UN condemns ritual child killings in Tanzania

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The United Nations (UN) on Tuesday condemned a wave of murders of young children in southern Tanzania, which local media reported were ritual killings in which body parts were removed.

The private newspaper, Mwananchi, reported that at least 10 children aged between two and 10 years old had been found dead since the beginning of the month in the southern Njombe region.

“The United Nations in Tanzania offers its deepest condolences to the families and communities of children who have been brutally murdered in Njombe over the last few weeks,” read a statement.

“As the UN, we stand ready to support the government in their efforts to address the issue,” says Alvaro Rodriguez, the UN’s resident coordinator in Tanzania.

According to the Mwananchi paper, the children had their ears, tongues and sexual organs removed, with the murders linked to “superstition”.

In Tanzania, albinos are often kidnapped and their body parts hacked off for use as charms and magical potions in the belief that they bring wealth and good luck.