‘Njia bora ya kupambana na changamoto zinazotukumba watu wenye ulemavu ni kuonesha uwezo wetu kwa vitendo.’ ABDILLAH OMAR ABUBAKAR

Naitwa Abdillah Omar Abubakar, ni mweka hazina wa chama cha Albino Tanzania (TAS) na pia ni mjumbe wa bodi ya SHIVYAWATA.

Namshukuru Mungu nimeoa na nina watoto watatu (3). Mke wangu ni Albino vilevile ila sio kwamba nilimuoa kwasababu nisingeweza kupata mwanamke wa aina nyingine. Ni mapenzi tu ndo yalitufanya tuoane. Vikwazo katika jamii huwa havikosi, hususani vikwazo vya kimtizamo. Kila mzazi anatamani mwane apate kilicho bora, huo ndo ukweli.

Nilipowambia wazazi wangu kua naoa na nikawatajia mchumba wangu, hawakuweka shaka kua kwanini namuoa yeye? Halikadhalika wazazi wa mwenzangu hawakuweza kuniwekea vikwazo pia. Inawezekana watu wa nje ambao sio wazazi wetu kuanza kujiuliza maswali. Hili ni swala la kawaida tu. Lakini baada ya kuoana tunaishi na jamii katika mazingira ambayo ni mazuri mno! Hatukumbani na unyanyapaa wa aina yoyote. Tunashiriki kikamilifu katika shughuli za kijamii na tunathaminiwa katika kila ngazi.

Changamoto zilizojaa katika jamii ni zile za mitazamo. Unaweza ukafika mahala, watu kwa kukuona kwamba wewe ni Albino wanadhani hata ule uwezo wa kufikiri huna. Mara nyingi kupambana na changamoto hizi ni kutumia njia ya kuonesha kwa vitendo. Kwamba pale ambapo unaona kuwa kuna kikwazo cha aina flani, basi wewe unaonesha uwezo ili kukinzana na kile kikwazo. Kwahiyo majibu yanapotokea, ushirikishwaji na kuaminika hupewa nafasi kubwa sana. Lakini naweza nikasema kwa uzoefu wangu wa maswala ya watu wenye ulemavu, nimepata kuskia na kuona mambo mengi ambapo, kama kusingekuepo na hivi vyama mimi nisingejifunza vitu vingi. Na kwabahati nzuri ndani ya familia yangu sikuwa na unyanyapaa tokea nilipozaliwa mpaka nakua. Kwahiyo mambo mengi nisingeweza kuyafahamu. Wazazi wangu waliamini kuwa mimi nahitaji kua chini yao kwa maisha yangu yote. Ispokua kutokana na kutokua na elimu nzuri ya maswala haya, kuna mazingira mengine ya malezi walionipa mimi ambayo yalikua ni vikwanzo kwangu ila hawakujua.

Moja ya ndoto zangu kubwa ilikua ni kutoka kwenye jamii na kufahamika, kutambulika na kusikika pia ili kutoa mchango ndani ya jamii inayo nizunguka. Hizo ndoto zimejitokeza ambapo kwa sasa ni kiongozi tena kiongozi wa kitaifa wa chama na vilevile kiongozi wa shirikisho ambalo linashikilia vyama vyote vya maswala ya watu wenye ulemavu. Hivyo ndoto zangu zimeweza kutimia kwa kiasi flani.

Moja ya ndoto zangu ilikua ni kutokujiangalia nilivo ila nione je nina uwezo gani katika kutenda? Kwa mfano mimi ni Albino, kwahiyo ninapozungumza sizungumzi kama albino, ila nazungumza kama binaadamu mwenye utashi na fikra.

Maoni yangu yatajikita sana katika kauli mbiu ya mwaka huu ‘Ondoa vikwazo ili kujenga jamii jumuishi’. Vikwazo vilivyoainishwa hapa ni vingi, vikiwemo vile vya kisaikolojia. Kwamba unapomwona mtu mwenye ulemavu, ukaanza kumwona kwamba si kitu utambue kua hata yeye atajiskia kua si kitu.Hali hii inawafanya watu wenye ulemavu kujiona kwamba wao si sahihi pale walipo. Hiki ni kikwazo cha kwanza kinachojenga vikwazo vingi huko mbele ya safari. Vikwazo hivi humfanya mtu mwenye ulemavu hata awapo darasani asiweze kujiona kama mtu anayeweza kusoma hivyo kushindwa kumudu vitu vingi. Katika sehemu za mjumuiko mtu mwenye ulemavu akienda kucheza dansi watu wakashangaa, atajiona kama kichekesho na sio mtu wa kawaida. Ile hali ikiendelea inapelekea kudumaza akili za watu wenye ulemavu. Kwahiyo naiomba jamii kuondoa vikwazo hivyo.

Vikwazo vingine viko katika upande wa afya; kwa mfano kundi la albino. Hawa ulemavu wao uko katika ngozi na macho, ngozi zao hazina uwezo wa kuhimili mionzi ya jua kutokana na ukosefu wa melanini. Sasa hawa watu wanaathirika na jua kali, lakini elimu ya afya kwa wazazi wanao wazaa albino kwenye mahospitali bado iko duni. Hakuna wakunga wa kutoa elimu juu ya namna ya kuwatunza watoto wa aina hiyo. Mtoto anapofikia ule uwezo wa kuona utakuta mzazi pasipokujua anamtuma achukue kitu flani ambacho yeye hakioni. Sasa asipo kileta wanamchukulia kama mjeuri, hivyo hujikuta wanamfanyia harasi sana kitu mabacho hakimpelekei mtoto kujifunza. Watu wa afya wangetoa elimu kwa jamii juu ya albino na namna ya kuishi nao katika jamii ilikusudi nao waweze kuishi kwa amani kama watu wengine.

Ukienda mbele katika huduma za mashuleni, albino wanahitaji nyezo maalumu za kukuza maandishi ili waweze kuona na kusoma kama watoto wengine. Hiki ni kikwazo kwasababu vitu hivi hakuna. Kwamfano hata kwenye maswala ya habari za kuchapishwa kama magazeti, utakuta mtu anaishia kusoma kichwa cha habari pekeake lakini hawezi kuendelea kusoma maandishi mengine maana hana nyenzo za kuyakuza. Hivyo ni muhimu sana kuwa na nyenzo za kutosha ili albino waweze kujifunza na kupata habari mbalimbali.

Mwisho; nawaomba waajiri waondoe unyanyapaa na fikra potofu linapokuja swala la ajira kwa watu wenye ulemavu. Hii itawapelekea watu wenye ulemavu kukuza vipato vyao na kujimudu wao na familia zao hivyo kujenga heshima zao ndani ya jamii.

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Statement of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights condemning “abhorrent” attacks on people with albinism in Tanzania.

Pillay condemns “abhorrent” attacks on people with albinism in Tanzania

GENEVA (5 March 2013) – The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, said Tuesday she was appalled by reports of an upsurge in attacks against people with albinism in Tanzania, and called on the authorities there to take stronger measures to halt the crimes and tackle the underlying discrimination.

“I strongly condemn these vicious killings and attacks, which were committed in particularly horrifying circumstances, and which have involved dismembering people, including children, while they are still alive,” Pillay said.

Four new attacks targeting people with albinism, three of whom were children, were documented in Tanzania in a period of just 16 days:

· On 31 January, Lugolola Bunzari, a 7-year-old boy with albinism was brutally murdered in Kanunge village, Tabora region. His attackers slashed his forehead, right arm and left shoulder, and chopped off his left arm just above the elbow. The boy’s grandfather, aged 95, was also killed in the attack as he tried to protect his grandson.

· On 5 February, a 7-month-old baby, Makunga Baraka, narrowly escaped death after armed men attacked his home in the Simiyu region. Villagers chased the attackers away and surrounded the house to protect him. The baby and his mother were taken to the police station the following morning and given temporary sanctuary.

· On 11 February, at around 2:00 a.m., Maria Chambanenge, a 39-year-old woman with albinism was attacked by five armed men, allegedly including her husband, in Mkowe village, Rukwa region. They hacked off her left arm while she was sleeping with two of her four children. The five suspects were subsequently arrested and the victim’s arm recovered. Their trial is reported to be under way.

· On 15 February, Mwigulu Matonange, a 10-year-old boy with albinism was attacked on his way home from school, and his left arm chopped off above the elbow by two unidentified men in Msia village, Rukwa region. Three men have been arrested in connection with the attack. Following the attack, the boy is reported to have asked his father to find him “a school where the bad men cannot find me and chop off my other arm.”

The killing and mutilation of people with albinism is often linked to witchcraft. Some practitioners allegedly also believe that the witchcraft is more powerful if the victim screams during the amputation, which explains why the body parts are often cut from live victims.
In addition to the Maria Chambanenge case where trials are already underway, Tanzanian police have reportedly opened investigations in two of the other three cases that occurred since late January.

However, in general, successful prosecutions are extremely rare: out of the 72 murders of people with albinism documented in Tanzania since 2000, only five cases are known to have resulted in successful prosecutions.

“These crimes are abhorrent,” Pillay said. “People with albinism have the right to start living, like anyone else, without fear of being killed or dismembered. The Tanzanian authorities have the primary responsibility to protect people with albinism, and to fight against impunity, which is a key component for prevention and deterrence of the crimes targeting this exceptionally vulnerable community,” she said. “I urge the Tanzanian authorities to strengthen their legal response to such crimes and increase their efforts to bring perpetrators of attacks and killings to justice.”

Noting that witchcraft beliefs and practices are entrenched in some segments of Tanzanian society, Pillay called on the authorities to address the issue through a multi-pronged approach.

“As well as physically protecting people with albinism, the Government needs to take a much stronger and more pro-active approach to education and awareness-raising campaigns to combat the stigma attached to albinism,” she said. She also encouraged the authorities to guarantee the victims' right to redress, and to provide them with medical and psychosocial treatment, as well as legal support.

“I am deeply alarmed by the general discrimination and social exclusion many people with albinism suffer, as a result of their skin colour, not just in Tanzania but in other countries as well,” Pillay said, noting that families of children with albinism frequently neglect their education.

Those who do attend school often suffer from severe bullying, and many are forced to drop out of school and live in poverty. This marginalization can be a contributing factor to a shorter life expectancy than that of other members of the same society: many people with albinism cannot, for example, afford simple remedies, such as sun cream, that would protect them from the increased risk of skin cancer caused by the lack of pigmentation in their skin.

“People with albinism are a group with special health needs,” Pillay said. “They are, however, perfectly capable of looking after themselves, if their societies do not marginalize them. Much more attention needs to be devoted to their predicament in Tanzania, and elsewhere.”

ENDS

For more information or media requests, please contact Rupert Colville (+41 22 917 9767 / rcolville@ohchr.org) or Cécile Pouilly (+ 41 22 917 9310 /cpouilly@ohchr.org)

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‘Kutokua na fursa katika mambo mbalimbali kinaweza kua ni kichocheo kingine cha kutufanya tusikubalike katika jamii.’ YOHANA CHACHA

YOHANA CHACHA

Naitwa Yohana Chacha ni mkazi wa wilaya ya Butiama, kijiji cha Makutano. Mimi sina familia kutokana na halingumu ya kiuchumi na mzaingira tunayoishi. Nina ulemavu wa macho na nilizaliwa nikiwa na hali hiitangu tumboni mwa mama. 

Kwakipindi kilichopita nilikua nafanya biashara ndogondogo (kioski) ila kutokana na matatizo ya hapa na pale mtaji wangu ukawa umeisha na sasahivi sina kazi kabisa.

Changamoto ninazo kumbana nazo ni kwa upande wa jamii inayotuzunguka kutokutukubali kama binaadamu kamili. Nashindwa kuelewa chanzo cha tatizo hili, sijui ni elimu ndogo ama nini?. Unajua kwa huku kwetu vijijini swala la elimu kwa jamii nikama halipo, kwahiyo wanatuchukulia sisi walemavu kama watu tulioumbwa kwa bahati mbaya au matunda ya laana.

Kutokua na fursa katika mambo mbalimbali kinaweza kua ni kichocheo kingine cha kutufanya tusikubalike katika jamii. Jamii inatuchukulia kama mzigo, hata lile ambalo ungewezeshwa ukaweza linakua ni vigumu kwa mlemavu kuwezeshwa. Namshukuru Mungu kuona mpaka leo bado nipo pamoja na mambo mengimengi niliyo kumbananayo.

Kinachotakiwa kwa jamii, ingefaa kwanza vyombo vya habari (radio, TV, pamoja an magazeti) waweze kutoa elimu kwa jamii za watu walio vijijini juu ya namna na jinsi ya kuishi na kuwathamini watu wenye ulemavu kama watu wengine. Wasitudharau, kutunyanyapaa, kutukejeli wala kututenga. Wafute mitazamo hasi waliyonayo dhidi yetu sisi watu wenye ulemavu.

Nawashauri wenzangu wenye ulemavu yakwamba tufanye ushirikiano na kutengeneza sauti ya pamoja, ili kuwaeleza jamii inayotuzunguka kwamba nasisi tunahaki na tunastahili heshima zote. Pamoja nakwamba tuna ulemavu lakini tuifanye jamii itambue kwamba hata sisi tunaweza tukatoa mawazo yakasikilizwa na tunaweza tukafanya kitu kikaonekana. Tusiwe watu tegemezi kila wakati.

Naishauri serikali isaidie katika kuielimisha jamii kuhusu maswala ya watu wenye ulemavu. Msisitizo mkubwa uwekwe kwa jamii za wanaoishi vijijini na isiishie tu mijini kama ilivo sasa. Ukizunguka katika vijiji utakuta kuna walemavu ambao hawapewi fursa yoyote, hata mgeni akifika nyumbani utakuta mlemavu anafichwa ndani. Mimi kunakipindi hali hiyo ilinikuta lakini nilipambana nayo. Serikali izunguke na kuwahamasisha wazazi wenye watoto walemavu kuwapeleka watoto wao shule. Serikali isiishie kutoa mikopo ya biashara kwa watu wazima peke yao, itambue pia kua kuna jamii ya watu wenye ulemavu ambayo ili iondokane na hali ya kuitwa ombaomba. Wakiwezeshwa wakapewa mikopo yenye masharti nafuu wanaweza kufanya kitu kinachoonekana napia wakachangia katika kulipa kodi pia.

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Kulemaa viungo hakuzuii akili kufanya kazi: YOHANA MAGAYI

YOHANA MAGAYI

Naishi katika wilaya ya Bunda mkoa wa Mara, nina mke na watoto.

Kazi yangu ni ufundi seremala fani niliyoipata katika chuo cha walemavu Yombo Dar es salaam mwaka 1985  - 1986 na pia Milongo Mwanza 1988 – 1989. Pamoja na hayo nilipata mafunzo ya utetezi wa haki za binaadamu kwa watu wenye ulemavu kutoka ICD, kwahyo mimi ni mwanaharakati pia.

Kwa mujibu wa maelezo ya wazazi wangu, nililemaa baada yakuwa nimeanza kutembea nikiwa na umri wa miaka miwili (2). Niliugua polio iliyonipelekea kukaa kwa muda mrefu na baadae kunisababishia ulemavu kwa ujumla.

Nilipata changamoto kubwa katika kuliendea swala zima la kuoa, hata yule niliyekua natarajia kumuoa kabla alishtuka kusikia kua mimi mlemavu nataka kumuoa! Alifikiri kua tutazaa watoto wenye ulemavu pia. Baada ya mimi kupata mtoto wa kwanza mwaka 1988, aliniandikia barua kwamba sasa niko tayari kuolewa na wewe kwakua sikutegemea kama ungekuja kuzaa watoto wazima. Namshukuru sana mke wangu wa sasa kwa uvumilivu tangu 1988 mpaka leo.

Swala la kuoa au kuolewa nichangamoto sana kwa watu wenye ulemavu wapo wengi wanaotamani kupata wenzi wao lakini inashindikana sababu ya ulemavu walionao. Wengine wanapata wenzi lakini jamii zao zinaendelea kulalamika kwa kuona mtu asiyekua mlemavu akiolewa na mlemavu.

Kuna vikwazo vingi katika kupambana na maisha, kwa ujumla mimi ni Mwenyekiti wa kijiji na niligombea na watu wazima wenye viungo vyao vyote, jamii ilinielewa na kunichagua kuwaongoza. Lakini bado napambana na vikwazo vingi kwasababu kuna watu wanajitokeza na kuuliza maswali: ‘Hivi watu wa jamii hii hawana akili kabisa, inawezekanaje watu zaidi ya 5000 mkakubali kuongozwa na mlemavu, hamuoni kwamba huu ni udhaifu mkubwa?’. Wakati mwingine swala la kupata kipato kwa mtu mwenye ulemavu imekua ni changamoto sana. Kwa mfano sisi tunaoishi katika mkoa wa Mara ambapo shughulikubwa ya kipato ni kilimo, kitu ambacho kwa udhaifu wetu hatuwezi. Shughuli ya pili ni Uvuvi ambayo pia ni ngumu kwetu, kwahyo unakuta kupata kipato ni ngumu sana. Nashukuru kwa kazi yangu hii ya Useremala japokua ni ngumu lakini natenda na ninapata mahitaji. Nayashukuru pia mashirika haya ya ICD na mashirika mengine ambayo tunapokutana yanatupa changamoto za namna ya kujitegemea kuliko kutegemea misaada.

Mwanzoni kabisa nilikua na fikra ya ufundi toka mwanzo na ilikua ya jadi kwasababu hata baba zangu walikua wachongaji. Baadae baada ya kuingia shule nilitamani sana kua mhasibu, lakini ndoto hiyo haikufika baada ya kukosa mtu wakuniendeleza katika masomo pamoja na uwezo mkubwa niliokuanao darasani. Kwakweli mzee wangu alipata udhaifu wa kifikra, aligoma kabisa na kusema kwamba wewe hata nikikusomesha hutoweza kwenda kokote. Namlaumu sana kaka yangu ambaye alikua Dar es salaam wakati huo. Nilimwomba anitafutie nafasi ya kurudia mitihani lakini hakuweza kutekeleza hilo. Nilipokwenda Yombo nilitegemea ningepata nafasi ya kusomea uhasibu lakini baada ya kuikosa nikaamua kujiingiza kwenye ufundi kama ndoto yangu ya kwanza ilivokua. Nashukuru kwamba leo hii inanisaidia sana kwakweli. Imenitunza na kunipa mafanikio makubwa, mpaka sasa nina watoto saba (7) na watatu kati yao wamefikia elimu ya sekondari na ninasomesha wengine hakuna mtoto ambaye amenishinda. Nimefikia malengo yangu kwakweli maana namtunza mke wangu nawatunza watoto wangu pia na sijawahi kumpa mtu kunilelea mtoto hata mmoja kati ya hao saba wote.

Naishukuru sana jamii ya kijiji ninamo ishi, mpaka kufikia kunipa hadhi yakuwa mwenyekiti wa kijiji ni jambo la kushukuru sana kwakweli, inamtizamo wa pekee kabisa, kitu ambacho hata Rais hana mtizamo huo. Naishauri jamii kwa ujumla kuwaamini na kuwaheshimu watu wenye ulemavu, kilicholemaa ni baadhi ya viuongo tu, kitu kinachofanya kazi kumudu maisha ya mtu hasa ni akili, kwahyo tunaweza tukiwezeshwa. Jamii itambue kwamba sisi ni moja kati ya jamii inayofanana nao.

Naishauri serikali kupunguza ule udumavu ilionao. Kwa mfano; kuna sheria ya watu wenye ulemavu lakini wameidumaza tu tangu ilipo pitishwa mwaka 2010 mpaka leo haijatungiwa kanuni. Mpaka tunaelekea katika katiba mpya bado sheria ile haifanyi kazi na bado sina imani kama itafanyakazi. Naishauri serikali ihakikishe sheria ile inapata kanuni na kufanya kazi. Pia walemavu wapatiwe nafasi za kujiendeleza. Nashauri pia serikali ivifungue na kuviendeleza vyuo vya watu wenye ulemavu. Kwa mfano chuo cha Milongo Mwanza kimefungwa kasababu ya kukosa walimu wakati serikali ina bajeti.

Nayashauri mashirika yasiyokua ya kiserikali kama ICD, CCBRTna mengine mengi kuongeza juhudi sababu ndio yaliyosababisha watu wenye ulemavu kutambua haki zao. Nayashauri yaendelee kupiga kelele kwakuwa ndiyo yaliyotupatia mwanga, kwakuwa serikali imeweka kabatini sheria na taratibu zote za kumpatia mtu mwenye ulemavu huduma na haki zake.

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