Malawian Police are orders to shoot anyone attacking albinos in the latest bid to crack down on a rising wave of violence against albinos in East Africa.
According to the UN, no fewer than 15 people with albinism, mostly children, have been killed, wounded, abducted or kidnapped in East Africa in the past six months.
There is a marked increase in the violence in Malawi, Tanzania and Burundi.
UN officials said no fewer than six attacks on albinos were reported in Malawi in the first 10 weeks of 2015 compared to four incidents over the previous two years.
It said that gangs were roaming the southern district of Machinga hunting for albinos whose body parts were prized in black magic.
Tanzania has banned witchdoctors in order to stop the trade in body parts used in spells and charms claiming to bring luck, love and wealth.
However, Burundi is trying to safeguard albinos by accommodating them with police protection.
The latest order came from Malawi’s Inspector General of Police, Lexen Kachama, who instructed police to shoot any “dangerous criminals” caught abducting albinos.
“Shoot every criminal who is violent when caught red-handed abducting people with albinism.
“We cannot just watch while our friends with albinism are being killed like animals every day.
“We do realise that these people are ruthless, have no mercy and therefore they need to be treated just like that,” Kachama said.
He, however, ordered police to use weapons in proportion to the crime
A similar remark was made by Tanzania Prime Minister, Mizengo Pinda, in 2009 when he urged citizens to kill anyone on the spot if they were found with the limbs or organs of albinos.
Albino rights group have called for greater protection of albinos, saying that killing suspects was not going to deter attackers.
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