On a fact finding mission, Chineme Okafor journeyed into some remote villages around Abuja where twins are sacrificed to gods because it is considered a taboo to be born a twin in such communities, though the Scottish missionary to Nigeria, late Mary Slessor led a crusade that stopped the barbaric act decades ago.Read more here.
According to the Human Sacrifice and Trafficking Task force statistics for the year 2010, a total of 14 ritual murders, including nine children were registered in 2010. Read more here.
The State Government is giving final shape to a legislation which will take on the bizarre practice of witchcraft, widely prevalent in the rural pockets and is growingly seen as a crime against women. The law proposes punishment not only for those who perpetrate severe atrocities on the “witches,” but also on those who prescribe it through various means. Read more here.
NUWAKOT: Masini Tamang, 35, was brutally beaten up by villagers for allegedly practicing witchcraft at Lachyang VDC in Nuwakot. They tied her and beat up from Monday morning to the next evening.
Villagers had blamed her of casting magic spell on a local Suklal Tamang. Read more here.
JAMSHEDPUR (JHARKHAND): A woman died in an attempt to appease the goddess while two women were killed allegedly for practicing witchcraft in separate incidents in adjoining West Singhbhum district, police today said. Read more here.
Incidents of muti killings are said to be on the increase in Kavango Region, where the Namibian police have arrested four people in connection with an incident in which 36-year-old Kantana Kasian Ndonga was killed, allegedly to harvest body parts for medicine. Read more here.
North Bougainvillians came out in force today to demand an end to Sorcery-related killings. At a forum organised by the North Bougainville Human Rights Committee (NBHRC) in Buka today at Bel Isi Park , several hundred Bougainvillians met to condemn the recent beheading of Helen Rumbali, accused of sorcery, and to demand an end to the murder of innocent women. Full press report here.
The research paper analyzes the phenomena of witch-hunting in Nepal and India within the broader context of violence against women. Considering the case studies, in Nepal, it is found most of the incidents have occurred in the Terai region and the victims of witchcraft allegations have been mostly women from the marginalized, poor and ethnic communities. In India, women from tribal communities and widows have been targeted. It is generally seen that causes behind this specific type of violence are superstition and belief in witchcraft reinforced by the presence of people like shamans and witch-doctors and their influence on illiterate (and often
fatalistic) communities. This reseach also explores other underlying causes of witch hunting in these countries. See full article here.
A lot of Nepalese women fall victim to accusations of witchcraft and are tortured despite the fact that the accusations are based on superstition. Belief in witchcrafts has prevailed in the underdeveloped and developing countries since ancient times and it is always women who are considered as the practitioner with supernatural powers (i.e. the negative energy that can hepatize the man, animals and other living things and responsible for making them ill or even killing them). It is the result of religious practices and the mentality of the society that it is the women who are always accused. Despite the arrival of the 21st century, the community views towards women has not changed yet and still they are vulnerable to being accused of practicing witchcraft and being tortured by members of their own community. Mostly widows and the elderly with low economic status, especially those who belonged to so called lower caste of Dalits and other marginalized communities are accused of witchcraft. Some people in the Nepalese society continue to believe that the magical powers of these women are responsible for the infirmity of the people.
This report carried out by Human Rights Asia, discusses the continuing abuse of women accused of witchcraft, calling for the Nepalese government to establish a law which would never let any person to accuse the women on such a way where she is not only tortured in the name of tradition but also loses her dignity.
Please click here to see the full report
A report carried out by the Asia foundation discussing the limitations of domestic legislation to combat against witchcraft accusations in Nepal. In the absence of a dedicated witchcraft bill that removes any ambiguity regarding punishment of perpetrators and provides victims with concrete legal backing for protection and justice, the following article calls for closer coordination and information flows between state and non-state agencies in continuing to combat this heinous practice. Full report here.
