters.

Killings of albino started for many years whereby they were killed in remote villages of Tanzania, but nothing much was reported in the media.

The media failed to highlight the albino killings mainly because of the lack of reporters in villages as most of them are in the urban areas.

But recently when the user generated content became common, communities started sending their comments on the matter using the media houses websites, callers on live radio and television programs, as well as sending text messages.

With the introduction of the user generated content, most of the people were now able to communicate directly to the media which accepts people’s comments, opinion and tips, for further media survey and investigation.

Even, International Radio stations like, BBC and DW which also reports on the albino killings uses information from communities who writes their comments, opinions, letters as well as sending text messages on the stations websites, through its famous Kiswahili programmes

An example is a report on BBC, which reported the killings of Twenty-five people with albinism who were murdered in March, 2008.

User generated content is gaining ground in Tanzania. People have come to accept it as one of the few channels to make their voices heard; they consequently continue to use it.

Some 20 Tanzanian’s including village heads, local officials, witchdoctors, middlemen among others who had a hand in the killing of these innocent albinos were charged with their killings.

But for user generated content, these killers would not have been exposed and reporting on the killings would not have been comprehensive as it is today.

Albino organs, particularly genitals, limbs, breasts, fingers and the tongue are reportedly in high demand by people involved in mining and fishing activities in the Lake Victoria Zone, especially Mwanza, Shinyanga and Mara regions.

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