Chairperson for Social and Community Affairs in the Parliament Richard Chimwendo MP, has urged government to take a leading role in Albino protection issues, warning capital punishment to take its cause to offenders against persons with Albinism and anyone with intentions to abduct or kill.
Chimwendo admitted that government, Member of Parliament, Citizens have failed to enforce laws which safeguard Albinos from abuses and calledon quick action to amend laws on the same including the Witchcraft Act.
Executive Member for Association of Persons with Albinism, Alex Machila, pleaded with the general public to give them support and protection following a rising wave of abductions and killings of albinos.
“We continue living in fear in our mother land Malawi; things will improve unless attackers are given stiffer penalties and the country’s laws are amended to betterment of all people things. Thus, we are not satisfied with sentences posed out to offenders,” said Machila during a recent stakeholders meeting conducted in Lilongwe.
According to Edward Banda of Citizen Alliance in Malawi; 6 people have so far been murdered in cold blood, 14 have been abducted and 3 are missing and about 14 graveyards exhumed for the purposes of ritual and witchcraft.
He also said the stakeholders meeting has recommended that any person suspected of abducting, killing and exhumation of persons with albinism should not be granted bail, instead, capital punishment should be on them.
In his sentiments, Robert Mkwezalamba who represented Human Rights Consultative Committee (HRCC) said that right to life is protected in our constitution. However, less effort is displayed towards persons with albinism in as far as killings and abductions are concerned.
He therefore, suggested that deliberate system to ensure security of albinos in communities should immediately be developed. Not only that but also calls on religious leaders to condemn the barbaric acts in their churches and mosques so as to create suitable environment for people with albinism plus Row calls.
As one way of extending dissatisfaction on the killing of Albinos, CSOs have planned to submit a petition on 25th May, 2016 to Parliament and they have therefore appealedto all citizens to join the battle in order to address the vice across the country. Killing human beings, Albinos inclusive, is a serious violation of human rights and is against almost all charters and protocols that support and protect people and human rights.