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Another story from Burundi

For those following this issue, I thought you might find the following story, well, horrifying.

Published on Taipei Times
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2008/10/19/2003426387
Burundi albinos hide in fear of witchcraft
AFP, RUYIGI, BURUNDI Sunday, Oct 19, 2008, Page 6

Richard Ciza, top left, 19, and Francine, second right, 14, wait in the courtyard of a home in the eastern Burundian town of Ruyigi on Wednesday last week. They and other albinos have recently sought refuge after two albinos were recently killed and dismembered in what are believed to be ritual killings.

The 19-year-old is an albino and knows exactly what kind of death he would have suffered if the hunters had caught up with him.

“Some neighbors came to warn me that a group of killers was after me and so I ran like the wind, completely terrified,” said Ciza, who lives in Ruyigi Province.In recent weeks, Ruyigi has seen a gruesome string of murders and mutilations of albinos, whose body parts are sold to witch doctors.“People say that the body parts taken from albinos are sold in Tanzania. They put them on gold mines and that brings the gold to the surface, then you just need to collect it,” said Ciza, fear evident in his pale blue eyes.“Some fishermen also use the parts to bait large fish they think have gold in their bellies,” he said. Click on the above link for the full story.

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