Three people have been convicted in the UK over the torture of an eight-year-old girl who was alleged to be a witch. And this was not an isolated case that can be written off…
Read this shocking report from the BBC –
Hundreds of central African children living in the UK may have suffered abuse or even been killed after being accused of witchcraft, charities say.
Apparently, this is the combined result of two things : one – breakaway church groups, some of which preach a powerful blend of traditional African beliefs and evangelical Christianity – evangelical ? Christianity ? As an aside, why do break away religious groups almost always subscribe to outrageous / violent doctrines? Is this some kind of a pressure outlet machinery for those feeling repressed within the existing system?
Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction – Blaise Pascal
And second, authorities who were “ignorant” of – read ‘indifferent to’ – these happenings – these are after all, children from Africa. And yes, authorities also claimed that that did not have enough resources to tackle such a problem… Imagine such an incident involving a white child – actually do not imagine – such a thing ought not to happen to any child… anyone…
I had come to think of the term ‘witch hunt’ entirely in its figurative meaning – An investigation carried out ostensibly to uncover subversive activities but actually used to harass and undermine those with differing views – the agenda either political or personal vendetta… Usually the old story of ‘teaching the woman a lesson – putting her in her place’ – think about why in the literal sense, men are never witch-hunted… Why are only the vulnerable gorups targetted for witch hunts – women in rural areas, and now children…?
Also read : my post Which is witch, asks The Week,
More reports here – Three facing prison over torture of girl for being ‘a witch’
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I have filed this under ‘society and development’ – or lack of – I have given voice to many idle, incoherent questions going through my mind right now… what are your views on this?
how ghastly. what kind of bizarre beliefs would demand such behaviour?
I wonder how far such actions are really motivate by beliefs (religious or otherwise) and turn into opportunities for personal score-settling… was thinking about this girl – what if her aunt just didn’t want her in the house – but then the extent of cruelty to this girl is unimaginable…
Charu, seeing women as witches is a hoary old tradition, apparently all over the world. This is a kid, yes, but that’s just a detail. Like you, I wonder how much religion has to do with it, and how much it’s about settling scores or some such.
Did you see “The Crucible” or read the play (Arthur Miller)? It’s about the Salem witch trials of the 18th Century, but it’s really about witch-hunts, and Miller wrote it as a commentary on the McCarthy era. In the story, there’s a moment during the trial of one of the women where you realize that whatever she says in her defence will be used against her. She says “I’m not a witch” or something like that; the prosecutor says, “If you’re not a witch how would you know you’re not a witch?”
This is not strictly germane to your post, but I’m just rattling off the thoughts your post put in my head.
yes Dilip, and this is why in my mind, witch hunts are the equivalent of rape – power struggles taking a rather gruesome shape – especially in today’s context – which is why the first word that comes to my mind when I read ‘witch-hunt’ is ‘persecution’ –
have not read the play but have read about it (btw, Miller can be so depressing) – also interesting how the male equivalent of a witchhunt is almost always politically motivated – as with the McCarthy ‘crusade’ (having said that, weren’t some men also accused in the Salem witch hunts?)