CONTENTS | ANB-BIA HOMEPAGE | WEEKLY NEWS
by J.-D. Mihamlé & H. Yonkeu, Cameroon, March 1999
THEME = HUMAN RIGHTS
There exists in central Africa a form of "apartheid"
which is not apparent but which is always present.
It's to do with albinos i.e. those black Africans with white skins
Writing in the Cameroonian weekly, The Patriot (17 August 1998), the president of the World Association for the Defence of Albinos' Interests and for Ensuring Solidarity Among Albinos, says: "Muslims kill their albino children at birth. We didn't find any trace of albinos in the northern part of Cameroon where Islam is strong". The albinos with their white skins, red hair and bad eye sight, are being eliminated physically for different reasons. An important Cameroonian Muslim confided: "They are accursed and could pass on their affliction to their family". However, he was careful not to base himself on the Koran.
According to popular belief in Central Africa, the "Nguenguerous" (as they are called in Cameroon), are born in that condition because their mothers had sexual relations during their menstruation period. And at the second congress of the Albinos' Association held recently in Yaounde, the president of the Chadian Albinos Association said: "In Chad, some ethnic groups eliminate the albinos by secret practices. The birth of a human being in this situation is described as a birth of a "false" i.e not real person, and is a sure sign that some sort of punishment is to befall the family".
The same refrain was heard from Mrs.Ngoua, president of The Gabon Association for the Rights of Albinos. She stated: "In Gabon, the "Indondo" (a public insult name) are victims of many prejudices".
All these prejudices give rise to many social problems.
"People avoid me in the street", says Equebey Bertrand, a Chadian (20), and a student at Ndjamena's Felix Eboué College. "Some people spit, pull their hair, or pinch their noses as a means of averting any bad spell I may cast. Even taxi- drivers drive away when I come along".
Stephanie Ngoua, is from Gabon, and a first-year medical student in Libreville. She can never forget what happened to her during her third year at school when one of the teachers made no bones about considering her to be a phantom. Then there's Mrs.Monica Ango (35), a Cameroonian albino. She's adamant that if her mother hadn't given her all the love any mother gives her children, she wouldn't be alive today. She says: "Some people didn't even consider me to be human. If mother hadn't truly loved me, she could have "arranged" an accident in the home whereby I burnt to death".
Finally, there's J.B. Enguene, Cameroon's Miss Albino-1998, who has this to say: "Men who flirt with me and say "sweet things" to me, are'nt really in love with me. They only want to profit from me, to bring them good luck. Also, some people say the hair and nails from albinos bring good luck, so obviously we're a much sought after "commodity"."
Dr. Etame is a medical sociologist who teaches at the Faculty of Medicine, Yaounde University. The Professor says this about albinos: "Because they look different, they're outcasts, and this gives rise to suspicion and misunderstandings". Professor Aquarion of the Faculty of Medicine in Marseille (France) and a specialist in the albino condition, says: "Albinos are entirely human. They're not the result of some supernatural fate. They're simply human beings who have a hereditary congenital abnormality, due to the lack of melanin pigment in the blood. This condition is not the preserve of black people. It can be found in any race".
Aware of society's hostility, albinos world-wide, inspired by Jean- Jacques Ndoudoumou (Cameroon), formed themselves into a non- governmental organization called The World Association for the Defence of Albinos' Interests and for Ensuring Solidarity among Albinos (ASMODISA), with its headquarters at Yaounde, Cameroon. This was in October 1996. Its main aims are: to create and promote a spirit of solidarity and mutual assistance between albinos themselves; and to list their problems and possible solutions.
ASMODISA has already achieved some results. In August 1998, it organised in Yaounde a National Forum On The Education of Young Albinos, and a National Albino Week. ASMODISA's second congress, held in January 1999 in Yaounde, showed that the challenge of integrating albinos into society, is progressing. "There are also non-albinos among our members", says its president with pride.
Awareness campaigns are absolutely necessary if albinos are to be truly integrated into society, as there is a real "apartheid" on this question, in people's minds.
END
CONTENTS | ANB-BIA HOMEPAGE | WEEKLY NEWS
PeaceLink 1999 - Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgement