DAKAR (Reuters) - Witch doctors and security forces in Gambia have detained up to 1,000 people on suspicion of being witches, Amnesty International said on Wednesday. Police in the African country dismissed the reports as lies.I believe that this action coming from a Government in this day and age is un warranted, quite ashaming and ridiculous.Whilst this post is not about the existence/belief or otherwise in witchcraft. I believe that Governments ought to treat this issue with a bit of Civility. In Kenya the problem is worse in that perpetrators and or suspects of withcraft are often lynched by public mobs.The fact that this is based on suspicion therefore makes the practice a lethal tool to be used to discipline or settle scores with enemies whether real or perceived.But atleast no state interference is employed here! Witch craft and other forms of spiritistic practices are social problems that ought to be addresed on a socio-religious setting!
Victims have been held in secret detention camps for up to five days and forced to drink hallucinogenic substances which have killed at least two people through kidney failure, the London-based human rights organization said in a statement.
27 March, 2009
State Witchhunting in The Gambia !
Kenya has had its fair share of literal witch hunts especially in Nyanza Province, Kisii area but Gambia ha taken ift further! According to a Reuters News Item:
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Things have changed for the once revered witchdoctor. It doesn't seem that long ago when I was learning of such things like 'Maji Maji Rebellion'.
ReplyDeleteI'm angry to hear of Africans who are sooo ready to dismiss our traditional culture and readily adapt wierd western practises. The Pope came to Africa the other day and said Traditional African religion is witchcraft, and we as silly and very stupid africans we agree and start burning anyone who practices it. Arrrgggghhh what is wrong with us?????????? By Statistics Africans are dying more from "Western" diseases than the westerners themselves...do you know India and the most of Asia are introducing their traditional medicine and stuff to heal modern diseases? But silly Africans we discard the roots, fruits and herbs that kept our ancestors alive for centuries, damn we are stupid, them we wonder why 99% of the poorest world population is in Africa???? Arrrggghhh...I'm really pissed by my Brothers and Sisters.
ReplyDeletevent my sister, vent!
ReplyDeletethe pope is marketer...a competing product must be branded bad !
Lol!!!! Seems I was really pissed when I got to your post jana, woooiii pole sana Nairobian...
ReplyDelete@ mwistar.things have really changed, from most revered to most burnt,
ReplyDelete@cee , you are so welcome to air your opinion here after all this is a nairobians perspective blog!
Thanx Nairobian, keep posting wonderful stuff, and I will keep coming, both to vent and to share the Nairobi feeling
ReplyDelete