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Africa's shameful acts of racism: the plight of persons with albinism (PLWA) in Africa
Posted on December 6, 2019 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij
It is not known with certainty how many people in Africa are affected by OCA, which stands for 'Oculocutaneous albinism' (see below). It maybe a quarter of a million, it may be more. What we do know is the plight of persons with albinism. The lack of melanin which brings this condition with it, results in unhealthy effects of ultraviolet radiation exposure. Moreover, widespread superstition causes many wicked people to believe that albino body parts bring wealth and/or power. As a result, persons with albinism are chased, kidnapped, murdered.
The article below contains many examples of these gruesome practices which occur in many African countries. The author, Edmund Zar-Zar Bargblor of the Liberian newspaper, The Daily Observer , is to be commend for drawing attention to these outdated and cruel practices which constitute a serious violation of the human rights of people with albinism and have no place in a modern society.
Warning: the following article contains graphic details of cruel ritualistic activities (webmaster FVDK).
Some of the protestors with various placards that called on the Liberian Government among other things, increase their budgetary support (Courtesy of Daily Observer, Liberia).
By: Edmund Zar-Zar Bargblor, The Daily Observer (Liberia), Webmaster Admin
Racism is the belief that a particular race is superior to another, and that a person's social and moral traits are predetermined by his or her inborn biological characteristics. On the African Continent, we have seen the impact of colonialism and its attributes of racism and discrimination.
The former Apartheid system in South Africa and its institutionalized racial segregation was an extreme expression of European treatments of Africans. The miserable treatment of people living with Albinism by fellow Africans is not only unfortunate, it is shameful.
The condition known as 'Oculocutaneous albinism' (OCA) is a genetically inherited autosomal recessive condition and OCA2, tyrosine-positive albinism, is the most prevalent type found throughout Africa. Due to the lack of melanin, people with albinism are more susceptible to the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation exposure.
The National Institutes of Health reported that about 200,000 Americans are affected; and around the world, it is between one in 17,000 and one in 20,000 people are people living with albinism. However, it is prevalence in parts of Africa, but it is far higher than the global average. People living with Albinism makeup about one in 4,000 people in South Africa and perhaps one in 5,000 in Nigeria. According to a 2006 review published in the journal BMC Public Health, the prevalence in Tanzania is one in 1,400, but this estimate is based on incomplete data. Since Tanzania's total population is more than 40 million that would suggest an albinism community of about 30,000. A census is underway, however, and the Albinism Association of Tanzania believes the total figure could be more than 150,000.
People living with Albinism suffered in the hands of fellow Africans
The human rights organization Amnesty International quoted the Malawian police's description of the gruesome murder of Mr. Machinjiri: "About four men trafficked him to Mozambique and killed him. The men chopped off both his arms and legs and removed his bones. Then they buried the rest of his body in a shallow grave."
There are superstitions in some parts of Africa that albino body parts bring wealth, power or sexual conquest, and that having sex with a person living with the condition of albinism cures HIV and AIDS. Attackers sell albino body parts to witch doctors for thousands of dollars, according to Amnesty International. In Tanzania, some 75 people living with albinism were reported killed between 2000 and 2016.
Also, there have been reports of people living with albinism killings in South Africa; although such crimes are less common there than in Malawi, Tanzania and Burundi. Last February, a South African court sentenced a traditional healer to life in prison for murdering a 20-year-old woman living with albinism.
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the UN agency that deals with human rights issues reported in 2016 that hunters of people living with albinism sell an entire human corpse for up to $75,000, while an arm or a leg could fetch about $2,000".
In many African countries, it is sad and shameful the atrocious manner in which people living with albinism are treated; their lives are compounded by "exclusion, stigmatization, and denial of basic rights such as the right to education and health," according to Amnesty International. People living with Albinism continue to experience social isolation and stigma which includes name-calling, mockery, and exclusion from certain community activities.
It is reported in Zambia that at least ten people living with albinism are murdered in ritual killings every year. Some believe their body parts bring wealth or luck. Those born with the genetic condition are calling for an end to this madness. There are more than 25,000 people living with the condition in Zambia.
Madame Janet Kakusa Wonani of Zambia, Founder/President of Light of The World Foundation. She works closely with children with Albinism in Zambia, irrespective of limited financial support.
According to the Albinism Foundation of Zambia (AFZ), Executive Director John Chiti, more than 25,000 persons with albinism in Zambia are currently in need of sunscreen lotion.
In an interview with Africa Renewal, Ms. Ero, said that the albinism situation in Africa, "is a tragedy." She referred to the 7,000 to 10,000 people living with albinism in Malawi and thousands of others in Tanzania, Mozambique and other countries as "an endangered people", facing a "risk of extinction if nothing is done." Tanzanians call people living with albinism zeru, zeru, meaning "ghosts."
Prevailing Superstitious Mindsets
Superstitious mindsets in some African countries continue to seek murdered for body parts, including infants and babies. Most of the attacks have taken place in Tanzania. Murders and attempted attacks, though in smaller numbers, have also been documented in Burundi, Kenya, Swaziland, Guinea, Nigeria, South Africa, Congo, Zambia, Namibia, Ivory Coast, and Burkina Faso.
The Converson.com conducted research and looked at media reports published between 2008 and 2011 on albinism and murders in Tanzania. It published a data set of 563 media reports in both English and Swahili from Tanzanian national newspapers.
The data showed that the Tanzanian press portrayed and explained violent attacks against persons with albinism in four ways. They were:
criminal activity,
cultural practices,
a socio-economic phenomenon,
a human rights issue.
Ms. Kway-Geer, the first Member of Parliament in Tanzania with albinism described her individual testimonials, first-hand accounts of difficulties as:
"When I was at primary school, people used to laugh at me, tease me – some didn't even like to touch me, saying that if they touched me they would get this color. People used to abuse me on the road when I took the buses to school. They would run after me – crowds of kids following me – shouting 'zeru, zeru'. (zeru, zeru, is a derogatory term).
The Conversation.com has identified the following recommendations.
There is an urgent need to address the violence faced by this vulnerable group. Public health awareness is an important first step.
Adequate health services for skin and vision disabilities should be prioritized.
Putting out messages that counter the stigma against people living with Albinism is also important, as is access to education.
Interventions must consider Albinism' human rights. For example, putting children with albinism in camps may protect their right to life and security,but it restricts their rights to freedom of movement, and family life.
In addition, African Governments should seriously advocate against harmful practices against people living with albinism. State parties should take all appropriate measures and offer support and assistance to victims of harmful practices, including legal sanctions, education, and advocacy campaign to eliminate harmful practices perpetrated on persons with albinism, such as witchcrafts, abandonment concealment, ritual killings, etc.
One thing for sure, the people living with Albinism did not create themselves; they were created in the same way you and I were created by the God who doesn't make a MISTAKE. Their birth process is the same as you and me! Their mothers' carried them for nine (9) months in their wombs before giving birth to them.
Who are we – be it an individual or government to decide that they should not live because they are different? Did God ask he needs our HELP to make His decision? The Almighty God does not need the assistance of mortal humans to run his affairs. The actions of those individuals perpetuating violence against persons suffering from albinism are no different than King Leopold II of Belgium, Adolph Hitler of Germany, Napoleon Bonaparte of France, and White racists today.
In Genesis 1:31(NIV): "God saw all that he had made, and it was very good…" God himself said it was Good, NOT bad. God doesn't create anything UGLY! So, why individuals, including governments, are killing these innocent people? In addition, 1 Thessalonians 5:22 instructs us to "Abstain from all appearance of evil." Accordingly, the GENOCIDE against these poor innocent people must be STOPPED!
Now, take a closer look at the beautiful tapestry of the people living with Albinism provided here. The question that readily comes to mind is any of you better looking than the people living with Albinism provided in these photos? I DOUBT IT! Therefore, let the persecution and killing of people living with Albinism STOP before the wrath of God descends upon us.
As Africans, it is embarrassing to read or hear that other Africans are discriminated against due to their race. Racism is contrary to God's plan for humanity. The divisions we face today in contemporary Western nations are due to Race, the color of one's skin or ethnic background. And obviously, this perception is not part of God's plan.
The Albinism Society of Kenya held a Mr. and Miss Albinism beauty pageant in Nairobi to support those with the hereditary condition. (https://www.bbc.com/news/in-pictures-46439699).
In the words of Maya Angelou: "We, the black people, the most displaced, the poorest, the most maligned and scourged, we had the glorious task of reclaiming the soul and saving the honor of the country. We, the most hated, must take hate into our hands and by the miracle of love, turn loathing into love. We, the most feared and apprehensive must take the fear and by love, change it into hope. We, who die daily in large and small ways, must take the demon death and turn it into life."
Indeed, Children living with albinism in Africa are our brothers, sisters, daughters, and sons, let us protect them always, they are all God's children as well.
Source: Africa's Shameful Acts of Racism: The Plight of Persons with Albinism (PLWA) in Africa
Posted in 2000, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2016, 2019, Adolph Hitler, Africa, Albinism, Apartheid, Belgium, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Eswatini (Swaziland), France, FVDK, genocide, Germany, Guinea, Human rights, Ivory Coast, Kenya, King Leopold II, Liberia, Liberia voices, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Napoleon Bonaparte, Nigeria, OHCHR, People living with albinism, racism, South Africa, Superstition, Tanzania, traditional healer, witch doctors, Zambia, zeru, zeru,
Botswana: Ritual killers get jail sentences (2006)
Posted on March 3, 2019 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij
By: Oarabile Mosikare
FRANCISTOWN: Acting High Court judge Modiri Letsididi sentenced two ritual killers to a total of 27 years imprisonment yesterday. The judge said Thuri Poicho and Njayi Kamuanga were under the influence of alcohol when they committed the murder. He said he had considered everything submitted on their behalf by their attorneys Charles Tlaagae and Muriro Furusa.
"Both accused were influenced by immaturity and had pleaded guilty to the charge. That show contrition and remorse on their part," said Letsididi.
He added that Poicho was a first offender and has no previous conviction. He noted that the accused persons have been in custody since August 2001 and the charge has been hanging on their heads ever since. The judge commented that the two have lost their previous employment as herdsmen as a result of the offence. He noted that the accused persons did not benefit from the ritual killing ordered by a certain Ntshemang. However, he said the court is duty bound to protect society and the sanctity of life. "This court should demonstrate to the society that such crimes should not be tolerated. Both accused persons participated in unprovoked assault of the deceased, cutting his private parts and tongue in order to gain. In my view, there is no worst crime than this," said the soft-spoken judge. He noted that Kamuanga has a previous conviction for a crime committed two months before the ritual murder. Therefore, he sentenced him to 14 years and gave Poicho 13 years for the ritual killing of Aaron Phobe.
On Monday, state counsel Keneilwe Lephalo said one Ntshemang approached the convicts and showed them a lot of money if they gave him the private parts of a human being. He promised them P8 000 for the job. They then conspired to kill Phobe and get the organs. "They assaulted him with a knobkerrie on the head until he fell unconscious on the ground. They removed his tongue and genitals and then delivered them to Ntshemang who had packed his vehicle in the bush who promised to pay them P8,000 the next day," she submitted.
The investigations led to the arrest of Poicho on August 14, 2001 at Nnyambesi cattlepost and Kamuanga at Satau cattlepost. "They were taken before a judicial officer Phetsolo Nare, where Kamuanga was the only one who deposed a confession statement. In so hitting the deceased with a knobkerrie, they intended to cause his death. They acted unlawfully and had no lawful justification for their conduct," submitted Lephalo.
Immediately after the judge was satisfied that the accused's plea was unequivocal, he asked the two defence attorneys whether there are any extenuating circumstances in the case. They adopted the same submission that P8,000 offered by Ntshemang was a fortune for their clients who are herdsmen and the amount had a bearing on their reasoning. In mitigation, Poicho's attorney Tlaagae submitted that his client was unknown in criminal circles and the court should impose a sentence that would give him a chance to rehabilitate.
"He pleaded guilty, and acknowledged to the society that what he did was morally and legally wrong. He benefited nothing from P8,000 they were supposed to be paid and they never saw Ntshemang again," submitted Tlaagae. He urged the court to impose a sentence that would not break the accused. Mitigating on behalf of Kamuanga, Furusa submitted that the court should take into consideration the personal circumstance of his client. He said Kamuanga confessed at the time of his arrest and thus saved valuable time for investigating officers and court. "He was incited by allegedly rich person to commit this crime. Ntshemang was never prosecuted and the accused has to bear punishment on behalf of Ntshemang," said Furusa.
Source: Ritual killers get jail sentences
Posted in 2001, 2006, 2019, Botswana
Lesotho: death sentence in ritual murder case (2006)
Posted on February 14, 2019 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij
The case reproduced below refers to the trial of Sepeni Popo who in 2006 was found guilty of killing a Molepolole woman, Binki Balotlegi, in what was believed to be a ritual murder. Sepeni Popo was sentenced to death.
I first reported this case – many, many years ago – on my website 'Liberia: Past & Present of Africa's oldest Republic', notably on the page 'Ritual killings in other Sub-Saharan countries: Lesotho'. The case of Sepeni Popo is one of the rare cases still available online. Unfortunately, most links referring to cases of ritual murders reported on these country pages have gone missing over the years, reason why I decided to adopt another approach on the present web site: reproducing literally the articles concerned, but with extensive reference to its origin, giving the original author and publishing house or web site all credits they are entitled to.
(Webmaster FVDK).
By: Lekopanye Mooketsi
Death row inmate fails to get Court of Appeal reprieve
The fate of death row inmate, Sepeni Popo lies with President Festus Mogae, after he failed to get a reprieve at the Court of Appeal this week. The condemned prisoner can only escape the hangman's noose if the President exercises his prerogative of mercy to save him. But Mogae, a confessed retributionist, has never pardoned a death row convict.
Popo was sentenced to death last year, by the Lobatse High Court for killing a Molepolole woman, Binki Balotlegi in what was believed to be a ritual murder. He confessed that he was promised P1,000 for the murder. Three other men who were charged with him were later acquitted and discharged of murder.
In his appeal, Popo's lawyer, Themba Joina argued that the trial judge, Ian Kirby was wrong in failing to recuse himself and that the confession statement by his client was wrongly admitted in court.
He submitted that the judge should have found extenuating circumstances and refrained from passing a death sentence. The defence wanted Kirby to recuse himself from the case because at the time it was registered, he was the Attorney General and as result he might have been an interested party. However, the Court of Appeal ruled that there was no need for Kirby to recuse himself since he did not directly deal with the case when he was Attorney General.
Joina argued that there was no evidence that Popo had been advised of his right to legal representation before the confession statement was taken. He added that the court erred in not ordering a trial within a trial before admitting the confession statement.
Joina submitted that the hand written statement was not produced in court and there was no evidence as to what happened to it. He said the original statement was the only document which could prove to the court what actually transpired when the confession was made.
The Court of Appeal ruled that that it was clear from the evidence that Popo freely and voluntarily made the statement to a judicial officer. The court was of the view that this was a particularly brutal murder and the injuries were horrible.
The court ruled that the murder was deliberately planned for a reward. In dismissing the appeal, the judges said there was no evidence to diminish Popo's moral culpability.
In his confession statement, Popo said a man asked him and his colleagues to get a baboon without fur. He said when they asked him what he meant, the man said he wanted them to find a woman's private parts for him.
Popo said each of them was promised P1,000 after delivering the goods.
He said he later arranged with his accomplices to find out what the man was looking for. He went into detail about how they found their prey.
After a drinking session, they later led a woman to an isolated spot where they brutally attacked her. Popo said after they killed the woman, one of his partners cut off a piece of her private parts.
He said they parted after the job was finished and he went to sleep. Panic struck him the following morning when he realised that his cap was missing.
"When I recalled carefully I came to the conclusion that it was left at the crime scene," he said.
The confession statement narrates what Popo did up to the time when police spoke to him, including washing his clothes to remove blood stains. He told the judicial officer about his unsuccessful attempts to get the promised payment after the mission was accomplished.
Source: Death row inmate fails to get Court of Appeal reprieve
Posted in 2006, 2007, FVDK, Lesotho, Liberia Past and Present
"It felt like a punishment": growing up with albinism in Tanzania
A must read. Though a very lengthy report that I reproduce here, it contains such a wealth of information on albinism, people living with albinism, their fears, their dangers, the measures taken by the Government of Tanzania, that I thought I must conserve it and present to you.
I will not even try to summarize it or give some sketchy details, judge for yourself.
(Webmaster FVDK)
Published: February 9, 2019 3:01AM EST
By: Human Rights Watch
Two girls play in the shade of the outer walls of the orphanage in Mwanza, Tanzania. After the orphanage started accepting children with albinism, the walls were secured with barbed wire.@2016 Sacha de Boer
Many children with albinism in Tanzania share similar stories of hardship. The "temporary holding shelters" strategy introduced by the Tanzanian government in the late 2000s may have contributed to a decline in the number of physical attacks, but Human Rights Watch observed that it led to the emergence of additional challenges.
In July 2017, Human Rights Watch interviewed 13 children and young people with albinism, aged 7 to 18 years old, and 26 other people, including family members, education professionals and nongovernmental organizations in the Mwanza, Shinyanga and Simiyu regions of Tanzania. There, we found that Tanzanian government policies designed to protect children with albinism incidentally had a negative impact on their rights to family life, an adequate standard of living and inclusive education. In order to protect their privacy and shield them from potential repercussions, the names of most interviewees referred to hereafter have been changed.
While the Tanzanian government appears sensitive to these concerns, it should now intensify efforts to reinsert children with albinism into their communities and provide them with inclusive education, while continuing to investigate and prosecute those responsible for attacking children with albinism. By doing so, Tanzania has an opportunity to emerge as a strong African leader in ensuring the safety, inclusion and dignity of people with albinism, as outlined in the Regional Action Plan on Albinism in Africa, the first-ever continental strategy to address violations against people with albinism, adopted in 2017.[1]
What Is The Best Interests of the Child Principle?
The Best Interest of the Child principle derives from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. It requires state parties to prioritize the interests of the child in any action that may impact them. This includes taking into consideration the child's own views and desires, his identity, his need for care and development and his right to a safe family and community environment. These factors should be considered altogether and balanced against one another if in contradiction. State intervention should be based on individual assessments of the particular child whose situation requires it.
Recommendations To the Government of Tanzania
Increase public sensitization efforts aimed at dispelling deadly and discriminatory myths about albinism, notably through workshops and public service announcements on radio and television, particularly in rural and isolated communities.
Ensure that all teachers in the public education system are trained to adequately provide for the specific needs of children with albinism.
Ensure that resources are at the disposal of schools to meet the specifications needed of children with albinism, notably by providing for textbooks and exams with larger fonts and assistive devices to read the blackboard.
Pursue efforts to promote the safety of people with albinism by investigating threats and crimes against people with albinism and holding those responsible to account.
Work with parents and communities to ensure the safe and orderly reunification of children with albinism with their families, with the goal of progressively dismantling the temporary holding shelters.
Recommendations to International Donors
Support projects dedicated to sensitizing the Tanzanian public to albinism and training teachers to provide for the specific needs of children with albinism in public schools.
Support the Tanzanian government in reuniting children with albinism with their families and ensuring their return to a safe, inclusive community.
Albinism in Tanzania
Lightness, a 13-year-old girl with albinism, and her family attend a Lutheran church every Sunday. Ukerewe Island, Tanzania @2016 Sacha de Boer
Albinism is a genetic condition that causes a deficit in the biosynthesis of melanin, a pigment that colours the skin, hair and eyes. While albinism is a rare condition in Europe and North America, affecting one out of about every 17,000 to 20,000 people, it is slightly more widespread in Sub-Saharan Africa, with prevalence rates of 1 in every 5,000 to 15,000 births.[2] Tanzania's 2012 national census identified 16,477 people with albinism.[3] Today, it is estimated that there are over 18,000 people with albinism in the country.[4]
People with albinism usually have a paler, whiter appearance than their relatives. The deficit of melanin can also result in low vision and an increased vulnerability to sun's ultra-violet radiation. Consequently, people with albinism living in Sub-Saharan African are about 1,000 times more likely to develop skin cancer than the general population.[5]
As noted by the United Nations Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism, "The complexity and uniqueness of the condition means that their experiences significantly and simultaneously touch on several human rights issues including, but not limited to, discrimination based on color, discrimination based on disability, special needs in terms of access to education and enjoyment of the highest standards of health, harmful traditional practices, violence including killings and ritual attacks, trade and trafficking of body parts for witchcraft purposes, infanticide and abandonment of children."[6]
In many parts of East Africa, people with albinism are targeted for their body parts, which some believe hold magical powers and bring good fortune. Traditional healers and "sorcerers" have over the years claimed that people with albinism are "ghosts" who never die but merely disappear. In 2009, the International Federation of the Red Cross reported that a senior police officer in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania's economic capital said that the body of a person with albinism could fetch up to US$75,000.[7]
Over the last decade, Under the Same Sun, a Canadian non-governmental organization working to empower people with albinism, estimates that over 200 people with albinism, many of them children, have been killed in Africa or had their body parts amputated. In Tanzania alone, the group reported that at least 76 people with albinism were killed since 2006.[8]NGOs and local groups reported that criminals have stolen bones from the exhumed remains of people with albinism.[9]
The last reported killing, in February 2015, took place in the region of Geita, in Northwest Tanzania, when men abducted a one-year-old baby with albinism from his mother and "hacked [him] to death."[10] The men were said to have hit the mother with a machete when she refused to hand over her child, an activist who was with her when she woke up at the hospital told Human Rights Watch.[11]
Faced with increased international scrutiny at the end of the 2000s, Tanzania began to mobilize resources to fight off traffickers and protect people with albinism. Local organizations told us that since 2007, hundreds of children were removed from their families, sometimes with no consultation or consent, and placed in shelters where they were effectively isolated from society.[12]
According to activists who spoke to Human Rights Watch, orders from the government to protect people with albinism were enforced by district commissioners, who oversee security in their respective districts.[13]
"There is an order from the district that says that if anything happens to [a] child with albinism, local leaders would be responsible. It something happens, the whole community will be suspected," the manager of a local organization working with people with albinism told Human Rights Watch.[14] "Because no one wants trouble in their backyard, there was a big push from the communities to send the children to the shelters."
The Tanzanian government also moved to combat impunity for ritual crimes, notably by investigating, arresting and prosecuting those who attack or sponsor attacks against people with albinism. In 2015, the Tanzanian government announced a ban on witchdoctors, which came out of a special joint task force between the police and the Tanzanian Albinism Society. As reported by the BBC at the time, then Home Affairs Minister Mathias Chikawe declared there would be a nationwide effort to "arrest them and take them to court" if witch doctors continued their practices.[15] Over 200 suspects, including some allegedly involved in killings of people with albinism, were reportedly arrested by the authorities.[16]
Ten years after the wave of killings and attacks began, these appear to have decreased because of Tanzania's protective measures and stronger response to ritual crimes and attacks against people with albinism. The temporary holding shelters, however, remain. "The shelters were emergency, temporary solutions. But 10 years is not temporary anymore," an activist for the rights of people with albinism told Human Rights Watch.[17]
Under international human rights law, children with albinism have the right to live in a family environment. Local NGOs are now making efforts to reunite children and families.[18] The Tanzanian government should do more to reunite families, to combat stigma within communities and ensure that family caregivers have the financial and social support they need to care for these children.
The government's response should be guided by the best interests of the children involved, and balance the child's protection and safety with the preservation of the family environment and the enjoyment of other rights. This is particularly important as the government has begun to send some children from the shelters back to their communities.
Separation from the family and movement restrictions
Lightness, a 13-year-old girl with albinism, in a church on Ukerewe Island, Tanzania. @2016 Sacha de Boer
Most of the 13 children and young adults with albinism Human Rights Watch interviewed described how the killings and the ensuing protection measures implemented by the Tanzanian government separated them from their families.
While in many cases, separation was a decision of the parents, five children said they were ordered to go to a shelter or boarding school by government officials (police or district education officers), with no regard for their parents' consent. Human Rights Watch was not able to confirm this assertion from their parents. Once in the shelters or special boarding schools, the children's freedom of movement was severely curtailed on security grounds.
Marco, an 18-year-old man with albinism, described to Human Rights Watch how his father had been obliged to let him go to the shelter: "When the killings and attacks happened, the government moved me to the Buhangija temporary shelter (Shinyanga region). Police officers came home and spoke to my dad but he refused to take me to Buhangija immediately because he wanted to find out more about it first. The first time, the police left without problems. The second time, they left with me."
Augustin, a 14-year-old teenager from Shinyanga who was attacked by criminals who cut his left forearms and fingers on his right hand when he was four-year-old, said the district education officer took him to the shelter when he was seven or eight. "He picked me up at a bus stand. At first, no one explained to me why I was being taken there. I was sad at the beginning because I missed my parents. It felt like a punishment. Now, I understand it was to protect me from bad people," he told Human Rights Watch.[19]
The mother of Victoria, a young woman with albinism from Shinyanga region who stayed for three years in Buhangija, confirmed that parents did not have any choice but to let their children go: "The government wrote a letter to the school Victoria was attending giving notification that children with albinism should be sent to Buhangija [shelter]. We were given a specific date and time by which she had to be there, which was two days later."
Victoria's father added: "When the government said we had to bring Victoria to Buhangija, I didn't know why. There was security here…. But I had to accept the order. I don't know what would have happened if I had refused." [20]
NGOs that promote the rights of people with albinism also reported pressure by the government on local schools and the community to send children away to the shelters, by threatening to hold community leaders and members accountable if a child who remained at home was attacked.[21] "For communities, having a child with albinism among them felt like a burden – because you have to provide protection – so the shelters were a good solution to get rid of that burden. You don't have to respond to police enquiries if something happens," a national advocate for the rights of people with albinism told Human Rights Watch.[22]
In addition, parents of children with albinism and organizations working with people with albinism told Human Rights Watch that regardless of whether children had been voluntarily or involuntarily placed in shelters, once they were under the protection of the state, they were no longer allowed to go home – even for vacations – without a letter from the village chairperson, approved by the district commissioner, guaranteeing the area's safety.[23] An NGO worker explained the process to Human Rights Watch:
Ivan, a 6-year-old boy with albinism, in his home on Ukerewe Island, Tanzania.@2016 Sacha de Boer
The parents [must] first get a letter from the chairperson of the village and then send it to the district commissioner. The chairperson's letter should say that the area is safe, that we know the child with albinism is visiting the parents. Without the chairperson's letter, the district commissioner cannot issue his own letter. Some parents complain and say that they have the right to take the children home. But they generally understand.[24]
Severin, a 14-year-old boy with albinism, said he never went home on vacation while he lived in the shelter. "Once in Buhangija [shelter], we were told we needed a letter to be allowed to go home. My parents didn't try to get the letter. I felt bad not to be with my family during the vacations because I missed them," he said.[25]
The parents of Victoria, a young woman with albinism who stayed for three years in Buhangija, who have university degrees, said it was easy to obtain such a letter from the authorities. "When the parents are bringing the letter, it assures the school that there is full security in the family and in the village [for children with albinism]," the mother said. "We wouldn't have been allowed if we had tried to bring [our daughter] home for good. It was impossible to come out of Buhangija [shelter] without permission. There was full security."[26]
A representative of an international NGO sponsoring the education of children with albinism told Human Rights Watch that these restrictions also apply to children who have been moved out of shelters and into private schools under their sponsorship program.[27]
As a result of the government's restrictions, some children had not been home for several years, and some were no longer in contact with their family. In one case, Lucy, a 12-year-old girl with albinism, told Human Rights Watch at the time of the interview that she had not seen her mother in two years and did not know where her family was:
I was 6 years old when I got to Mitindo [shelter in Mwanza]. My mother brought me there because she saw the thieves [people attacking children with albinism] and so she took me to the [shelter]. I was left there alone by my mother and I felt sad because she said she'd come back but did not. She came back only once I went [to a private school, where I am being sponsored by an international NGO] in 2015. She came only for one day to ask who was paying my school fees and asked whether they could pay for my brothers too. I don't know why she hasn't come back. We don't get to speak on the phone. I don't have her number. So I don't know about my mother and brothers right now.[28]
According to representatives of local organizations working with people with albinism, another reason why some children placed in shelters no longer see their family is because their parents left no records of where they came from, and tracing the family after several years is difficult.[29]"When some parents brought their children to the shelters, some didn't leave any contacts and in other cases they did but the phone numbers don't work," a local NGO worker told Human Rights Watch.[30] A staff member of another NGO said the temporary holding shelters had become akin to orphanages: "Parents took advantage to drop their kids there. Some children with albinism have been there for four or five years now without seeing their parents."[31]
The separation from family exerts a heavy emotional toll on young children with albinism. Peter, an 18-year-old man who stayed at the Buhangija for eight years, said his brother was the only one visiting him. "I didn't want to come [to the shelter]. I was too young. I used to cry all the time. I was a child, I missed my mother, my grandmother and my sister," he told researchers. "Only my brother would come to visit. I did speak with my mother however, maybe once a month by phone. I felt good talking to her but I missed her."[32]
Despite the difficulties children with albinism face in the shelters, some, including Severin, said they saw advantages in living among other people with albinism: "My parents did not come to visit at Buhangija. But it was good to be with other children with albinism because we felt we had a right to stay in the world."
To protect children with albinism from physical attacks, a number of shelters and boarding schools have enforced drastic security measures that deprive children of their freedom of movement.
In July 2017, Human Rights Watch visited Buhangija, a former boarding school for students with disabilities transformed into a temporary holding shelter for children with albinism in 2009. At the time of the visit, 226 children were living in the shelter, out of whom 142 were children with albinism (the others were deaf or blind children attending the inclusive school located next to the shelter). At the shelter, Human Rights Watch researchers observed a barren compound made up of five dormitories surrounded by tall walls topped with barbwire.[33] Children with albinism who attend class walk about 100 meters to the school. The rest of their free time is spent within the compound, which has no recreation space or trees to provide for shade, useful in helping people with albinism shield themselves from the sun.
"My first impression of Buhangija was that it was so difficult because we were staying in [the shelter] for the whole day and I'm a very mobile person. So I first felt very bad but as days went by, I got used to it," Marco, an 18-year-old who left the shelter in 2017 told Human Rights Watch.[34]
The principal of a secondary boarding school that caters to children with and without albinism in Mwanza region told Human Rights Watch that the movement of children with albinism is restricted even beyond the temporary holding shelter, and in the case of his school, because it lacks resources to adequately protect them outside the compound: "The main challenge with people with albinism is protection and safety," he explained. "I've been asking since last year for one district policemen to be on site at night but there isn't enough [district]money to do that. So, we talk to those students and discourage them from walking around alone, especially at night."[35]
A 15-year-old girl with albinism attending that secondary boarding school said they are not allowed to leave the dormitories: "The environment here is not good. We are not allowed to stay outside because the school doesn't have enough security. Classes usually finish at 2:15 p.m. and we have to be in our dormitories by 2:40 p.m."[36]
NGOs have reported that children with albinism living in these shelters are progressively being sent back to their communities.[37] While this is important progress, it is essential that the process of reinserting children in their communities complies with the best interests of the child principle. Authorities should ensure that the views of children and their families are taken into account, that children have access to education in their community, and that the community has protection systems in place.
Such consultations did not take place in the case of Mariam, a seven-year-old girl from Simiyu region, who was reunited with her 85-year-old grandmother. "After she was removed from Buhangija, the government forced me to take care of Mariam because her mother and father are not providing for her, "recalled the grandmother." This happened without the government consulting me beforehand…. They just dumped the child on me."[38] Mariam does not attend the local school because, her grandmother said, she could not afford to buy textbooks.
Stigma and bias in the community
Lightness, a 13-year-old girl with albinism, says that sometimes she would like to be invisible. Ukerewe Island, Tanzania. @2016 Sacha de Boer
Eight children with albinism interviewed by Human Rights Watch recounted how they experienced stigma and bias in their communities, including name-calling.
Josefina, a seven-year-old living with her grandparents in the Shinyanga region, for example, said other children call her "Mbuliwmelu," which means "white goat" in the local Sukuma language. "When that happens, it makes me feel sad and very angry, but I stay silent," she said.[39]
In the Simiyu region, the grandmother of Mariam, a seven-year-old young girl with albinism, said Mariam frequently faced similar experiences:
Most people have a negative perception of Mariam because of her color. They don't even want to welcome Mariam in their home. If they see her, they'll see her colour and will see that if she spends too much time in the sun she has sores. If she plays, they fear blood will come out of her. They call her "Mbulimwelu". Mariam is always sad when they call her like that, and sometimes she locks herself in the house and starts crying. In those cases, I just leave her alone.[40]
In some cases, parents have rejected or attacked their own children. Twelve-year-old Lucy, for instance, now lives at a private boarding school after receiving a scholarship from an international NGO. Choking on her tears, she said her mother told her that her father abandoned her prior to sending criminals to try and kill her: "My mother told me that my father refused me. I don't want to go back [to my hometown] because it is my father who sent the thieves to get me."[41]
Despite efforts by the government of Tanzania and NGOs to sensitize the general public in recent years, progress remains fragile, especially in rural areas, where people with albinism continue to face stigma and the rejection of their community and, at times, their own families. This can lead to poor self-esteem among young people with albinism, and difficulties in finding work opportunities later in life. An 18-year-old man with albinism told Human Rights Watch in Shinyanga region that he thought people like him have a harder time at finding work: "My life would definitely be different if I was not a person with albinism. If you have a black skin, you have many more opportunities. You can do the physical work, whereas person with albinism have to be careful because of their skin."[42]
But, as the parents of four children with albinism pointed out, not all communities and families reject children with albinism. "When I had my first child with albinism, I was happy and thought this was normal. My family was happy too and if they weren't, they didn't let it show," their mother said.[43] "It is the choice of God. God is giving. We should agree with them, be close with them," their father added.[44]
Barriers to education
On his first day of school, students ran away when Sabato, a ten-year-old boy with albinism, walked into the classroom; they thought he was a "ghost." The government then sent an education officer to the school to address the issue, but some children still do not want to sit too close to him. Ukerewe Island, Tanzania. @2016 Sacha de Boer
"People with albinism don't get education," a community organizer with albinism told Human Rights Watch.[45] "Firstly because of their low vision. Teachers don't know how to deal with that. Secondly because [of lack of] interaction [with others]. There is teasing in school. People with albinism face a lack of interaction with local community. People see us as bad people. They see us as people who can't contribute because of our bad education or lack of education," he added.[46]
Ensuring a free, safe and dignified access to education is key to upholding the fundamental human rights of people with albinism and to combatting the stereotypes and stigma that continue to expose them to mistreatments and fatal risks.
Children with albinism face a range of barriers impeding their access to education.
Many families of children with albinism for instance are unable to enroll them in school because they lack sufficient income, or fear that having them walk to school may expose them to dangers.[47] The grandmother of Mariam, the seven-year-old girl with albinism, said she is ready to go school but that she doesn't have the resources to send her. "I wish for Mariam to become a doctor or a teacher. I don't want her to be a wife. But it costs money to buy books and everything."[48]
Children with albinism may also face health risks at school due to their sensitivity to the sun. Laura, a 15-year-old student at a public secondary school, told Human Rights Watch that despite efforts to train teachers on the needs of children with albinism, the school still put the health of children with albinism at risk: "This school is not good. They force us to do activities in the sun. Teachers can also punish you if you say you can't do activities in the sun. They caned me three times and it was very painful."[49]
In addition, children with albinism do not always get the inclusive education they should be entitled to. In that respect, the existence of the temporary holding shelters and other special boarding schools, while providing safety and an opportunity to attend classes, promotes segregation and denies children the opportunity to learn with their peers without albinism and to feel included in their communities. As 12-year-old Lucy explained to Human Rights Watch, "It was not nice to only be with children with albinism because we stayed without difference – we must mix."[50]
Children interviewed by Human Rights Watch also said that schools sometimes fail to provide children with albinism with appropriate accommodations for their low vision.[51] This would include assistive devices, such as magnifiers, enlarged printed material, writing in large letters on the blackboard, and seating children with albinism in the front of the classroom.
Gloria, a 14-year-old student with albinism who wants to become an engineer and build airplanes said she had different experiences in public and private schools: "Before, I was going to a public school. I didn't like it there because there was no good care. In class, the teachers would be writing with small letters on the blackboard. I'd ask them to make the letters bigger, but they'd say that they can't," she told Human Rights Watch. "[The private school] was better. They wrote with big letters on the board – it was easier for me to follow the classes and get good grades." [52]
Some public schools are taking positive steps. The principal of a Mwanza region public secondary boarding school that caters to the general public as well as to several children with disabilities and children with albinism told Human Rights Watch: "There is no segregation. All students are taught together. We have many special education teachers and they are all trained by the government. I insist that children with albinism sit at the front row and that the teachers write with big letters on the blackboards and that exams and other exercises are printed with big font for them," he said. Yet, the resources are scarce: "We get some equipment from the ministry, but not enough. We have no monoculars [to help children with albinism see the blackboard], for instance." [53]
Lawrence is a shy nine-year-old boy who attends public school and his father is very proud of him. "When we took him to school for the first time, teachers were very aware of albinism, maybe they had been trained," Charles said.[54] "The only challenge Lawrence faces is his vision. Sometimes he has difficulties reading the blackboard [but] he gets support from the teachers and sometimes they explain or move him to the front. Lawrence does very well at school and sometimes is at the first position."[55]
It is important that all teachers be familiarized with the specific needs of students with albinism and that the schools be provided with adequate resources to ensure they can achieve their full educational potential. More efforts are also needed to sensitize family-members and communities about albinism, to ensure that children with albinism in Tanzania can thrive both inside and outside the classroom.
[1] Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, "Regional Action Plan on albinism," https://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Albinism/Pages/AlbinismInAfrica.aspx(accessed January 25, 2019).
[2] United Nations General Assembly, Report of the Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism, Ikponwosa Ero, A/HRC/37/57/Add.1, January 18-March 23, 2018, para. 12, https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G17/364/15/PDF/G1736415.pd… (accessed January 25, 2019).
[3] Tanzania's last national census took place in 2012; Ibid, para. 15.
[5] Lekalakala, P., Khammissa, R., Kramer, B., Ayo-Yusuf, O., Lemmer, J. and Feller, L., "Oculocutaneous Albinism and Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Skin of the Head and Neck in Sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of Skin Cancer, August 12, 2015, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4549604/ (accessed January 25, 2019).
[6] Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, "Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism," https://www.ohchr.org/en/issues/albinism/pages/iealbinism.aspx(accessed January 25, 2019).
[7] International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, "Through albino eyes, The plight of albino people in Africa's Great Lakes region and a Red Cross response," 2009, p.5, https://www.ifrc.org/Global/Publications/general/177800-Albinos-Report-E… (accessed January 25, 2019).
[8] Under the Same Sun, "People with Albinism and the Universal Periodic Review of Tanzania," undated, para 3, https://uprdoc.ohchr.org/uprweb/downloadfile.aspx?filename=2699&file=Cov… (accessed January 25, 2019).
[9] AFP, "Albino attacks drop in Tanzania, but grave vandalism rises: NGO," News24, November 16, 2017, https://www.news24.com/Africa/News/albino-attacks-drop-in-tanzania-but-g… (accessed January 25, 2019).
[10] Nicola Bartlett, "Albino baby hacked to death in Tanzania's latest witchcraft related death," Mirror, February 18, 2015, https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/albino-baby-hacked-death-tanzan… (accessed January 25, 2019).
[11] Human Rights Watch interview with community activist (pseudonym), Tanzania, July 2017.
[12] Human Rights Watch interview with representatives of three NGOs working in this field, names withheld, Tanzania, July 2017.
[13] Tanzania is a republic made up of 31 regions and 169 districts. Each district operates a security committee, headed by the district commissioner, in charge of enforcing laws.
[14] Human Rights Watch interview with NGO workers, names withheld, Tanzania, July 2017.
[15] BBC NEWS, "Tanzania bans witchdoctors over albino attacks," BBC, January 13, 2015, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-30794831(accessed January 25, 2019); David Smith, "Tanzania bans witchdoctors in attempt to end albino killings," The Guardian, January 14, 2015, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/14/tanzania-bans-witchdoctors… (accessed January 25, 2019). The practice of witchcraft has been against the law since the 1928 Witchcraft Act, https://mtega.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Witchcraft-Act-Cap18-as-ame… (accessed January 28, 2018).
[16] BBC NEWS, "Tanzania albino murders: 'More than 200 witchdoctors' arrested," BBC, March 12, 2015, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-31849531 (accessed January 25, 2019).
[18] "Just Kids 2016/2017 – The girl with the white skin", video clip, YouTube, February 13, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQZgW8DUCs0 (accessed January 25, 2019).
[19] Human Rights Watch interview with Augustin (pseudonym), Tanzania, July 2017.
[20] Human Rights Watch interviews with A.Y. and Z.M. (pseudonym), the parents of Victoria (pseudonym), Tanzania, July 2017.
[23] Human Rights Watch separate interviews with representatives of three NGOs working in this field, names withheld, Tanzania, July 2017; Severin (pseudonym), Tanzania, July 2017; and A.Y. and Z.M. (names withheld), Tanzania, July 2017.
[24] Human Rights Watch interview with NGO representative (pseudonym), Tanzania, July 2017.
[25] Human Rights Watch interview with Severin (pseudonym), Tanzania, July 2017.
[26] Human Rights Watch interviews with A.Y. and Z.M. (names withheld), parents of Victoria, Tanzania, July 2017.
[28] Human Rights Watch interview with Lucy (pseudonym), Tanzania, July 2017.
[30] Human Rights Watch interview with a representative of one NGO working in this field (pseudonym), Tanzania, July 2017.
[32] Human Rights Watch interview with Peter Mwanzi (pseudonym), Tanzania, July 2017.
[33] Human Rights Watch interview (pseudonym), Tanzania, July 2017.
[34] Human Rights Watch interview with Marco Ndimo (pseudonym), Tanzania, July 2017.
[35] Human Rights Watch interview with A.M. (pseudonym), Tanzania, July 2017.
[36] Human Rights Watch interview with J.P.M. (pseudonym), Tanzania, July 2017.
[37] Jesse Mikofu, "Children living with albinism start reuniting with families," The Citizen, March 20, 2018, https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/News/Children-living-with-albinism-start-re… (accessed January 25, 2019).
[38] Human Rights Watch interview with K.M. (pseudonym), Tanzania, July 2017.
[39] Human Rights Watch interview with Maria (pseudonym), Tanzania, July 2017.
[43] Human Rights Watch interview with A.Y. (pseudonym), Tanzania, July 2017.
[44] Human Rights Watch interview with Z.M. (pseudonym), Tanzania, July 2017.
[45] Human Rights Watch interview with L.A. (pseudonym), Tanzania, July 2017.
[47] Human Rights Watch interview with NGO workers (pseudonyms), Tanzania, July 2017.
[49] Human Rights Watch interview with Laura (pseudonym), Tanzania, July 2017.
[51] Human Rights Watch separate interviews with Gloria (pseudonym), Tanzania, July 2017; and Laura (pseudonym), Tanzania, July 2017.
[52] Human Rights Watch interview with Gloria (pseudonym), Tanzania, July 2017.
[54] Human Rights Watch interview with Charles (pseudonym), Tanzania, July 2017.
Source: "It Felt Like A Punishment": Growing Up with Albinism in Tanzania
Posted in 2006, 2007, 2009, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, Dar es Salaam, FVDK, Lake Victoria, Mwanza region, Shinyanga region, Simiyu region, Tanzania, Tanzania voices, Ukerewe Island, Under The Same Sun
Liberia: Rise in ritual killings prompts president Sirleaf to pledge security crackdown
Posted on January 27, 2019 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij
On numerous occasions Liberian leaders have publicly denounced the ritual murders that take place in the country. We can mention President William Tolbert (1971-1980), Gyude Bryant (Chair of the Transitional Government after the Second Civil War, 2003-2006) and President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (2006-2018). The fact that the presidents Samuel Doe and Charles Taylor were not so outspoken on this subject, certainly not in public, has special reasons……..
The article below on Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's warning and reaction does not constitute the first and only time that she denounced the phenomenon of ritualistic killings in her country. More on it at a later stage.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf says increase in ritualistic killings and armed robbery are threatening security
By: The Guardian
Liberia's president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, vowed on Thursday to crack down on those responsible for a rise in ritual killings in the West African country as it seeks to emerge from the shadow of an Ebola epidemic.
In some areas of central Africa, body parts are prized for their supernatural powers and are used in black magic ceremonies. Local media have reported at least 10 related murders in Liberia in the past few months. (Italics added by the webmaster, FVDK).
Johnson Sirleaf said in a speech: "We are witnessing the rise in what appears to be ritualistic killings and armed robbery in the country, thus threatening our security."
"I am instructing the security forces to rigorously enforce the law to the letter and bring this ugly situation under immediate control."
It is not yet clear why ritual killings are rising and Johnson Sirleaf offered no explanation. Some residents have speculated that presidential hopefuls seeking to replace Johnson Sirleaf when her final term expires in 2017 are using black magic to boost their chances.
Liberia was declared Ebola-free for the second time in September after reporting more than 4,800 deaths but its economy is struggling to recover.
Johnson Sirleaf said in the same speech she would seek to boost power supply and access to electricity and build additional infrastructure in the last two years of her term.
Source: Rise in ritual killings in Liberia prompts president to pledge security crackdown
Posted in 1971, 1980, 2003, 2006, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, Charles Taylor, Ebola, elections, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, FVDK, Gyude Bryant, Liberia, Liberia voices, Samuel Doe, Second Civil War, William Tolbert
South Africa: Suspect in Witbank muti killing dies in police custody
Posted on June 20, 2018 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij
Muti murder in Clewer, near Witbank, South Africa – suspect dies in police custody
BY NALEDI SHANGE –
Published on 22 March 2018 – 10:44
One of the men implicated in the killing of an elderly woman in Clewer near Witbank has died in police cells' said Mpumalanga police.
"The remains of a 65-year-old woman were found at Clewer near Witbank. Three men have been arrested in connection [with this]. However one of them collapsed and died while in police custody. An investigation is underway'" said Brigadier Leonard Hlathi.
Further details on how the suspect died were not immediately available.
The victim' believed to be Aletha Maree' had been reported missing after her home was burgled on February 25' said the SA Crime Community Watch group.
"Many aspects however are leading us to believe that it will most likely be [the remains of Maree] that were found some nine kilometres from where SACCW earlier recovered some personal belongings of the missing person where a large search then took place'" spokesperson Maureen Scheerpers said last week.
DNA tests were being conducted to verify the identity of the remains. Maree was believed to have to been killed as part of a muti ritual. Maree is one of three people from Witbank who have recently been killed in what is believed are muti-related killings.
Source: Sowetan Live, March 22, 2018
Witbank, renamed eMalahleni in 2006 is a city situated on the Highveld of Mpumalanga, South Africa. The name Witbank is Afrikaans for White Ridge.
Witbank was renamed eMalahleni in 2006.
Posted in 2006, 2018, Clewer, eMalahleni, muti, South Africa, Witbank


text:
Q: Perl WSDL11 Can't Make it to Work on WSDL with XML import I am a newbie to Perl programming.
In order to learn accessing a soap service, I tried to create a soap client that can connect to this in which I was successful to use the web service.
Now, I migrated my code to connect to my company's soap service but I encountered a problem.
"The error says that their were no port_type and no operation as well."
See code snippet below.
#!/usr/bin/perl

use 5.018;
use strict;
use warnings;

use Data::Dumper qw{Dumper};
use XML::Compile::SOAP11;
use XML::Compile::SOAP12;
use XML::Compile::WSDL11;

my $WsdlUrl;
my $WsdlXml;
my $SoapSrvc;
my (%SoapOps);

$WsdlUrl = "http://maxcavmes04/CamstarExternal/camstar.svc";
$WsdlXml = XML::LibXML->new->parse_file($WsdlUrl);
$SoapSrvc = XML::Compile::WSDL11->new($WsdlXml);

print Dumper(\$SoapSrvc);

foreach my $SoapOp ($SoapSrvc->operations())
{
    # XML::Compile::SOAP 2.x
    if ($XML::Compile::SOAP::VERSION > 1.99)
    {
        $SoapOps{$SoapOp->name}
            = $SoapSrvc->compileClient(operation => $SoapOp->name,
                                       port => SOAP_PORT_TYPE);
    }
    else  # XML::Compile::SOAP 0.7x
    {
        $SoapOps{$SoapOp->{operation}}
            =  $SoapSrvc->compileClient(operation => $SoapOp->{operation},
                                        port => SOAP_PORT_TYPE);
    }
}

print "\n\n";
exit(0);

Investigating it further why it won't work, I use a 3rd party software called .NET WebService Studio. I realize from the returned of the WebService Studio that my company's Soap service uses two WSDL file through WSDL:Import.
I would like to ask from this community of how I can modify my program in order to have access to company's soap service using WSDL11.
I have also attached the dumped data of the soap service connection as reference through print Dumper(\$SoapSrvc) statement.
Link:
Dumped_SoapSrvc Data

A: A cause can be that XML::Compile::WSDL11 doesn't load xsd's referenced from a wsdl file. You have to download your wsdl file. Read it to find references to external files like . Download referenced files check them for references... When you have everything you can use it like this:
my $wsdl = XML::Compile::WSDL11->new();
$wsdl->importDefinitions("first.xsd");
$wsdl->importDefinitions("second.xsd");
$wsdl->addWSDL("my_service.wsdl");

It would be easier to diagnose the problem if you post the wsdl file.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Home » News » Auto » Royal Enfield Opens Flagship Store in Seoul, South Korea
Royal Enfield Opens Flagship Store in Seoul, South Korea
Last Updated: April 20, 2019, 12:59 IST
The logo of Royal Enfield. (Image: Reuters)
In South Korea, Royal Enfield will be selling three motorcycles –Bullet 500, Classic 500 and the Himalayan.
Royal Enfield has announced its entry into South Korea, with Vintage Motors (Kiheung International) as its official distributor-partner in the country. The iconic British motorcycle manufacturer arrives in Korea with its first flagship store in Seoul at Hannam-daero 42-gil, commencing its full operation, including after sales, spares and service. This strategic announcement is in line with Royal Enfield's focused international thrust of expanding the global mid-sized motorcycle segment (250-750cc).
Commenting on the launch of Royal Enfield at the store in Korea, Vimal Sumbly, APAC Business Head, said, "Our focus is to sustain and expand our reach in International markets especially in Asia Pacific region. Royal Enfield has seen consistent growth in the APAC region with a 20% year-on-year growth. Korea is an important chapter in the growth story and we are thrilled to commence business here. We fully committed to focus all our energies on becoming part of the fabric of this country's rich motorcycling culture."
Commenting on his plans for the market, Pablo Lee Jr., CEO of Kiheung Motors, said, "We are honoured to partner with Royal Enfield and bring their passion for motorcycling to customers across Korea. Royal Enfield motorcycles will offer Korean two-wheeler riders an opportunity to upgrade to a robust long-distance, leisure riding culture with its modern-classics machines that are brilliant for long rides on the highway at the same time perfect to commute in heavy traffic in the city".
Royal Enfield has grown consistently and profitably in the last decade from selling 50,000 motorcycles annually in 2010 to selling over 826,000 units in 2018, with a 16 folds growth. Royal Enfield sells through a network of over 850 stores in India and over 540 dealerships internationally in 50+ countries, and 38 exclusive stores in nodal cities like London, Paris, Madrid, Sao Paulo, Milwaukee, Bogota, Buenos Aries, Dubai, Jakarta, Bangkok, HCMC and now Seoul, to name a few.
Royal Enfield 500
Royal Enfield Bullet
royal enfield bullet 500
Royal Enfield Classic 500
Royal Enfield Korea
Royal Enfield Seoul
Royal Enfield South Korea
first published:April 20, 2019, 12:59 IST
last updated:April 20, 2019, 12:59 IST

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The U.S. is the major consumer of silica aerogel, and its demand is expected to grow significantly during the forecast period.
According to a recent report available from Research and Markets, the worldwide market for silica aerogel is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 31.1% through 2022. North America accounted for the major share of the global silica aerogel market; the U.S. is the major consumer of silica aerogel, and its demand is expected to grow significantly during the forecast period. Extensive R&D work on silica aerogel by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is reportedly propelling this growth. NASA used silica aerogel for the MARS rover mission, due to its light weight and superior thermal insulation solution. In addition, NASA is working to reduce the manufacturing cost of silica aerogel and make it viable for commercial purposes.
The global silica aerogel market is witnessing significant growth due to superior thermal insulation, lighter weight, and more environmentally friendly properties, as well as a large base of end-use applications. In addition, silica aerogel is a potential substitute for conventional insulation materials.


Our miracle starts with prayer and ends with prayer. Jesus Himself was a man of prayer when He lived on earth.
The Bible advises us to pray without ceasing and to ask and receive. If we do not ask, we will not receive. So we start with prayer and persist until we experience our miracle. We also end with a prayer of thanksgiving.


text:
The Comey Hearing is Damning, Just Not for Donald
Sam Mire, June 9, 2017 1:11PM
There are no two-ways about it: former FBI Director James Comey's testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee all but buried the already paper-thin narrative that Donald Trump and his associates colluded with Russia in order to win the election.
As we know, this is not the end of the narrative. I'm not so naïve as to believe CNN and MSNBC will allow facts and sworn testimony to dash their ratings-driven fairytale.
But for those who do consider and form opinions based on factual, first-hand accounts, Thursday's hearing cleared Donald Trump of many baseless charges. Further, it exposed revelations regarding the co-mingling of political agendas and FBI operations and the lack of basic journalistic standards by the American news media that are alarming in their grander implications.
Here's what we learned.
Donald Trump was never under FBI investigation
The president had, prior to Thursday's hearing, stated on at least three occasions that he was assured by then FBI Director Comey that he was not the subject of an investigation regarding collusion with Russia.
That's right; there was not enough evidence, not even an inkling of credible suspicion, to pursue an investigation into Trump's alleged ties to Russia.
Here's an excerpt of the exchange between Comey and a Senate Intelligence Committee member:
Member: "I gather from all this that you're willing to say now that while you were director the President of the United States was not under investigation, is that a fair statement?"
Comey: "That's correct."
Member: "So that's a fact that we can rely on?"
Comey: "Yes sir."
If that is not crystal-clear enough (it is), another member of the committee asked essentially the same question, in her own wording:
Member: "I'm trying to understand whether there was any kind of investigation of the president underway."
Comey: "No."
Before claiming total innocence, there is still the possibility that Donald had his underlings do his dirty dealings with Russia, and that he would plausibly protect them from investigation to whatever extent possible, therefore insulating himself from being implicated.
It's true, Trump admitted to "hoping" that former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, who was under investigation, would not be charged. The exact quote from Trump, according to a memo Comey took of the conversation:
"I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go. He is a good guy. I hope you can let this go." (CNN)
As has been pointed out, nobody has ever been prosecuted for "hoping," and for Donald Trump to advocate for a man he had high regard and respect for is not unusual, and certainly not criminal.
In fact, Comey revealed that President Trump actually encouraged the FBI to investigate his "satellite associates" for any evidence of wrongdoing:
'Mr. Comey's testimony also makes clear that the President never sought to impede the investigation into attempted Russian interference in the 2016 election, and in fact, according to Mr. Comey, the President told Mr. Comey "it would be good to find out" in that investigation if there were "some 'satellite' associates of his who did something wrong."' (WaPo)
In conclusion, Donald Trump was never deemed worthy of inquiry by Director Comey and the FBI, even encouraging thorough investigation into any of his associates. These investigations have yet to reveal evidence of collusion.
There is no evidence of Russian involvement in the 2016 U.S. election
This has been stated periodically by even members of the left, including those leading the frantic, torch and pitchfork wielding mob calling for Donald's impeachment, preferably his head if they can get it.
To this point, there is no evidence of Russian interference in the U.S. election. None. Not a trace.
Forget the fact-deficient report released that spoke of some ambiguous "influence campaign." We are talking evidence, tangible connections that would support the twisted logic that continues to drive the Trump/Putin Best Friends Forever storyline.
Once the Russia interference narrative got going, and the FBI began investigations, did they experience pressure from the President-elect to stanch such inquiries, as a guilty man likely would?
Let's ask Jim, why don't we?
Member: "Did the president, at any time, ask you to stop investigations into Russian involvement in the 2016 U.S. elections?"
Comey: "Not to my understanding, no."
And, during those investigations, was there ever any sign that Russians had in fact sabotaged Hillary to help install their alleged puppet?
Member: "Are you confident that no votes cast in the 2016 presidential election were altered?"
Comey: "I'm confident. When I left as director I had seen no indication of that whatsoever."
Yet your news feed remains clogged with Trump/Russia stories. Which leads me to…
Unprecedented lack of journalistic standards led to the publication of false allegations
The February 14th edition of the New York Times contained a story which posited that Trump aides had contact, on a repeated basis, with Russian intelligence officials. This report was based upon the accounts of four anonymous "current and former American officials," and went so far as to claim, "phone records and intercepted calls" corroborated these allegations. You can read the entire piece here, but it's probably not worth your time.
I say it's not worth your time, because Comey testified that the story was, essentially, made up. Fake news, if you will.
It is a prime example of the use of anonymous source accounts and quotes as the primary basis for a news story, a journalistically and generally unethical practice. It is irresponsible on the most basic level. Anonymous sources are a tool that any real journalist knows should be used only as a last resort and even then in exceptional cases.
The logic is clear: somebody unwilling to attach their name to a comment, particularly an allegation of nefarious activity against a president, has no incentive to be truthful. There are no ramifications to fabricating or simply lying, as nobody, possibly including the reporter, knows your true identity.
Yet, these masked "American officials" were relied upon by the New York Times to publish allegations that Russians and Trump had employed extensive electronic surveillance as part of their supposed collusion against Hillary Clinton.
And, as it turns out, they were lying:
Member: "That report was not true, is that a fair statement?"
Comey: "In the main, it was not true…the people talking about it often really don't know what's going on, and those of us who actually know what's going on are not talking about it. And we don't call the press to say 'hey, you got this wrong about that sensitive topic.'"
What is the public to think? How are we to know which "anonymous source" to trust? How do we even know this "source" is real? Remember Stephen Glass?
We can't know what is true and what is 'fake news,' and that's why the media has taken such a deserved credibility hit.
Now that Comey exposed the story as materially false, the New York Times has released this statement:
"The original sources could not be reached after Mr. Comey's remarks."
Read into it what you will, but you probably should not read the New York Times if you want verified, truthful news.
It was former Attorney General Loretta Lynch that put pressure on Comey to downplay the Clinton E-mail investigation
There is a consistent irony in many of the narratives that the left has used to defame Donald Trump. That irony being that, many times, Trump is eventually exonerated, and the left is exposed as engaging in the activity they accused the President of.
Add this to that list of ironies: Amidst an investigation which partly concerns allegations that Donald Trump pressured Jim Comey in order to influence an investigation, it was revealed that former Attorney General Loretta Lynch, an Obama and Clinton loyalist, did just that.
Lynch's infamous tarmac meeting with Bill Clinton was concerning to Comey, he said. But it was her insistence on downplaying the significance of the investigation into the DNC e-mail scandal that revealed the extent of her partisanship:
Comey: "at one point the attorney general asked me not to call it an investigation, but instead to call it a matter, which confused me and concerned me… it gave me the impression that the Attorney General was looking to align the way we talked about our work with the way a political campaign was describing the same activity, which was inaccurate, we had a criminal investigation open."
Comey acknowledges that this was questionable now, but at the time, he did as she asked. She was the Attorney General, but she was appointed by and loyal to a particular political party, and her partisanship should not have been a factor in the decision-making of the FBI Director.
Which is another reason Comey was not fit to continue as the FBI's Director. Once politics pervades the veil of the FBI, all bets are off regarding personal and national security.
But there's an even stronger reason that Comey's dismissal was justified…
Comey, the Director of the FBI, was the source of a leak from the FBI
That's right, the man who has referred countless times to the need for security of information, investigated a server in the name of protecting said sensitive information, and is generally charged with maintaining the security of the Bureau, leaked a memo himself.
I'm not sure if it's unprecedented, but it is certainly immoral, regardless of the rationale.
He describes transcribing a memo of the conversation in which President Trump said he "hoped" that the Flynn investigation would cease, giving the memo to a friend, who in turn gave it to a New York Times reporter.
He says he did this as part of an effort to get a special counsel appointed in order to investigate the Russia connection further.
Yet, he is now testifying under oath that he never felt there was interference from the Executive Branch into the Russian investigation, and no evidence of collusion. So what could have been so pressing, so vital to national security, that Comey would be willing to violate ethical standards and divulge details of a private conversation with the president to a reporter?
We can't read minds, but Comey has proven vulnerable to political pressure (i.e. the Loretta Lynch "matter" request being honored), and everybody knows that Comey has been at the center of political strife for months.
Regardless of his motive, an FBI director admitting to being one of the many anonymous sources that go against basic standards of ethics and accountability is a dangerous precedent.
Comey, toward the end of his testimony, gave us one more insightful and unequivocally factual nugget of truth:
"The FBI will be fine without me."
Yes, Mr. Comey, yes it will.
Sam Mire writes about US politics and US foreign policy for TrigTent.


Shadoweyes has no time for holiday spirit!
somebody asked me if Christmas or Hannukah or other real-life holiday celebrations along those lines exist in Scout's universe, and i did consider that when i drew this picture, but i figured this is just a joke drawing and not "canon" so to speak, so whatever, heh. it's a good thing to think about, though; i figure if various holidays, both religious and secular, exist in Scout's world, Christmas would be the most likely one because the real life commercialization of the holiday seems like it would fit right in with Dranac. i thought maybe it would be funny if there were multiple Christmases each year, like Christmas 1 in March, Christmas 2 in June, Christmas 3 in September, then regular Christmas in December, people stressing over shopping and family stuff all year. since Dranac is supposed to be a miserable place it seems at first like maybe there should be NO Christmas, but i feel like multiple Christmases would be way more miserable than none (and maybe to make sure schoolkids feel the misery, they don't even get the holidays off from school).
all that said, i think if i actually ever deal with this in the comic, i'd probably have no holidays at all. even though a super-commercialized Christmas-type celebration would be fit well in Dranac, i think i like the idea of a given year in Dranac being uniform and the same throughout, no special occasions, no holidays or commemorative days, maybe even no summer vacation (i imagine the weather in Dranac pretty much the same all year, too).


text:
Melanatria madagascarensis é uma espécie de gastrópode  da família Thiaridae.

É endémica de Madagáscar.

Referências
  Brown, D.S. 1996.  Melanatria Madagáscarensis.   2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.   Dados de 7 de Agosto de 2007.

Fauna de Madagáscar
Melanatria

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


During daylight hours, the SuperLux concept video plays on a large screen at the south (podium) end of the Customs House Atrium, highlighting smart light art triumphs from artists featured in the SuperLux book.
Five screens of videos highlight recent triumphs of urban lighting as featured in Davina Jackson's new book SuperLux: Smart Light Art, Design and Architecture for Cities (Thames & Hudson, 2015). Each video highlights a key genre: Architectural Light, City Screens, Transit Scenes, Metroscapes, and Festivals/Fantasies.
German writer Thomas Schielke's chronology of notable light architecture spectacles, from early civilization to now. Included are the stained glass windows of La Sainte-Chapelle in Paris (1248), the glazed tiles of the Taj Mahal in Agra (1653), and electric lighting of the Wrigley Building in Chicago (1921) and the De Volharding building in The Hague (1928). Recent triumphs using electro-luminescent systems include early compact fluorescent lamps dotting the curved Kunsthaus in Graz (2003), the Green Pix facade in Beijing (2008), and the Bay Lights bridge spectacle in San Francisco (2013).
Dramatised images of early electric and recent digital lighting for iconic towers. Included are the Eiffel Tower (1889), the Singer Building in New York (1908), solar-powered, LED-lit towers at Sydney's Olympic Boulevard (2000), the Agbar Tower in Barcelona (2005), Dexia Tower in Brussels (2006) and 828 metre-high Burj Khalifa in Dubai (2013).
Photographic panels and a video of international performances in the new art genre of 3D architectural projection mapping. Since what in 2000??, the heritage sandstone facade of Customs House – and its digital model based on 3D laser scans – has been a favourite 'canvas' for precisely projected video spectacles by experts including The Electric Canvas and Spinifex.


So why do agents hold open homes? IAHomes can help you shopping for or promoting a house on the market by owner or realtor listed. "Good" in the sense that they probably already dwell in the space, know the area (you do not have to sell them on why your school district is better than the other one, etc), and know after they see a effectively priced property.
"80% of For Sale By Owners end up itemizing with knowledgeable; 10% promote on their own 10% decide to not promote. In either case, the prospect that an open home will join you to a agency purchaser is slim, nonetheless you can nonetheless use your own home as a part of your profitable sales strategy.
House homeowners can choose to make the repairs, thus enhancing the property's worth, or supply the home as is. Providing the home as-is will drive away many consumers, however this supply along with an inventory of identified repairs will show that the home owner is honest relating to its situation.
The common person doesn't have sufficient information or experience to leap by all of the hoops in the shopping for and selling of real estate or actual property akin to homes and land. Foreclosures in Utah are creating an financial boon for entrepreneurs, who need to start a business as brokers and investors require providers to clean or trash-out properties seized by lenders.
The seller and buyer cannot each save the fee. What can my purchaser do to deal with the wants of this vendor?" The negotiator uses this information to meet the vendor's needs as much as attainable, which in fact will help to facilitate the sale.


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The new La Strada per CABIRIA and Cabiria Autumn Winter 2015 Collections are Here!
The new collections are here! Following a soft launch with a successful pop-up sale in Chicago, and a fantastic NYFW charity fashion show to benefit Care for the Homeless and Susan's Place Women's Shelter in New York City, we have officially launched the La Strada per CABIRIA and Cabiria Autumn/ Winter 2015 collections.
Please explore the website and our ecommerce site for more details and gorgeous photos. In the meantime, I will leave you with this image: Lydia Hamilton, owner of Boutique Larrieux in Milwaukee, WI, wearing our Claudia in Berry Herringbone with Oprah Winfrey.
I hope you like it all!
Rather than stage our own fashion show this Fashion Week, Cabiria is taking part in a great group show to benefit Care For the Homeless here in NYC. We'll be on stage with Monif C, and Sofistafunk, and showing pieces from the new Cabiria and La Strada per CABIRIA collections.
If you can come tomorrow night, September 4th, it will be at Reflections Center for Conscious Living, 250 West 49th Street, reception and doors at 6:30pm, and show at 8:00pm.
You can buy the very reasonably priced tickets, starting at $20, at www.careforthehomeless.org. All proceeds benefit Care for the Homeless, and is presented by the Care for the Homeless Leadership Council.
I look forward to seeing you there! In the meantime, I'm hustling to get the photos finished from our photo shoot, and the new collections launch!


MYTH – the feet are the best place to apply essential oils because the feet have the largest amount of pores to absorb the essential oils.
This is a MYTH because chemicals or ingredients are primarily absorbed into the body through the epidermis, not by entering through the sweat glands (invisible pores) or hair follicles (visible pores).
So neither the size or quantity of pores in the skin actually determine how much of a topically applied product is absorbed.
You will notice pores are not mentioned.
That is because the function of pores (aka follicles) are the openings in our skin where a hair comes out, and dead cells, sebum exit. Pores are primarily exits, not entrances. Not for products, ingredients, or chemicals – even essential oils – to enter.
What about our sweaty feet – they aren't (thankfully) hairy – don't we have the most pores in our whole body on our feet?
No. Feet have a lot of sweat glands (250,000 each) which are different from pores like we see on our face, for example.
So the question – do products applied topically get absorbed through the sweat glands?
So so summarize – how does dermal absorption work?
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