Sunday, November 18, 2007

Something Wicked This Way Comes

After reading the New York Times article about witchcraft in Africa, many thoughts configure in my head. I have heard stories about bad people doing bad things, but it is truly crazy how evil and corrupt some people are. There are scared and ignorant people in the world that truly believe that witchcraft is killing their family members when the death is a medical mystery; and there are people so mean that they will take advantage of anyone to make money- such as "The Healer" Joao Ginga who makes loads of money 'treating' more than a thousand cases of child witchcraft per year. When questioned, Ginga didn't even remember one of his patients, Alfonso Garcia, when interviewed. He was accused of killing his mother and was kicked out of the house to live on the streets. There are many, many other cases, most inflicting violence upon the children accused of witchcraft. (It is considered common in some villages)

It is terrible that these children are being prosecuted and that the police are doing nothing about it, but it is another to take advantage of them. There have been some recent programs set up to help the children, but the violence against these should not be able to continue.

2 comments:

Katie K. said...

I agree with you Carly. I think that there should be more aid to those children who have been abandoned or abused because they have no one else. Their families have exiled them and the police won't help them. It is sad to think of those children who do not have the safety of a shelter and who are left on the streets to fend for themselves. I cannot imagine what it would be like to be disowned by my family solely due to suspicions. I especially thought it was interesting how a mother could love be so proud of her son and still accuse him of being a witch.

Unknown said...

I agree with you both

As Katie said, it is shocking how these mothers who "love" their children can banish them from the family like this. And the other issue as Carly mentioned, these unfortunate children are being completely taken advantage of by these evil people.

This is similar to the crucible when Abigail and the girls take advantage of all of the accusing going on. Abigail siezes the opportunity by accusing Elizabeth Proctor of being a witch so that Abigail can be with John. Also the girls accuse random people in order to save themselves.