Over 200 witch doctors rounded up in Tanzania

fuad lawal

March 12, 2015 11:12 PM

Over 200 witch doctors rounded up in Tanzania as part of a campaign against the wave of murders and attacks targeted on albinos

Over 200 witch doctors have been rounded up in Tanzania as part of a campaign against the wave of murders and attacks targeted on albinos.

The operation was carried out in several regions in the East African country that saw about 225 unlicensed traditional healers and soothsayers. This operation will be extended to cover all 30 regions of the country.

The arrests comes only a few days after the President Jakaya Kikwete remarked about the attacks against albinos saying they were “disgusting and a big embarrassment for the nation”.

At least 76 albinos have been killed since 2000 for diabolical purposes with dismember body parts going for around $600 and full bodies going for as much as $75,000. Another 34 albinos have survived attacks after their body parts have been caught up with almost half that number in cases of graves of albinos being dug up.

Albinism is only a genetic and hereditary condition where a person has little or no pigmentation in their skin, eyes, and hair. There is a high number of albinos in Tanzania mostly caused by in-breeding.

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