Posts by whrin_admin

Kenya: The truth about witchcraft at the coast

Why are old people at the coast feared to be witches?

Is there any truth behind the allegations?

KTN explores a number of contributing factors in this short clip

Watch clip here

Story of the Devil Iblis and the Jinn

In Islam, the Devil is known as ʾIblīs  or Shayṭān . According to the Quran, God created Iblis out of “smokeless fire or from the pure flame of fire” (along with all of the other jinn) and created man out of clay. The primary characteristic of the Devil, is that he has the power to cast evil suggestions into the heart of men, women, and jinn,

Iblis was proud and arrogant and considered himself superior to Adam, since Adam was made from clay and Iblis from smokeless fire. For this act of disobedience, God cursed him to Hell for eternity, but gave him respite until the Day of Judgment (Qiyāmah), after Iblis requested it. Iblis obtained permission from God and vowed that he would use this time to lead all human men and women astray to Hell as a way of revenge against them. By refusing to obey God’s order he was thrown out of Paradise and thereafter he was called “Shaytan”.

Watch video here 

South Africa: Education won’t ‘cure’ the belief in muti power

The public does not need to be “educated” against the use of muti gained through muti murders, as it simply will not work, an expert in the study of witchcraft said. 

“Be sceptical about claims that better education will reduce “belief” in witchcraft, muti, and other supernatural claims,” Afroamerican and African Studies Professor Adam Ashforth said. “After all, some educated people still believe in God.” Murder is murder, whatever the motive, he said.

Read more here 

 

Tanzania: Sumbawanga man killed over witchcraft

A Mponda villager, Sekule Mpupo (85), was beaten to death by a mob in Sumbawanga Municipality after being accused of practicing witchcraft.

A group of unknown people mobbed Mpupo’s house and broke a windowpane before jumping in to attack him.

Read more here

South Africa: Child’s alleged muti death sparks violence

The ongoing violence that broke out in Relela village outside Tzaneen after police gunned down three protesters has spilt over to neighbouring villages.

A local businessman (whose name The Star is holding back for his safety) spent a day in hiding after locals torched his house, his shop and three vehicles in Kubjana village on Wednesday night. The crowd burnt down the man’s property after a three-year-old boy was found dead in one of the cars parked at his home on Wednesday afternoon.

Read more here

Nigeria: Witchcraft phenomenon on the rise in Akwa Ibom

In Akwa Ibom State, almost every misfortune is attributed to ifot (witchcraft). Here, a migraine or a student’s poor academic performance or even poor record of sales in a business shop would most likely be traceable to ifot. Here, everyone does live in fear, and everyone is a potential suspect.

Akwa Ibom is generally believed to be among the top states in Nigeria that remained plagued by witchcraft killings. The oil-rich state assumed international spotlights few years ago with the showing of a documentary titled ‘Dispatches: Saving Africa’s Witch Children’ which was aired in a TV station in the United Kingdom. 

Read more here

Safeguarding children controlled through belief in ritual oaths, ‘child witches’, or religious and traditional practices, 2009

This document aims to highlight the key indicators which connect these practices to child trafficking
for sexual exploitation, forced labour and domestic servitude and offers practice guidance for practitioners who may work with child victims.

See full report here.

Socio-Cultural Factors Affecting Child Witchcraft Labelling Among the People of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, 2012

The study investigated Socio-cultural factors affecting child witchcraft labeling among the people of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The simple random and cluster sampling techniques were used for the selection of three hundred and fifty respondents used as sample for the study. The questionnaire and focused group discussions were instruments of data collection. Analysis was done using the frequency and percentages, correlation and multiple regression. The results of the findings revealed that there exist significance relationship between social factors and child witchcraft labeling. Cultural factors were discovered also to have influence on child witchcraft labeling. Based on the findings, it is recommended that deliberate and proactive steps must be taken to curb the excesses of the perpetrators of this evil act of child witchcraft labeling. Most of the cultural beliefs should be reframed in line with modernization.

See full paper here.

Abuse Linked to a Belief in Spirit Possession/ Witchcraft – Practice Guidance for Social Workers, August 2012

Social workers are charged with safeguarding children. It is important to be aware of the subject of abuse linked with a belief system so that cases of such abuse can be identified at the earliest possible stage. Cases of child abuse linked to a belief in spirit possession or witchcraft are not common however they can lead to extreme physical and emotional abuse and to child deaths. The cases of Victoria Climbie, Kristy Bamu and Ikpomwosa, whose torso was recovered from the Thames, were all child deaths linked to this belief system. Therefore if you believe this issue may be present it is vital to respond as quickly as possible.

See full report here.

Effectiveness of IEC interventions in reducing HIV/AIDS related stigma among high school adolescents in Hawassa, Southern Ethiopia, 2008

Misconceptions on HIV transmission and prevention, stigmatizing and discriminatory attitudes were prevalent among the adolescents. Remarkable reduction in HIV related misconceptions, stigmatizing and discriminatory attitudes were observed. Hence, campaigns using combined IEC interventions on HIV/AIDS need to be intensified to dispel some of the prevailing misconceptions and associated stigma and discrimination among school adolescents.

See full article here.

This is widgetised area:
Global Sidebar