Child Sacrifice in Uganda

Ugandan witch doctors sacrifice thousands of children
Mark Colvin ("ABC," October 20, 2011)

MARK COLVIN: A week ago, the BBC broadcast a shocking story from Uganda about widespread child sacrifice. As a result of an undercover investigation, it said many cases were not being followed up by the police, and little was being done to protect potential victims.

The reporters spoke to a witch doctor who offered to kill a child for them to bring luck to a construction project.

Peter M Sewakiryanga is director of Kyampisi Childcare Ministries in Uganda, which helped with the investigation.

He's in Australia to draw attention to the child sacrifice problem, and he spoke to me this afternoon.

PETER M SEWAKIRYANGA: Many people in Uganda have come to believe that when you sacrifice a child to evil spirits you get blessings, you get wealth, you get protection of some kind.

And there are many people involved in witchcraft, who are called witch doctors, who have been going on telling people that you need to sacrifice to be able to succeed in life.

MARK COLVIN: How many children get kidnapped and used in this way?

PETER M SEWAKIRYANGA: Last year we had reports of over 9,000 children (inaudible) lost and that is based on the United States human rights report. And unfortunately the most number of these children never get to be found and it's been come to our attention that most of them have been victims of child sacrifice.

Because people do it in such secrecy, it's very hard to find them dead until you find decapitated bodies of children with ritual stuff that is around them; others are castrated for ritual, you know castrated completely, others are mutilated, others are just cut heads off and remove body organs out of their bodies, and others you will never find them.

We did an investigation with the witch doctors, an undercover investigation, and we found out that 100 per cent of all those involved in witchcraft are willing to give child sacrifice as the best remedy for a problem that is going to bring success to business, it's going to protect business.

MARK COLVIN: So the people who buy this service, they think they're going to get good luck and good health, do they?

PETER M SEWAKIRYANGA: Yeah, they think they're going to get good luck, good health, they're going to get rich because there's a big number of people that are poor and they're going to get rich.

And the rich people want also to protect their wealth.

MARK COLVIN: Uganda is in many areas a Christian country. Are these people both practising both Christianity and witchcraft sort of side by side?

PETER M SEWAKIRYANGA: You will find that the biggest, we have a very, very big number of people that believe in witchcraft. Uganda is …

MARK COLVIN: So it's possible to go to church on Sundays and believe in witchcraft the other days of the week?

PETER M SEWAKIRYANGA: Most people that are practising witchcraft don't believe in god.

MARK COLVIN: Has this been happening for a long time or is it a relatively new phenomenon?

PETER M SEWAKIRYANGA: It's come very highly in the last couple of years and it's a very complex phenomena. It's become very high now in the last four, five years.

MARK COLVIN: It's an extraordinary phenomenon because Uganda during that period has been growing quite fast and people have a lot more technology, mobile phones, computers, that sort of thing.

It's extraordinary to imagine that witchcraft should be so strong in those circumstances.

PETER M SEWAKIRYANGA: Yeah we have heard also foreign people coming into the country like from Tanzania. Those people that believe in the killing of albinos, that they'll get wealth.

And so any witch doctor that crosses from Tanzania to come to Uganda, they are allowed to announce on radios that they are going to offer the best spiritual power.

MARK COLVIN: They're allowed to advertise on the radio?

PETER M SEWAKIRYANGA: Yes, they are allowed to advertise on the radio.

MARK COLVIN: For killing albino children?

PETER M SEWAKIRYANGA: No, no, no to offer evil spiritual success or solutions to problems and once people go there is when they are brought into the practice of child sacrifice.

MARK COLVIN: So you're campaigning against it in Uganda, what are you hoping for by campaigning here? What can Australians do?

PETER M SEWAKIRYANGA: Back in Uganda we have tried to ask the government to look up the child protection laws. We have asked the government to bring all pending cases in court to a logical conclusion so that justice can prevail.

But that has not happened and why we are making this an international campaign is to ask people to sign petitions, to show the government that the whole world is behind this campaign, is asking you to bring all these pending cases in court to a logical conclusion, to ask the government to look at the child protection laws.

They can look at them and this petition to help bring justice and protect children.

MARK COLVIN: Peter Sewakiryanga, director of Kyampisi Childcare Ministries in Uganda. If you're interested in that petition he was talking about you'll be able to see it at www.kyampisi.org or www.jubileecampaign.co.uk.
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NOTE BY AFRICA OUTREACH:

Peter Sewakiryanga is one of our close friends and contacts in Uganda. He is a committed Christian and we work together to stop this evil in Uganda. Dr. Erwin van der Meer just came back from Uganda yesterday where he did a consultation together with Peter and others and also preached at Peter's church in Kyampisi. One of the outcomes of the consultation organised by Dr. Erwin van der Meer is that a national taskforce of church leaders is being formed in Uganda to address the evil of child sacrifice. The outreach to Uganda was sponsored by our partners of Across-Outreach: www.across-outreach.org

Christianity and Witchcraft

AFRICA OUTREACH: OUR APPROACH TO CHRISTIANITY AND WITCHCRAFT

We believe that true Christianity in its original form as taught by Christ is a religion of love and compassion and not of violence and aggression.

We believe that true Christianity is shown in practical caring love for orphans, widows, the oppressed, the refugees, the sick, the weak, the children and other vulnerable groups in society.

We believe that true Christianity cannot be antagonistic against any human being as this does not agree with loving one’s neighbour as one-self and negates the explicit teaching of Jesus that we should love even our enemies.

We believe that forgiveness and compassion, and not revenge and retribution, are the hallmarks of a true follower of Christ.
In as far as witchcraft or any other spiritual power is concerned we believe that Christ is far superior in power than any other cosmic power in the Universe and able and willing to protect all that belong to Him.

We do not believe in generational curses, physical manifestations of demonic beings. We do not believe in demonic or satanic control over or manipulation of physical forces or events in the created order which is upheld and sustained by God. We believe that demonic spirits may in some cases influence people’s minds so that they experience such things spiritually as in a delusion or nightmare and that this may at times feel very real. This includes astral travel and other spiritual experiences. The Bible portrays Satan as a defeated enemy but who still has the ability to tempt, deceive and inspire false beliefs.

We do not believe that Christ only protects those who pray the right kind of prayer and/or conduct special Christian rituals. This is a magical way of thinking that has nothing to do with trusting Christ.

We do not believe that special prayers or actions by so-called men or women of God are any more powerful, for the power of prayer is with the one who answers prayer and Christ hears even the simple prayers of small children. The concept of spiritual power being subjected to and wielded certain religious specialists rather than equally available to all is a concept that has more in common with the magical traditions of other religions than with true Christianity.

We believe that true Christianity does not force anyone to believe in, or follow Christ. Christ invites people to follow Him. He invites people to be saved and does not force anyone!

We do not believe that Christian love is compatible with any form of emotional, psychological or spiritual manipulation, blackmail or any other form of coercion.

We believe that as Christians we should only judge (in love) those that call themselves followers of Christ as the Bible teaches in 1 Corinthians 6:12-13 we are not called to judge non-Christians, that judgement is up to God!!! Therefore we must allow those outside the Christian church to believe what they want, we are not called to judge them, we are only called to invite them to come to Christ so that they may be saved and become His followers.

We do not believe that Christianity should dictate to society how people should live, we can only invite and encourage.

We believe Church and state should be separated because as soon as the two get mixed Christianity gets compromised.

We believe in freedom of religion and belief in society, this includes the belief in other religions, in spirits, in witchcraft, ghosts, goblins and any other supernatural beings or events. It also includes the belief in any other non-religious ideology, including atheism. However, we do not believe that any religious belief or any other ideology is a justification for violence, harm, dispossession, discrimination, psychological or physical abuse, (self) incrimination, imprisonment, or murder.

We believe that it should not be a crime for anyone to believe that he or she is a witch or a magician or a Satanist. We also believe it should not be a crime for anyone to believe that he or she is a witch finder, witch doctor, traditional healer or any other type of magical or religious specialist. As Christians we believe that such people are the victims of false beliefs but at the same time we believe that they have equal rights as any other human being to believe what they want to believe.

We do not believe that the freedom of religion or belief means that one can commit a crime. We believe that any religious or ideological violence, harm, dispossession, discrimination, psychological or physical abuse, (self) incrimination, imprisonment, or murder should face the full wrath of the law.

We believe that any magistrate or judge who bases his ruling on supernatural evidence, including self-incrimination based on supernatural beliefs is incompetent and should be barred from the profession.

We believe that the state should immediately review all the cases of prisoners who have been convicted in cases that involve witchcraft allegations as there is growing evidence that most convictions have been staged and insufficient legal representation has been provided to the accused.

We believe that for the sake of the common good of its citizens the state should work towards educating the people to refrain from unlawful and harmful practices that take place under the guise of culture and religion.

We believe that Churches, FBOs, NGOs, CBOs and other non-state actors should be encouraged to complement the state in educating the people to refrain from unlawful and harmful practices that take place under the guise of culture and religion.

Notes:

Matthew 22:37-40

37Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Romans 13:10

Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

1 Corinthians 5:12-13

12What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”

James 1:27

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Boy-child victims of witchcraft stigmatization

Shelter for Boy-child victims of witchcraft stigmatization

The shelter for boys who have been mistreated because of witchcraft allegations made against them has opened its doors in Namiyango. The shelter is a joint project between Africa Outreach and The Crusade for Community Transformation and is sponsored by Across Outreach from the Netherlands. So far four teenage boys have found a safe haven while two young children are at large after having been abused by their families. We hope that they will be found and brought to safety before worse is done to them.

Mr. Frank Phiri of The Crusade for Community Transformation

Statement on Child Witchcraft Accusations in Africa

Dear friends, In the past decade there has been an upsurge in violence against children in sub-Sahara Africa who have been accused by their families or communities of witchcraft. The stigmatization of children as witches as well as the stigmatization of other vulnerable groups in society such as the elderly, refugees or the handicapped needs to be arrested before it gets out of hand. Accusing children of being witches is becoming standard performance for unscrupulous Pentecostal style pastors and so-called prophets and apostles who mix Christian and African traditional religious elements so that they can build their reputation of being spiritual experts. In Malawi this poisonous mixture of Pentecostal Christianity and African Traditional beliefs has led to severe instances of abuse including torture and murder. You may recall the case of the 12 year old boy in Mwanza district who was burned to death two years ago after a prayer meeting, or the two young children who were burned to death by their relatives in Bangwe after having been accused of witchcraft by the pastor of a so-called Miracle church. You may also think of the youths who committed suicide by jumping in a fire in Ndirande last year after a prophet had told them that they were bewitched by their father. Recently we had the case of a 12 year old orphaned boy who was beaten to death in Blantyre district after the relatives had decided he was a witch. The issue of branding children as witches highlights the general need for addressing the problem of witchcraft accusations in society. It is not only a human rights issue but also a gender issue since girls and women are disproportionally affected. It is also an issue that affects the handicapped and the elderly as diseases such as Alzheimer often result in witchcraft allegations. It is even an issue of democracy because witchcraft allegations fuel tensions in our communities, creating an atmosphere of fear and anxiety resulting in violence and destruction of property. Proposed action We aim to form a broad coalition against witchcraft stigmatization in Malawi in order to address the issue from multiple angles. We believe it needs to be addressed from a legal perspective involving the government and the judiciary which includes the review of the witchcraft suppression act as well as lobbying for tougher legislation dealing with people who use witchcraft accusations as an excuse for violence and abuse. Finally we believe that the issue must be addressed as an educational issue, both formal and informal education. This can be achieved by means of a nation-wide awareness and education campaign involving civil society as well as the media and educational bodies. We also need to create awareness concerning witchcraft accusations from a psychological and medical point of view to help people understand that diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, neurological problems as well as psychological conditions such as schizophrenia and paranoia do not reflect bewitchment. This needs to involve the medical fraternity. From a religious perspective it needs to involve the Christian church and theological training facilities as the problem of witchcraft stigmatization has been compounded by unscrupulous Christian leaders. We kindly invite you and the organizations and/or government agencies you represent to become a formal partner in the coalition against witchcraft stigmatization in Malawi so that together we can successfully address this issue and minimise its harmful effects in society. Thank you. Contact: The coalition against witchcraft stigmatization PO Box 2363, Blantyre, Malawi Email: c.a.w.s@hotmail.com

Saving Witch children in Africa

At the core of the teachings of Jesus Christ is love, love from God for humankind (John 3:16) which we ought to reflect back in love for God and in loving our neighbours including those we consider our enemies. Any teaching that negates, undermines or deviates from this and results in stigmatization, psychological or physical abuse is therefore a heresy and originates from the father of lies who is also a murderer from the beginning as the fruit of his lies is evil and death, both at an individual as well as societal level. The true evidence of the presence of the Spirit of Christ is shown in genuine caring love (agape) which among other things results in joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness and self-control. In our African continent we find many Pentecostal, Charismatic and independent churches who stigmatize children and other vulnerable groups in society as witches who are the cause of the misfortunes that befall their families and communities. Using Charismatic prophecy and other gifts of the Spirit as tools of divination, pastors, prophets and apostles claim sniff out the witches. Those who are sniffed out are exposed to abuse, ostracism, torture and murder. The more 'lucky' ones are exorcised of their demons in a heavy handed manner which often includes beatings, starvation and imprisonment until the families of the accused pay the high fees demanded by the prophet. Some prophets do not demand fees but build a name of fame by means of public witch sniffing and public exorcisms which in the end translates in higher financial contributions in form of tithes and offerings as well as monetary rewards offered by family members whose children have been 'treated'. However, the children once stigmatized as witches continue to be viewed with suspicion and suffer emotional neglect if not outright psychological and physical abuse. Children whose parents are still alive may be taken back to the prophet over an over again for exorcisms but children who are orphaned are often chased away after having been branded witches with many of them ending up as street children or become victims of trafficking or get trapped in prostitution. As Africa Outreach we believe that God has called us to join arms with others in countering this ungodly heresy and mitigate its impact on the African children. Please pray for us and support us in this effort. God bless, Dr. Erwin van der Meer

Africa Outreach

European volunteers helping at Africa Outreach projects

We are looking back at a wonderful summer with 9 Belgian and 1 Dutch volunteer helping out at Blantyre girls home and at the safe house for children accused of witchcraft.

Today, Erwin VanderMeer had organised a consultation with all childcare giving organisations in Bangwe, the chiefs, the police, social welfare and other stakeholders to discuss the issue of child abuse due to witchcraft allegations and to promote networking on this and other issues. It was very succesful not in the least due to the Malawians who facilitated and led the discussions. We also were interviewed on national television together with our friend and firebrand human rights activist Emmie Chanika about addressing the problem of children accused of witchcraft and consequently abused, chased from their homes and even killed. In the meantime our new safe house houses 7 girls who were abused and chased from their homes because of witchcraft allegations.