By Wezzie Gausi:
The Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has warned of renewed threats to persons with albinism following the desecration of a grave in Dowa District.
The commission has, in a statement, described the incident as a brutal violation of human dignity and the rule of law.
According to MHRC, unknown assailants exhumed the remains of Mausamatha Zacharia, a person with albinism, in Msakambewa area, where both arms were reportedly removed.
The development comes amid reports of the disappearance of another person with albinism in Mulanje District, raising fears of escalating attacks against the albinism community.
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MHRC Executive Secretary Habiba Osman said the incident was not only criminal but a reminder of the risks faced by persons with albinism in Malawi.
“This act represents a profound assault on human dignity and the moral foundations of our society” and “exposes the deadly persistence of myths and superstitions that continue to put persons with albinism in extreme danger, even after death”.
Osman has called on the Malawi Police Service to treat the cases as a matter of priority.
“The protection of persons with albinism is not optional,” she says.
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The Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) has supported the commission’s position.
CHRR Executive Director Michael Kaiyatsa said the grave desecration was a national disgrace that underscored stakeholders’ failure to fully dismantle beliefs that fuel violence against persons with albinism.
“When graves are violated, it sends a clear message that living persons with albinism are also not safe. This points to weaknesses in security, accountability, and sustained community education,” Kaiyatsa said.
