Born Too White This World


Born Too White

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This programme contains some scenes which some viewers may find upsetting

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How was the body when you found it?

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My name is Oscar Duke and I'm albino.

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In parts of East Africa,

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being born with my condition can be a death sentence.

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People with albinism are regularly attacked, abducted and murdered.

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Their body parts are used in potions, sold by witch doctors.

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They just weakened the mouth

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by hitting him hard and all the teeths were out.

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Did they specifically want the teeth?

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Yeah!

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It is something that is valuable, according to them.

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In Britain, I work as a doctor and lead a normal life.

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I can't imagine what it's like to live in such fear.

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I wanted to find out why this is happening.

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What do you think it says about the society in Tanzania that children

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like this are forced into isolation?

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The society has to understand that this is not a good thing.

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So, this is the prison.

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'And what kind of person would murder someone like me?'

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Do you think it's OK to kill somebody for money?

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So, why did you do it?

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Although they're pretty wonky,

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these are the same ones I've had since I was 13 and I've never once

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broken my glasses, which I think is amazing.

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Although, actually, glasses have kind of come back round,

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they're a bit more cool these days.

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Not these ones, though.

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I was first diagnosed with albinism when I was six weeks old.

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My parents aren't albino,

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but each carries the same faulty gene which they passed onto me.

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It means I can't create a pigment called melanin.

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As well as giving skin and hair its colour,

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melanin plays a vital role in the retina, so my eyes don't work normally.

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Rather than just being still, if you focus on something,

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they kind of wobble. Can you see that?

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I've always considered albinism a disability and spent most of my life

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trying to ignore it.

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'I even kept it a secret from my wife, Ray,

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'when we first started dating.'

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Right, packing time.

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If I just put everything out, kind of, as I've got it?

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Cos otherwise I'm going to have no idea what I've got.

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I definitely had an issue about

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having albinism and I didn't want it to get in the way of our relationship,

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I think that was the real truth.

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And I guess, for you,

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albinism had never got in the way of anything in your life before,

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so you did whatever you wanted at school,

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you went to university to be a doctor,

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you'd become a doctor at that point.

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I do remember telling you...

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-I remember exactly.

-There were definitely tears from me.

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-Yeah, you cried!

-Yeah, I did cry.

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And, actually, then you telling me was a huge relief,

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cos I thought it was going to be something far worse.

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-Yeah.

-I don't know, you had some horrible past or, I don't know,

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you'd been married to some other, or like, I don't know.

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And didn't it work out well?

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-For now.

-Yes.

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Two years in.

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'Now Ray and I are thinking about having children,

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'I've spent a lot of time looking into my condition.'

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For me, I've accepted that I have albinism and I've learned to live my

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life with it and been able to do the things that I wanted to do. And then

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I've heard that there are people in other parts of the world,

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particularly East Africa, where that is just not an option for them.

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-Waterproof?

-And the rain coat,

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because we are approaching the rainy season.

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'I'm heading to Tanzania which has among the highest rate of albinism

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'in the world. Albinos who live there have been stigmatised,

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'persecuted and even killed.'

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People are being murdered because of something that's wrong with them in

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their genes. It just doesn't seem right to me.

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'I want to find out why people like me are being targeted and what can

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'be done to help one of the most marginalised communities in Africa.'

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Tanzania is home to around 16,000 people with albinism.

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Almost half are children.

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When the violence against them first hit the headlines ten years ago,

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it prompted the Tanzanian government to offer help.

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My journey starts in Arusha, in the north of the country,

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at a school where the state sponsors kids with albinism.

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I was the only albino at my school, but here, there are 16,

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including 12-year-old Dixon.

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-Hi, Dixon.

-Hi, Oscar.

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-How are you?

-Fine.

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So good to meet you.

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So, are you guys in the same class?

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Yeah...

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It's really white, isn't it?

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Why do you think that?

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I think because the skin is.

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-Because my skin is white, too?

-Yes.

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Yeah.

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-Melanin.

-Melanin?

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Yeah. Amazing.

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You guys know it all, don't you?

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-Yes.

-We don't have melanin, do we?

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No. Does it matter?

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No.

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No. Do you think I'm the same as these guys?

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-No?

-Why do you think I'm different?

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Because the melanin, the colour, is not the same with this one.

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It looks the same to me.

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-It's not the same.

-But in the body they are not the same.

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-Why are they different?

-Because when you pass the sun...

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-It's the same?

-Yes.

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If I go in the sun I get really, really burnt.

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The sun is really bad for my skin.

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Just like these guys. Exactly the same.

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Yes, because of the eyes...

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You see my eyes? Yeah.

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Tell me about my eyes.

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-It's different.

-It's different?

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Yes.

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-No, not different.

-Yes, it's different. Don't you see it is different?

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Bye-bye! Bye-bye.

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Come on, let's go.

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'Having no melanin means that the back of our eyes cannot focus on

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'long distances, so it's difficult to see things like the blackboard.

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'Today, I'm going with Dixon and the other children with albinism at his

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'school to an eye clinic to see whether they can get any help.'

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Let's see.

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Let's go over this way.

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Are we good?

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'Tanzania has no NHS,

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'so these children must rely on NGOs for their eye care.'

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So, here we are.

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'Although the government has provided the venue.'

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What's your name?

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-Dixon.

-Dixon?

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-Dixon.

-Dixon.

-Dixon.

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You've got to be loud, strong.

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Have your card and then join the queue.

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Shall we get in the queue?

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Thanks.

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Sorry.

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Are you all right?

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You OK?

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Cos it's hard to see, isn't it?

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I hate it because it's embarrassing when I do things like that.

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-Do you feel embarrassed?

-Yes.

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My heart just completely went out to him,

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because I can completely relate to that feeling of embarrassment when

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you are trying to just be normal and then you do something

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and you fall over and you trip up.

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You just feel really stupid,

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you just want the world to swallow you up and take you away.

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And he did that, but we had a chat about it, which was really nice.

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How are you doing? All right?

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'Everyone here will have their eyes tested.'

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Can you try this one?

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'But only some will qualify for the prescription glasses.'

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This one? Very good.

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Where did you get to? Here goes, Dixon.

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'This vision programme will only reach about 1,000,

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'or 12% of albino children.'

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Can you see me any better?

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'So, Dixon is one of the lucky ones.'

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Saw yourself.

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Awesome!

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THEY SING

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I've never seen so many albino people in one place.

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There is such a sense of happiness, as well.

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Nobody here is feeling sorry for themselves.

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I can completely relate to that and I think, you know, good for them.

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'But even in the upbeat atmosphere of this clinic,

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'some of the conversations hint at the darker side of albinism in Tanzania.'

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No. No. None.

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I would say, yeah, equal.

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In England there are much less people with albinism

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than there are in Tanzania.

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It's believed that the smaller gene pool in parts of Tanzania is one

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reason for the high rates of albinism.

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Being an albino in Britain, where lots of people are fair-skinned,

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means my condition mostly goes unnoticed.

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But being so pale in a country where almost everyone is black,

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means you really stand out.

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That difference has led to prejudice against albinos.

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And fuelled superstitious beliefs that have existed for generations.

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Have you ever heard anything bad about people with albinism?

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Why have they been excluded?

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Have you ever met anybody who says bad things about people with albinism?

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And what sort of things would they say?

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Is it something people talk openly about,

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or do you think people are scared to say these things even though they

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still believe them?

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Do people have names for people with albinism?

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As outrageous as it seems,

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the belief that minerals from an albino's body bring wealth has led

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people to kill or mutilate them for their body parts.

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Since 2006, local charities have recorded 170 attacks,

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70 of which were fatal.

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To find out more about these brutal acts I've come to Mwanza city in the

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north of Tanzania.

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This region is known as the Lake zone.

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There have been more attacks against people with albinism here than

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anywhere else in Tanzania.

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I mean, of course, people are hurt in wars, and in accidents,

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but you don't very often meet people who have been actually attacked just

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because of their genetic condition.

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Especially not one that you have yourself.

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Children are particularly vulnerable,

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and I'm on my way to meet 15-year-old Festo,

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who was attacked at the age of seven.

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Hi. Are you Festo?

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When you're in your classes, do you always sit at the front?

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-Yes.

-This is your desk?

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Yes.

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So that you can see the board?

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Yes.

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I used to do exactly the same in my classes.

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Madame Molly is Festo's teacher and guardian.

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The mother was in the kitchen preparing the evening meal,

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it was not late in the night.

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It was around 7pm in the evening.

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And while the mother was preparing supper for the other children,

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a group of men came in.

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He didn't tell me the exact number of the attackers,

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but there were more than four.

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-That is what he's told me.

-Lots of people?

-Yeah, there were lots of people.

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He just saw people coming in with machetes,

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and before he could have a second look at them, they had had already

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cut one of his arms, the fingers, the teeth.

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They must be so sharp and aggressive,

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to use a knife to chop off an arm is not...

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This is now a panga, not a knife.

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So the blunt part, that is not sharpened.

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They just weakened the mouth by hitting him hard and all the teeth were out.

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In fact he was cut, part of the lower part of the mouth.

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And do they specifically want the teeth?

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Yeah!

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It is something that is valuable, according to them.

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'After the attack Festo spent four months in hospital.'

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What do people think about people with albinism in Tanzania?

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-They think they'll get money?

-Yes.

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-That's crazy.

-Yes.

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And why do they think that?

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So the witch doctors tell the people

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-to go and attack people with albinism?

-Yes.

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'Madame Molly has made sure that Festo can lead as normal a life as possible.

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'Surgeons attached one of his toes to his remaining hand so he could still use it.'

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MUSIC: La Difference By Salif Keita

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He does it. It's his problem every day, so when he dropped his pencil,

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he knows how to get it, of course,

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he doesn't sit there and let everything fall apart around him.

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He has his mechanism for holding the pencils, and wiping his brow, and...

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That is how it is for him, he's just battling on regardless.

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It's heartbreaking, really, to see

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what's happened.

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But heart-warming to see where he's going, and how he is now.

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Wow!

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Yeah.

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That is amazing!

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There is clearly evil at work,

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which is so entrenched in beliefs that they think it's OK to do that.

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But when you see him, you see the future.

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Just by being how he is already,

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he's such a powerful advocate for coming through horror and getting

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out the other side. And it doesn't matter whether that's albinism or anything,

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I mean, he's a kid, isn't he?

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And he's got,

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basically, no hands, no vision, really pale skin,

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and he lives in Africa.

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And thank God he's at a very nice school,

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with very nice teachers and friends around him.

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Congratulations.

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That is great, Festo.

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Tomorrow, you'll drink another soda.

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-Yes.

-And biscuits.

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You always get that from me for good work done.

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The other guys were saying that Festo's the best at school art

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-in the whole school.

-In drawing?

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-Yeah.

-The best!

-Really?

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-Thank you.

-Thank you.

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-Yeah?

-Yes.

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It's hard to understand how anyone could cut the limbs off children like Festo.

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But it seems that witch doctors are behind the attacks.

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Paulina Alex runs a charity which supports albino families affected

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by violence.

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She's taking me on a walk through town to explain how the trade in

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body parts works.

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Our priority is people with albinism.

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Actually, in Tanzania, there are so many things which are taking place,

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including the wrong belief that if you have a body part of persons with

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albinism, and you mix it with some medicine, you will become rich.

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Right. And who spreads those beliefs?

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Actually, witchcraft are the ones who are spreading this wrong belief.

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-So, they're the witch doctors?

-The witch doctors.

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So, people are buying these potions then?

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-Yes.

-And how much would a potion cost?

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-It is a lot of money.

-Like...?

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Starting from 20 million Tanzanian shillings and above.

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How many dollars is that?

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Like, US10,000 and above, so it's a lot of money.

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So it's like, £6,000 or £7,000.

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-Exactly.

-For a little bit of potion.

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Sure.

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'The average wage in Tanzania is only £60 a month.'

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And it's a weird question to ask, but, like, a hand or a body part,

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how much would somebody get for that?

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According to what I have been hearing from other people,

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it depends on the body part you have.

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If you have a leg,

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it means the price is higher.

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-Because there's more?

-Yeah, it's more.

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If you have a hand, the price is a little bit cheap.

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-Less?

-Yes.

-It's crazy, isn't it?

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-Mad. Don't you think?

-Yeah, sure, sure.

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And then who buys the potions?

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The businessmen are buying this.

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The miners are the ones

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who are buying. Fishers. So, there are so many people.

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And sometimes, they are mentioning some politicians.

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Some politicians buy them as well?

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-Yeah.

-'NGO research suggests that the rate of attacks against albinos

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'increases just before an election.

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'It's alleged that even some politicians believe albino potions

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'will help them gain power.

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'But even though the past decade has seen a sharp spike in the number of attacks

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'being reported, Paulina believes the violence may have been going on for much longer.'

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And I remember when I was a child,

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my grandma used to tell me that people with albinism, they don't die.

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They normally disappear.

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-Really?

-So when I recall back,

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it means that the killing of people with albinism started a long time ago.

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How can you say that someone is disappearing?

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I see what you mean.

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Instead of dying.

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So, yeah, maybe they were even being killed then.

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-Yeah.

-So it's a very, kind of, ancient tradition.

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Yeah, sure.

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It's estimated that 60% of Tanzanians believe in witchcraft.

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The use of so-called traditional healers has been part of the culture for generations.

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As a doctor, it's hard to understand how these beliefs could still play

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such a powerful role in society, especially when they lead to murder.

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'But a prominent local healer has agreed to explain more.

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'If I can find him.'

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It definitely feels like the traditional healer is

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kind of hidden away round the back of the village.

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It's right, kind of, in the woods, isn't it?

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I guess there's lots of herbs around.

0:22:430:22:46

We haven't seen anybody with albinism anywhere nearby.

0:22:520:22:55

Which is probably for the best, isn't it?

0:22:550:22:57

It's me!

0:22:590:23:01

HE SPEAKS SWAHILI Hello.

0:23:060:23:11

HE SPEAKS SWAHILI

0:23:110:23:14

Oscar.

0:23:140:23:15

And how do you know all about the different herbs? How do you learn that?

0:23:160:23:19

But how did you learn? Did you learn it in school?

0:23:300:23:32

How do you know the science?

0:23:320:23:35

So if I became a traditional healer I could have saved a lot of time at university.

0:23:400:23:45

And so what is this herb?

0:24:100:24:12

What does it help with?

0:24:120:24:14

What's it for?

0:24:140:24:15

Asante.

0:24:390:24:40

HEALER LAUGHS

0:24:400:24:42

So, you are a traditional healer, is that different to a witch doctor?

0:24:450:24:49

After the attacks started coming to light,

0:25:250:25:27

the Tanzanian government decided to regulate traditional healers.

0:25:270:25:31

In order to practise legally, you now need to be licensed,

0:25:320:25:35

and Mr Bujukano is working with the police in an attempt to root out the

0:25:350:25:39

violent witchdoctors.

0:25:390:25:41

Before I leave, I wonder whether there's anything he can do for me.

0:25:420:25:46

Thank you, thank you.

0:26:230:26:25

That's lovely.

0:26:250:26:26

HEALER LAUGHS

0:26:260:26:29

It's, for me, not something I would be paying any money for.

0:26:320:26:36

For bringing a gift, as he likes to call it.

0:26:360:26:39

But...

0:26:410:26:43

it is part of their culture, and he's obviously a prominent,

0:26:430:26:47

relatively wealthy member of that village society,

0:26:470:26:49

so he is listened to.

0:26:500:26:52

And you can see how if somebody like him went off the rails and decided

0:26:520:26:57

that they wanted to use people with albinism in their potions, that, probably,

0:26:570:27:01

people in the community would go with it.

0:27:010:27:03

Especially if there was a big financial reward behind it.

0:27:030:27:06

So, they have a lot of power, I would say.

0:27:060:27:09

As well as cracking down on witchdoctors,

0:27:210:27:24

the Tanzanian government has tried to safeguard children with albinism

0:27:240:27:27

by offering those in high-risk areas somewhere else to live.

0:27:270:27:31

'Many have been placed by their families in secure residential centres

0:27:310:27:35

'called protectorates.'

0:27:350:27:38

We are following a member of the Tanzanian Albinism Society,

0:27:380:27:41

and as you can see, we can't see really, it's just a dirt track,

0:27:410:27:45

lots of dust coming off the Jeep in front.

0:27:450:27:48

Hello.

0:27:510:27:52

Charles and Kulwa had to flee their home four years ago,

0:27:520:27:56

and put their two children into one of the centres.

0:27:560:27:59

Since then, they've had three more.

0:28:000:28:02

Asante...

0:28:040:28:05

I was too slow.

0:28:080:28:10

And these are your children as well?

0:28:100:28:13

-What's your name?

-Peter.

0:28:130:28:15

Peter. Nice to meet you, Peter.

0:28:150:28:17

Can I have a hug? How are you?

0:28:180:28:23

You're adorable, aren't you?

0:28:230:28:24

Aw. Cool.

0:28:270:28:29

-And who's this?

-Salma.

-Salma?

0:28:290:28:31

-Salma.

-And how old's Salma?

0:28:310:28:33

'As both Charles and his wife are albino,

0:28:380:28:40

'any children they have will always have albinism.'

0:28:400:28:44

So, two of your children are in the protectorate centre.

0:28:440:28:48

How safe is it for you all living in the village here?

0:28:480:28:51

So you had to leave the village that you've lived in for how many years?

0:29:030:29:07

Wow, so you lived there for your whole life, until four years ago?

0:29:190:29:23

And would you ever want to bring your other two children back home?

0:29:240:29:28

Has Mummy been to see her other children in Buhangija recently?

0:29:370:29:41

If Charles wants to see his children,

0:29:530:29:55

it's two hours each way on public transport.

0:29:550:29:58

He can only travel when he can afford it.

0:29:590:30:02

The tiny wage he earns from fetching water means the £2 bus fair is

0:30:020:30:06

usually out of his reach.

0:30:060:30:07

'The last time Charles saw his children was four months ago.'

0:30:100:30:13

Here we are.

0:30:150:30:16

'There are nine protectorate centres like this across Tanzania.

0:30:210:30:26

'Since 2006,

0:30:260:30:27

'more than 500 children aged from three to 18 have been hidden away

0:30:270:30:32

'behind high walls and barbed wire.

0:30:320:30:34

'Nobody can go inside without permission from the government

0:30:360:30:40

'and it's guarded 24 hours a day.'

0:30:400:30:43

Shoma.

0:30:450:30:47

Hi, Shoma.

0:30:470:30:48

How old are you, Shoma?

0:30:480:30:51

-TRANSLATOR:

-I'm ten years old.

0:30:510:30:54

And who's this, Shoma?

0:30:540:30:56

Is this your teacher?

0:30:560:30:57

-Yeah.

-And how many of the children with albinism who live here are able

0:30:570:31:03

-to go home?

-Most of them remain here.

0:31:030:31:07

-Why is that?

-Because they are being afraid.

0:31:070:31:10

Very minority parents come to visit their children.

0:31:100:31:13

So, Charles is unusual in that respect, then?

0:31:130:31:15

Yeah.

0:31:150:31:16

-He's good.

-That is great.

0:31:160:31:18

So, this is your son, Charles?

0:31:200:31:22

Yeah.

0:31:220:31:23

So, he's been here since the age of four.

0:31:230:31:25

Not four, three years.

0:31:250:31:27

-Since the age of three?

-Yeah.

0:31:270:31:29

OK.

0:31:290:31:30

And how do Charles' children cope when they see him and then he goes?

0:31:340:31:39

They feel it's so unfair.

0:31:390:31:41

They don't like it?

0:31:410:31:43

Everyone wants to stay with their parents, yeah?

0:31:430:31:45

-Yeah, of course.

-Yes.

0:31:450:31:47

Could you imagine ever leaving your children like these parents have?

0:31:470:31:52

I can't leave my children.

0:31:520:31:54

To understand what life is like for the children here,

0:31:590:32:02

I need to speak to the headmaster.

0:32:020:32:04

Hello. My name is Saliman Shabani Kapanya.

0:32:040:32:07

Yeah, I'm a school headmaster in the centre as well.

0:32:070:32:13

So, you're in charge of the Buhangija protectorate centre?

0:32:130:32:15

Yeah, Buhangija as well.

0:32:150:32:17

It was special for the blind people.

0:32:170:32:20

It was always used for blind people?

0:32:200:32:22

Yes, before the killings of the albinos started.

0:32:220:32:25

Yeah, there was no fence, it was just open.

0:32:250:32:28

So, that's all been added in since the attacks happened?

0:32:280:32:31

Yeah. Yeah.

0:32:310:32:33

The problem we have is that the space is not enough.

0:32:330:32:38

Is the government helping you to increase that space?

0:32:380:32:41

Yes, they are trying to do that.

0:32:410:32:43

Do you ever do any trips to go out, to take them out of the centre?

0:32:430:32:48

Not more than... Sometimes we have people who are helping us,

0:32:480:32:52

they take them to several areas, but most of them, most of the time,

0:32:520:32:57

-they stay here.

-Stay here?

0:32:570:32:58

Yeah.

0:32:580:32:59

This is the dormitory.

0:33:010:33:05

As you see.

0:33:060:33:07

What do you think are the psychological problems

0:33:080:33:11

-of living here for the children?

-You see, living here,

0:33:110:33:16

from the morning you are here doing nothing,

0:33:180:33:22

especially for those who are not studying, you see.

0:33:220:33:25

They wake up in the morning, they stay here, you see,

0:33:250:33:28

they are not allowed to go outside, you see.

0:33:280:33:32

No places for sports or games.

0:33:320:33:35

They are there. So that's not good.

0:33:360:33:40

What do you think it says about the society in Tanzania that children

0:33:400:33:44

like this are forced into isolation?

0:33:440:33:46

I think the society has to understand that this is not a good thing.

0:33:470:33:53

That's the first thing. This is not a good thing, to isolate,

0:33:530:33:57

to segregate some people because of their skin colour.

0:33:570:34:02

You see, that's not good.

0:34:020:34:04

Do you think there's any progress towards that?

0:34:040:34:06

Yes. For almost a year now we have not received any new entrants.

0:34:060:34:11

-Really?

-Yes. For almost a year now.

0:34:120:34:15

Yeah, no new entrants.

0:34:150:34:17

Do you think there will be a day when protectorate camps like Buhangija are closed down?

0:34:170:34:22

Yes. I'm hoping so.

0:34:220:34:23

We used to receive them every day, but now...

0:34:230:34:28

-It's settling down.

-Yes.

0:34:280:34:30

That's really good to hear.

0:34:300:34:31

Thank you so much for talking to me.

0:34:310:34:33

'It makes you think about having albinism and

0:34:330:34:36

'bringing that forward and having children,

0:34:380:34:40

'and one of the things I've been

0:34:400:34:41

'really worried about is having a child with albinism

0:34:410:34:44

'and not wanting that.'

0:34:440:34:45

I still feel that I wouldn't choose to have a child with albinism,

0:34:480:34:52

but when you meet people like this, you can't help but feel,

0:34:530:34:57

in terms of what I would be able to offer to a child who had albinism

0:35:000:35:05

in my life,

0:35:050:35:06

they could have a fantastic life.

0:35:070:35:09

And that is so distant to what would happen if you had a child with

0:35:100:35:17

albinism in Tanzania.

0:35:170:35:18

It's awful to see small children separated from their families and kept

0:35:270:35:31

locked behind high walls to stop them from being murdered.

0:35:310:35:34

I want to know what the police are doing to catch the killers

0:35:410:35:44

and punish those involved in the trade.

0:35:440:35:47

I haven't really met anybody who is in charge or responsible for the

0:35:470:35:52

crimes that are happening to people with albinism.

0:35:520:35:54

It makes me feel really angry.

0:35:540:35:58

Everybody should have a right to have a just, fair life,

0:35:580:36:04

whether you're black, white or anything in between.

0:36:050:36:07

After some last-minute negotiation,

0:36:100:36:12

the acting commander of the police service in Mwanza

0:36:120:36:15

has agreed to meet me.

0:36:150:36:16

I'm hoping he'll be able to give me some answers.

0:36:180:36:21

My name is Agusta Sanga.

0:36:230:36:25

Very good to meet you, Mr Sanga.

0:36:250:36:27

For the time being, I am acting as the regional police commander.

0:36:270:36:30

-Excellent.

-The commander is on vacation.

0:36:300:36:32

So you're in charge?

0:36:320:36:34

-Yes.

-Excellent.

0:36:340:36:35

-You're welcome.

-Very good to meet you, thank you.

-Thank you very much, welcome.

0:36:350:36:39

Please.

0:36:390:36:40

Yes. You're welcome.

0:36:420:36:44

What are the challenges for you as police commander in fighting these

0:36:440:36:47

-sorts of crimes?

-These particular crimes are done secretly,

0:36:470:36:52

completely secretly. Sometimes we find the members of the family,

0:36:520:36:55

so you investigate a case of which the members of the victim are involved,

0:36:550:37:01

it becomes very, very difficult.

0:37:010:37:03

So, the family members are conspirators in the case?

0:37:030:37:06

Yes. Of course, the locations of our area, this region is huge,

0:37:060:37:11

sometimes to reach every area where these people are, is a problem.

0:37:110:37:17

Sometimes they're hiding them in their areas locally,

0:37:170:37:21

so it's difficult for us to identify those areas and find someone that's

0:37:210:37:25

been killed. We see this as a crime, serious crime.

0:37:250:37:29

I had one case of 2008, a person has been sentenced to death,

0:37:290:37:35

he is waiting his punishment.

0:37:350:37:37

In Tanzania you still have the death penalty, is that right?

0:37:370:37:40

-Yes. That's right.

-That would be for murder, would that?

0:37:400:37:43

-The person has been sentenced to death?

-Yes, murder.

0:37:430:37:45

Since 2013 we have never had...

0:37:470:37:49

How many witchdoctors have you prosecuted?

0:37:490:37:51

Four or five. I can't tell the exact number.

0:37:510:37:54

Do you know roughly?

0:37:540:37:55

I remember two or three, because I was here for the last year,

0:37:580:38:02

two or three in Mwanza.

0:38:020:38:04

Has anybody in the whole of Tanzania ever been arrested for buying the potion itself?

0:38:040:38:10

I am not very sure, to speak of...

0:38:110:38:14

Sure. In Mwanza?

0:38:140:38:16

In Mwanza, I have never experienced that since I came here.

0:38:160:38:20

There is somebody at the top who's able to afford to buy these potions

0:38:200:38:24

for thousands of dollars, people have told me.

0:38:240:38:27

What should I say?

0:38:270:38:31

It's, in most cases,

0:38:310:38:33

in most cases those who are buying those ones... this is very,

0:38:340:38:40

very difficult, as I said.

0:38:400:38:42

It's something done in a very secret way.

0:38:420:38:45

So it sounds like you had a very big problem and the attacks have now

0:38:460:38:51

reduced, so things are getting better,

0:38:510:38:52

but you still think it's an ongoing problem.

0:38:520:38:55

There are still signs of people having this

0:38:550:39:00

local belief, but education has helped us much.

0:39:000:39:04

So, we are still working on it, to make sure, to eliminate it completely.

0:39:040:39:09

Thank you.

0:39:110:39:13

It gave me a lot more faith actually that stuff is being done.

0:39:180:39:22

It was slightly difficult to push him on the higher parts of society,

0:39:220:39:28

and, obviously, there is something high up which is fuelling this trade

0:39:280:39:34

in albino body parts, but then he didn't say it didn't happen,

0:39:340:39:37

he just said he had no evidence for that.

0:39:370:39:39

The Tanzanian government has taken steps to try and tackle the violence

0:39:520:39:56

against people with albinism

0:39:560:39:57

and although there's more to be done,

0:39:580:40:00

there hasn't been a murder reported for over a year.

0:40:000:40:02

'There's definitely a concerted effort to try and improve things

0:40:080:40:11

'for people with albinism.'

0:40:110:40:12

They still feel to me like a very repressed part of society.

0:40:140:40:19

I don't think you'd get many people with albinism saying they feel

0:40:230:40:26

completely safe in Tanzania.

0:40:260:40:28

The crackdown in Tanzania seems to have driven the problem over the border to Malawi.

0:40:350:40:40

In the past two years, there have been 65 attacks on people with albinism,

0:40:420:40:47

47 attempted abductions and a spate of brutal murders which have claimed

0:40:470:40:51

13 lives.

0:40:510:40:52

I've come to Malawi to try and speak to someone involved in this recent

0:40:540:40:58

wave of killings.

0:40:580:40:59

My guide here is Overstone, president of the Malawian Albino Association.

0:41:120:41:17

-Hello.

-Hello, welcome.

0:41:210:41:22

I'm Oscar.

0:41:220:41:24

-I'm Overstone Kondowe.

-Overstone. Very good to meet you.

0:41:240:41:27

Do you know why there was suddenly this spate of attacks?

0:41:280:41:32

There are some kind of thoughts, maybe from our neighbouring countries,

0:41:320:41:37

they have made their laws very strict for the witchdoctors,

0:41:370:41:41

then they have escaped from Tanzania, they are

0:41:410:41:44

in Malawi, they are doing the trade.

0:41:440:41:46

-They've been pushed out of other countries?

-Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's what we thought.

0:41:460:41:49

Then the problem's reared its head here.

0:41:490:41:51

Emigrated to our country.

0:41:510:41:53

Overstone is taking me to a remote village in a rural region called Ntcheu,

0:41:540:41:59

two hours outside the capital.

0:41:590:42:01

I've come to meet the family of Fletcher Masina,

0:42:090:42:11

an albino man who was murdered six months ago.

0:42:110:42:14

But first, Mr Zebra, the local English teacher,

0:42:190:42:22

wants to show me evidence that Fletcher's murder was just one in a series

0:42:220:42:26

of attacks against albinos in the village.

0:42:260:42:28

-This is a graveyard?

-Yeah.

0:42:320:42:34

Gosh.

0:42:450:42:46

This belongs to a person who had albinism?

0:42:480:42:50

Yeah, that's it.

0:42:500:42:52

Right.

0:42:590:43:00

Yeah. Stealing someone who's already gone.

0:43:080:43:10

It's exactly true.

0:43:100:43:11

The targeting of people with albinism has shocked the whole community.

0:43:170:43:20

While I was looking at the open grave,

0:43:220:43:24

everybody's come out to see what's going on.

0:43:240:43:26

What are they saying to you, Overstone?

0:43:260:43:27

They are saying that they aren't happy with the killing of persons with albinism in the area,

0:43:290:43:34

especially the killing of Fletcher Masina is a very big concern to them.

0:43:340:43:39

Chikumbutso is Fletcher Masina's brother.

0:43:390:43:43

You must find it very hard to come here.

0:44:000:44:02

I'm sure.

0:44:170:44:19

And what would Fletcher have been doing here?

0:44:190:44:22

It's certainly a really, really beautiful spot,

0:44:310:44:33

but it's a long way from anything, isn't it?

0:44:330:44:37

We've walked a long way, it's very isolated.

0:44:370:44:40

And how would people have known he was here,

0:44:530:44:56

because it seems like an unusual place to find somebody?

0:44:560:45:01

And who was it who discovered Fletcher when he was killed here?

0:45:150:45:19

150 metres.

0:45:300:45:32

You said that there was some blood here and you found the body over there,

0:45:340:45:38

how was the body when you found it?

0:45:380:45:40

(Gosh.)

0:46:120:46:13

It's really...I think it's hard to put into words.

0:46:240:46:28

It's kind of like,

0:46:280:46:30

you meet the community and the family and they're basically just living a nightmare.

0:46:300:46:35

He was just sorting out his tomatoes and was killed in a brutal, brutal way.

0:46:380:46:43

Because he had albinism.

0:46:450:46:47

You know, if someone tells you don't step on the lines in the pavement

0:46:510:46:55

because of bad luck or if you break your mirror it's seven years bad luck,

0:46:550:46:59

those sorts of superstitions beliefs, you sort of have a

0:46:590:47:04

little bit of your mind which maybe thinks, maybe that is true,

0:47:040:47:08

maybe I shouldn't step on the cracks in the pavement.

0:47:080:47:12

But you'd never believe in something like that enough to allow it let you

0:47:120:47:17

kill somebody.

0:47:170:47:19

But obviously I don't have any superstitious beliefs which are as strong as the people here.

0:47:210:47:26

While superstition plays a big part in these murders,

0:47:310:47:34

there's got to be more to it than just blind faith.

0:47:340:47:36

Back in Lilongwe,

0:47:400:47:41

the chief advisor to the president has allowed me entry to the notorious

0:47:410:47:45

Maula prison.

0:47:450:47:46

I'm going to meet one of the people being held on remand for the murder of Fletcher Masina.

0:47:470:47:53

I'm finally able to go face-to-face with someone who can tell me why he

0:47:560:48:01

murdered an albino.

0:48:010:48:02

So, this is the prison?

0:48:040:48:05

Yes.

0:48:050:48:07

It doesn't look much like a prison, but this is the administrative quarters.

0:48:150:48:20

We're meeting in the deputy chief of the prison's office,

0:48:210:48:25

because they're not keen for us to see conditions inside the prison,

0:48:250:48:29

so we can't go into the cells or anything like that.

0:48:290:48:31

Hello.

0:48:360:48:37

-My name is Oscar.

-Thank you, sir.

0:48:380:48:41

My name's Herbert.

0:48:410:48:44

I guess the first question has to be,

0:48:440:48:48

why did you murder somebody with albinism?

0:48:480:48:52

And did they promise you anything?

0:48:590:49:03

And how many people were with you?

0:49:080:49:11

And they promised each of you 40 million kwacha?

0:49:130:49:16

Do you mind telling me about what happened on the day of the murder?

0:49:190:49:23

And then?

0:49:320:49:34

I met with Fletcher's brother in the garden

0:49:430:49:47

where the murder happened

0:49:470:49:50

and he explained to me that Fletcher had had different bits of his body

0:49:500:49:53

cut off. Did you see that?

0:49:530:49:56

Why?

0:50:090:50:11

Do you think it's OK to kill somebody for money?

0:50:300:50:33

So why did you do it?

0:50:380:50:41

Do you believe in witchcraft?

0:50:590:51:01

Can I ask...

0:51:060:51:07

40 million kwacha, that's a lot of money.

0:51:090:51:13

How much money as a farmer would you have made in one year?

0:51:130:51:16

So what sort of person would have 40 million kwacha?

0:51:310:51:34

Did you receive any money at all for what you did?

0:51:400:51:44

Do you know how long you're likely to be in prison for?

0:52:380:52:41

Really...

0:52:540:52:55

Really shocking, actually.

0:52:570:52:58

And what happened...

0:53:000:53:01

It's not just a murder, it's like a mutilation.

0:53:040:53:06

There were hammers and sticks.

0:53:060:53:09

You can blame Satan all you want, but, yeah,

0:53:090:53:12

maybe it is kind of work of the devil, isn't it,

0:53:120:53:14

whatever your religious beliefs are,

0:53:140:53:17

but...

0:53:170:53:19

You know, it's not like they were possessed and made to do it.

0:53:190:53:23

They did it because they thought they could get money

0:53:230:53:25

and I find that disgusting.

0:53:250:53:27

Money seems to be the driving force behind this horrific trade in human

0:53:410:53:45

body parts.

0:53:450:53:46

I think it shows that life is very cheap.

0:53:520:53:55

The value on life is much less and I guess some of that comes from a

0:53:550:53:59

culture where people die at home around people,

0:53:590:54:04

life expectancy is shorter,

0:54:040:54:06

there is less provision to deal with disease and public health is at a

0:54:060:54:10

lower level than we'd see in Western Europe.

0:54:100:54:15

And it's really sad that people are prepared to kill and it's just a bit

0:54:150:54:19

more easy come, easy go, I think.

0:54:190:54:21

The attacks on people with albinism have brought international attention

0:54:240:54:28

and a proactive government response.

0:54:280:54:31

Now the albino population is being helped in other ways.

0:54:310:54:34

Standing Voice, a UK charity,

0:54:340:54:37

provides skin clinics like this one across Tanzania.

0:54:370:54:40

So before I say goodbye to East Africa,

0:54:420:54:45

I'm finally able to put my doctor's hat on again.

0:54:450:54:48

'People with albinism have no natural protection from the sun,

0:54:590:55:02

'so skin cancer is rife and only 2% currently live beyond the age of 40.'

0:55:020:55:09

Do you have any pain in your skin?

0:55:090:55:11

It's painful?

0:55:120:55:13

'Here the dermatologists offer free consultations and use cryotherapy to

0:55:150:55:20

'freeze off any suspicious growths.'

0:55:200:55:23

He's had some cryotherapy.

0:55:300:55:32

It's going to be a little bit...

0:55:330:55:35

It was really lovely to see that family with their cute little daughter who has albinism.

0:55:400:55:45

Her skin was immaculate.

0:55:450:55:48

She's living in Africa the whole time and they've been able to access

0:55:480:55:52

the skin clinics and have been given a sunscreen.

0:55:520:55:56

She doesn't expose her skin to the sunlight.

0:55:560:55:58

So when you examine her feet...

0:55:580:56:01

The mum puts it on twice a day, every single day.

0:56:010:56:03

That is a big commitment for any parent to have to do.

0:56:030:56:07

Great shoes. Ticklish?

0:56:080:56:10

Yeah. Well done, Mum.

0:56:100:56:11

Asante!

0:56:110:56:13

Keep up the good work!

0:56:130:56:15

'After some of the horror I've witnessed here,

0:56:160:56:19

'places like this give me a tiny glimpse of the change that might be possible.

0:56:190:56:23

'It's so lovely to see the little ones because they are so innocent.

0:56:250:56:28

'They're not affected by any stigmatisation and if there is stigmatisation,'

0:56:280:56:32

they just don't understand it at that stage.

0:56:320:56:36

So they, I guess,

0:56:360:56:38

represent a massive hope for the future and hopefully by the time

0:56:380:56:43

those little children are adults,

0:56:430:56:46

East Africa would've adapted to enable them to go hand-in-hand

0:56:460:56:52

and be equivalent citizens to anybody else in the country,

0:56:520:56:56

whether they have black skin or white skin.

0:56:560:56:58

And I'm heading back to England with a different outlook.

0:57:060:57:09

I definitely feel very proud of the people with albinism in Africa.

0:57:120:57:16

I'm not in their camp,

0:57:170:57:19

very, very luckily for me,

0:57:200:57:22

but I feel that they are very brave and amazing, really,

0:57:220:57:28

how well they survive, given the pressures that are on them.

0:57:280:57:34

And I think that probably helps me to feel a little bit prouder about having albinism myself.

0:57:380:57:44

I don't have anything to fear on a daily basis,

0:57:440:57:46

unless someone doesn't like this film!

0:57:460:57:49

And I think just the process

0:57:510:57:56

of talking about it so much has been helpful to me,

0:57:560:58:00

so maybe that's a bit selfish, but

0:58:000:58:02

I think perhaps by trying to help some of the people here in Africa,

0:58:020:58:09

I've helped myself a little bit, too.

0:58:090:58:11

Just to feel a little bit more

0:58:130:58:16

confident to stand up and say, "Yes, and so what?"

0:58:160:58:19

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