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The
idea of witchcraft is buried deep in the psyche of those living in
the Central African Republic and every year hundreds are charged
with the practice for which the punishment is execution (although
there are no recent reports of this punishment being carried out)
however most are sent to prison with jail terms averaging about
four years. In some local prisons
about 50% of the prison population is taken up by those accused of
witchcraft. For many more it is not a police matter and villagers
take suspected witches into their own hands acting as judge and
jury. People get buried
alive and find their homes torched. One local prosecutor even noted, "I find that
sometimes sending an accused child or woman to prison offers the best solution
in protecting the person from mob violence, which often leads to death".
Instead,
organisations like the United Nations are attempting to improve the situation by
training residents about their human rights and raising awareness of legal
assistance, however such help is fairly meaningless when an accused is
confronted by an angry mob or when the courts are minded to believe the accuser
against the accused however preposterous the supposed evidence against them is. Many accuse others of witchcraft when they fall ill,
believing that they have been cursed. In all probability, however, they have an
HIV/AIDS related illness. Witch doctors flourish offering to immunize villagers against
the practice by selling 'herbal vaccinations' or charging high fees to carry out
exorcisms that normally involve the brutalisation of children who are simply
scapegoats for these normal occurrences. One ten year old recounted
his story after he was sent to live with his aunt and uncle and their children.
After his cousin fell ill, "for two weeks, my uncle beat me every single day. He
called me a witch. He said there was a beast living inside of me. In the end, I
ran away. I had a broken arm and my head was bleeding from the blows of a
machete." The child added, "I’m not a witch. I don't know what a witch is."
A human rights
worker in the country commented "Witchcraft is so widespread that campaigning to
abolish the legal recognition of the crime is pointless". The issue of
witchcraft in the Central African Republic has taken a more sinister turn of
late with increasing numbers of children being accused of the practice; some
reporting that this involves literally thousands of children. The video (below) explores Central African witchcraft in more detail.
CAR Witchcraft: Volunteer in Central African Republic
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CAR Witchcraft: Street Children
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CAR Witchcraft: Child Sponsor CAR
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CAR Witchcraft: Central African Republic Profile
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