10,000 E. African albinos in hiding after killings

AP

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In this Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009 photo, Mary Owido sits with her children Steven, AP – In this Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009 photo, Mary Owido sits with her children Steven, left, Stella, and Brayan, …
By TOM ODULA, Associated Press Writer Tom Odula, Associated Press Writer – Sat Nov 28, 5:24 pm ET

NAIROBI, Kenya – The mistaken belief that albino body parts have magical powers has driven thousands of Africa's albinos into hiding, fearful of losing their lives and limbs to unscrupulous dealers who can make up to $75,000 selling a complete dismembered set.

Mary Owido, who lacks pigment that gives color to skin, eyes and hair, says she is only comfortable when at work or at home with her husband and children.

"Wherever I go people start talking about me, saying that my legs and hands can fetch a fortune in Tanzania," said Owido, 36, a mother of six. "This kind of talk scares me. I am afraid of going out alone."

Since 2007, 44 albinos have been killed in Tanzania and 14 others have been slain in Burundi, sparking widespread fear among albinos in East Africa.

At least 10,000 have been displaced or gone into hiding since the killings began, according to a report released this week by the International Federation for the Red Cross and Crescent societies.

East Africa's latest albino murder happened in Tanzania's Mwanza region in late October, when albino hunters beheaded 10-year-old Gasper Elikana and chopped off his leg, the report said. The killing left Elikana's father, who tried to defend his son, seriously injured.

Albinism is a hereditary condition, but occurs only when both parents have albinism genes. All six of Owido's children have normal skin color.

African albinos endure insults, discrimination and segregation throughout their lives. They also have a high risk of contracting skin cancer in a region where many jobs are outdoors.

Owido, a high school teacher in the western Kenyan town of Ahero, says she was forced to transfer from a better teaching job on the Kenya-Tanzania border town of Isebania in 2008 after an albino girl she knew was murdered and her body parts chopped off.

The surge in the use of albino body parts as good luck charms is a result of "a kind of marketing exercise by witch doctors," the International Federation for the Red Cross and Crescent societies said.

The report says the market for albino parts exists mainly in Tanzania, where a complete set of body parts — including all limbs, genitals, ears, tongue and nose — can sell for $75,000. Wealthy buyers use the parts as talismans to bring them wealth and good fortune.

"Albinism is one of the most unfortunate vulnerabilities," said International Federation for the Red Cross and Crescent societies Secretary General Bekele Geleta. "And it needs to be addressed immediately at an international level."

The chairman of the Albino Association of Kenya, Isaac Mwaura, called the murders deplorable but said the killings have given albinos a platform to raise awareness.

Almost 90 percent of albinos living in the region were raised by single mothers, Mwaura said, because the fathers believed their wives were having affairs with white men.

"When I was born my father said his family tree doesn't have such children and left us," Mwaura said.

Some African communities believe that albinos are harbingers of disaster, while others mistakenly think albinos are mentally retarded and discourage their parents from taking them to school, saying it's a waste of money, he said.

Due to a lack of education, many albinos are illiterate and are forced into menial jobs, exposing them to the sun and skin cancer, he said. Those who manage to finish school face discrimination in the work place and are never considered for promotions.

"People are very blind to albinism but it is very visible. Now that we have this issue in Tanzania is when people have started to talk about albinism," Mwaura said. "Before there was a studious silence."

NEXT GENERATION OF CAPITALISM Howard Bloom on Coast to Coast AM

Multi-disciplinary scientist Howard Bloom talked about a next generation of capitalism for western civilization, and how passion, persistence and desire are key factors in transforming society. "Capitalism is part of the metabolism of the cosmos" in the way things move from nothingness and fantasy into reality, he explained.

TLC Taps Into The Afterlife With "Ghost Intervention"

New Four-Part Series Premieres on December 12 at 9PM ET/PT

(New York, NY) On the heels of what's become a national phenomenon with paranormal activity and metaphysical realms, TLC will premiere GHOST INTERVENTION on December 12 at 9PM ET/PT, a four-part docu-series that chronicles a case manager and a team of women with psychic abilities as they try to help different families who are struggling with paranormal activity in their homes.

In each hour-long episode, the women use their psychic abilities to read each of these homes, before they even meet the families who live in them. When the families actually sit down with our paranormal team, they realize that their uncanny talents are exactly what they need in order to finally find the source of psychic conflict and rid their lives of the lingering negative spirits.

Meet the team:

Sierra Campbell: As an intuitive medium, Sierra connects with spirits and allows them to communicate with her through her senses. She has been in the field of mediumship for over 14 years and continues to share her gifts with large audiences and private readings. Sierra is also a published author and producer.

Dawn Clare: A self-proclaimed "Bliss Guide", Dawn is a clairvoyant medium channeler who sees things related to a person that is more in spiritual and energy form. She is constantly getting messages from those who have passed on, and gives guidance focusing on business/career, health, personal, spirituality and wealth.

Tiffany Johnson: After growing up reading tarot cards to her friends and family and continuing through school honing her talents, Tiffany now assists other people through classes, readings and healings as she taps into New Age Spirituality and deeper studies of holistic therapy. In addition to still conducting tarot card readings and channeling sessions, Tiffany is also an ordained minister.

Raiya Davidson: Raiya acts as the case manager, where she gets historic facts about the building and background information from the families in order to provide the mediums with just the right amount of information to get them on the right track. Through many different encounters with paranormal activity from an early age, Raiya knew she had a special gift.

GHOST INTERVENTION is produced by Craig Piligian's Pilgrim Films and Television

Chinese Video Proof of UFO Landing and Extraterrestrials?

Does the video above constitute irrefutable proof that Planet Earth is being visited by intelligent beings from elsewhere: Possibly other planets if not other universes or dimensions? This UFO footage comes from the Chinese city of Luoyang and dates back to mid-2007.

The UFO images were taken by fixed security cameras monitoring a local electronics manufacturing plant. The time of the event was 3am, during the early hours of the morning. The footage was being monitored by security personnel who immediately noticed the anomalous objects in the courtyard of the factory.

The film shows a large ‘light-ship’ and possible ‘light beings’ exiting the ship.

While sceptics have claimed that this is just a flashlight there is one more piece of evidence they will have to content with: A young woman who works at the factory and was doing a shift at the time noticed a blinding flash of light through a nearby window. She then allegedly saw both a UFO in the form of a 'light ship' descend from the sky and strange 'light beings' exit the craft before returning. Shortly after, she watched the ship zoom off upwards into the morning sky. She claims she was ‘very scared’ and notified authorities of the event prior to this story receiving any publicity.

We touched base with well-known Australian ufologist, Bill Chalker, who has studied Chinese UFO events in detail, to get some answers. Mr Chalker suggested that this might show a spider at close range to the security camera lens however noted that 'this cannot be said with certainty and the presence of a corroborating witness makes this footage of real interest'.

Does this video show a UFO and aliens or perhaps ultra-dimensional beings or possibly even angels? Is it just a flashlight or a spider? You decide.

Argentina: Giant UFO Causes Commotion in Salta

THE JOURNAL OF HISPANIC UFOLOGY-- Perhaps the most chilling detail of what happened yesterday morning in Joaquin V. Gonzalez, a town of 20,000 residents considered by traditionalists as the “heart of the province of Salta” is the abundance of eyewitness accounts and the manner in which they are so perfectly synchronized with each other. This little town is also known to the ever-watchful gaze of science for the fact that its heights are regularly swept by the passing of UFOs.

The entire town – or at least those who were awake at 0200 yesterday – agree that it was hot, an unbearable heat that kept people from getting a good night’s sleep, their eyes wide open under treacherous, menacing and stormy skies. Outside, people drank cool drinks or ate ice cream hurriedly, before these were reduced to sticky confections.