What can you do to help today? Visit the South African Pagan Rights Alliance website, copy their International Letter of Protest and email it to the addresses listed on the letter.
Other things you can do to support the "witches" of Africa:
- Light a candle
- You can click here to help the "witches" of Malawi.
- If you are a member of Twitter, "follow" and re-tweet TouchstoneAdvocacy who will be tweeting daily the names of those murdered in South Africa during 2010 as a result of being accused of witchcraft.
You can find more information at:
- Witchcraft Legal Aid in Africa
- Missionaries May be Encouraging Accusations of Witchcraft (Via Christianity Today)
- Did Missionaries Trigger the Witch-Hunts (Via The Wild Hunt)
- Witchcraft and Statecraft by the Georgetown Law Journal
And while the 30 Days of Advocacy focuses on Africa, don't forget these things happen in other parts of the world as well:
- Rampant Witch Killings in Orissa District Causes Concern (India)
- Gaza Woman Murdered for Witchcraft
- Fawza Falih (Saudi Arabia)
- Haitian Cholera Epidemic Sparks Witchcraft Killings
- Tribal Woman Killed by Nephew in Witchcraft Case (India)
- Three brother's lynched, buried alive for witchcraft (Bolivia)
Have you written something for the 30 Days of Advocacy Against Witch-Hunts? Leave a link in comments!
30 Days of Advocacy Against Witch-hunts, a campaign of South African Pagan Rights and supported by the South African Pagan Council, Pagan Federation International, Pagan Federation England and Wales, Correllian Nativist Tradition (U.S.A. & S.A.) and Circle Sanctuary (U.S.A.).
This is post copyright to the author. It may not be reposted, reprinted or distributed in its entirety without express written permission of the author. Links to the article can be freely shared and are very appreciated!
14 Comments:
Whoa. I had no idea that actual "Witch hunts" took place around the world still today. Forgive my ignorance, but today I feel like a stupid American.
Even so, Just a Gal, you just made my day. I was literally just sitting here wondering if I was doing any good at all about posting these, as there hasn't been much of a response, here or on facebook.
When I post a photo of Johnny Depp, I can get over a hundred comments. I post about this serious issue, that I feel so connected to, and there's the sound of crickets.
I said yesterday that if I could just open the eyes of one person, it was worth the work of researching and posting - so thank you!
This is really awful, K! I knew witch hunts were still happening in other countries, but I had no idea it was TODDLERS being tortured and killed.
Goddess help them now.
I'm just dumbfounded.
You are doing great work. You opened my eyes to this problem, before you started posting it on Facebook I didn't really think it was a real issue.
I posted another article today at Lilac Wolf and Stuff.
This is so sad I know the world is full of hate....but it hurts when you relize just how bad it is. I teach a small group of kids and I wanna educate them about this topic without upsetting them to much anyone have any ideas how I can do this? I think I will have my teen group watch the movie The Salem Witch Trials.
Here is my post:
http://musingsofapaganhacker.blogspot.com/2011/03/african-children-and-witchcraft.html
I am in the same boat as Just a Gal. I had no idea this was happening!! :( I'm going to look into the links you shared more after work.
I posted about witch hunts yesterday and I heard the crickets too.
I've been aware of what's going on in the rest of the world for quite a long time - I don't really understand why there is a lack of awareness in our community. Anyone with a European background has ancestors who had experience of witch hunting either directly or indirectly. We owe it to them to help those currently suffering.
Earlier this year I went to Manningtree to see where the witchfinder general lived and then on to Colchester castle where the 'witches' were brought before trial/execution. I had a comment made on Facebook about how as a witch could I want to go to those places. I think as a witch how could I not? We can't brush the past or the present under the carpet.
Anyway, long comment (sorry) just I feel the same way as you do.
Lyn, I feel the same way. I often have people try to take me to task because these people aren't "real" witches - often the same people who have posted in the past about "The Burning Times". So frustrating!
I've said it before, and I'll keep saying it: as long as there are any people being tortured, jailed and/or killed on accusations of witchcraft, none of us are safe.
And we can't ignore the fact that there are people like this right here in the US either: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/03/28/960974/-Avowed-Witch-Hunters-To-Hold-Harvard-Conference
To Carly: I tried to find you, but your profile is "private". I did not approve your comment, because you basically posted my post for Friday's "way to help", lol! =)
I knew this was still happening but it's hard to imagine. I've seen video of African communities torn apart by the aspersions cast by Christian missionaries. What loving faith would make a parent think their child was infested with evil? How does this happen without intervention? I have such a strong Pollyanna and such strict idealism, I guess I mistakenly expect everyone to be loving and kind, and to accept and support others, no matter our differences. Maybe it's just cause I'm a witch?
To awitchtrying: most of these atrocities are not caused by "aspersions cast by Christian missionaries". They are accusations made by pastors in the local churches - pastors who are members of the community.
Sadly, it is the missionaries who have come in and taught Christianity very loosely, and when this bit of teaching mixes with the traditional religions of the people, it becomes something that allows this to happen.
This whole situation is just so heart-wrenchingly sad. Thanks for bringing this problem to the forefront of the Pagan community.
I have the same problem on my blog too... If I post a picture of a celebrity or talk a little smack about my mother-in-law, I get a million responses; I post something political or serious and I get crickets too.
It's very good of you to do this series. Intolerance is unforgivable!
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