10,000 East African albinos in hiding after killings for their body parts

News Type: Event — Seeded on Sat Nov 28, 2009 6:08 PM EST

Article Source: Yahoo! News

NAIROBI, Kenya – The mistaken belief that albino body parts have magical powers has driven thousands of Africa's albinos into hiding, fearful of losing their lives and limbs to unscrupulous dealers who can make up to $75,000 selling a complete dismembered set.

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{"commentId":10930469,"authorDomain":"luckydog"}

luckydog

How awful.

{"commentId":10930469,"threadId":"734483","contentId":"3559297","authorDomain":"luckydog"}

3 votes

#1 - Sat Nov 28, 2009 6:09 PM EST

{"commentId":10931139,"authorDomain":"asomatous"}

asomatous

For some reason, i find it very difficult to believe that this story is true... if it is, then it is an awful thing indeed

{"commentId":10931139,"threadId":"734483","contentId":"3559297","authorDomain":"asomatous"}

1 vote

#2 - Sat Nov 28, 2009 7:17 PM EST

{"commentId":10931166,"authorDomain":"beamerab3"}

Al 616

It's true. There's some kind of animistic "religion" where people believe they can gain magical powers by eating body parts of exotic animals. I'm not surprised that it has extended to people.

{"commentId":10931166,"threadId":"734483","contentId":"3559297","authorDomain":"beamerab3"}

2 votes

#2.1 - Sat Nov 28, 2009 7:19 PM EST

{"commentId":10931915,"authorDomain":"schmittyj"}

SchmittyJ

That's horrible...

I'm just thinking though, I think I've ever only seen maybe one albino African person in my whole life... 10,000 of them all together? Strange... given the frequency of albinism in humans, this figure would have to represent every last person with any type of albinism in the whole region...

Either way, it's an awful story...

{"commentId":10931915,"threadId":"734483","contentId":"3559297","authorDomain":"schmittyj"}

1 vote

#2.2 - Sat Nov 28, 2009 8:26 PM EST

{"commentId":10932057,"authorDomain":"jimmyjamm93442"}

Jim420

SchmittyJ, I was thinking the same, based on the rate in the U.S. *1 in 17,000, less than 200,000 total in US, however rates are higher in african countrys, in Tanzania, the rate is high as 1 in 1400 with a population of 40 million, this amounts to 30,000 in Tanzania alone plus other african countrys where the rate is more like 1 in 4500.

{"commentId":10932057,"threadId":"734483","contentId":"3559297","authorDomain":"jimmyjamm93442"}

1 vote

#2.3 - Sat Nov 28, 2009 8:39 PM EST

{"commentId":10932263,"authorDomain":"SecretaryTheThird"}

Secretary-1424191Deleted

{"commentId":10942939,"authorDomain":"MrBates"}

greatwhitenigerhunterDeleted

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10,000 East African albinos in hiding after killings for their body parts

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