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Another story about life for people with albinism in Burundi

Albinos under Burundi police protection welcome Napoleon (age 1 week)

28 Oct 2009 09:18:00 GMT 28 Oct 2009 09:18:00 GMT ## for search indexer, do not remove
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Source:
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) - Switzerland
By Alexis Manirakiza in Ruyigi, Burundi
Website:
http://www.ifrc.org

Reuters and AlertNet are not responsible for the content of this article or for any external internet sites. The views expressed are the author's alone.



The picture shows Napoleon Ahishakiye, an albino baby born on Thursday 15 October 2009 and as far as anyone knows the first albino birth in a shelter, with his 18-year-old albino mother, Emelyne Banteyineza. (Photo: Alex Wynter/IFRC) (p-BDI003) Napoleon Ahishakiye, a healthy boy, was born on Thursday 15 October 2009 - as far as anyone knows the first albino birth in one of the shelters still scattered around the eastern Burundian province of Ruyigi, near the border with Tanzania.


After the occult-based killings began here in August last year, the Ruyigi local authorities had to resettle 60 albinos in secure locations the police could guard.
And there at least 20 remain, including Napoleon's albino mother, Emelyne Banteyineza, 18, who sits in the shade next to her grandmother, Candide Ntawenganyira, who is black and estimates her age at "about 70".

Emelyne has seven siblings, including one other albino. Candide, whose own parents were black, says she puzzled for a while about the sudden emergence of albinism in the family, then decided "it's God's will" and dismissed the issue.
Candide, whose Kirundi name translates as "I have no one to take my worries to", is clearly too delighted with her new great-grandson to think much about the shadowy albino-hunters - working for big-money buyers in Tanzania, most Burundians believe - who have killed 12 people in Burundi and caused the displacement of many others in several provinces.

To read more go to: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/fromthefield/218536/125672168994.htm

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