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Rise in African children accused of witchcraft

It seems like a simple problem on the surface but it's very complex and there are layers, the main one being lack of education.

Another problem is introduction of religious values as the primary focus of some aid workers, and people's faith becomes all they know. People aren't taught the facts of life before they are taught to worship God, and this is my main beef with the work of the church in many African countries.

The other problem that the article touches on is rapid urbanization. As people become more desperate, children turn to crime, prostitution, and other activities that make their families look bad. Because of the culture, the families will try to save face with their communities and the parents blame their children's behavior on possession.

Then one final side is that there are plenty of charlatans around who claim to have the cures and they gradually gain power in communities where the presence of authorities is lacking. They use the power of religion to distort the truth and make money off of people.

The root is lack of education.
 
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It seems like a simple problem on the surface but it's very complex and there are layers, the main one being lack of education.

Another problem is introduction of religious values as the primary focus of some aid workers, and people's faith becomes all they know. People aren't taught the facts of life before they are taught to worship God, and this is my main beef with the work of the church in many African countries.

The other problem that the article touches on is rapid urbanization. As people become more desperate, children turn to crime, prostitution, and other activities that make their families look bad. Because of the culture, the families will try to save face with their communities and the parents blame their children's behavior on possession.

Then one final side is that there are plenty of charlatans around who claim to have the cures and they gradually gain power in communities where the presence of authorities is lacking. They use the power of religion to distort the truth and make money off of people.

The root is lack of education.

Excellent analysis of the situation.
I have no idea whether you're correct or not, but it sounds very plausible.
 
Didn't that evangelical guy who witchproofed Palin claim to have made his name banishing witches?
 
I have a good friend who is from Botswana. His usual reply to something like this is "Africa will never change.", shaking his head sadly.

I don't think it's that it will never change.

Africa is just ****ed up. I love my continent very much, but it's not for the faint hearted, Africa contains the best and the worst of humanity. It is easily the most brutal place on planet earth, hands down.

Africa needs huge social, economic and political change to truly achieve emancipation from the continued bondage of poverty, deprevation, war and suffering
 
Excellent analysis of the situation.
I have no idea whether you're correct or not, but it sounds very plausible.

An Iranian woman in my class did aid work in Africa through doctors without borders and she told me a bit about it. Also I watched a couple of documentaries. I'm hardly an expert but it's still something I've learned a bit about!
 
I don't think it's that it will never change.

Africa is just ****ed up. I love my continent very much, but it's not for the faint hearted, Africa contains the best and the worst of humanity. It is easily the most brutal place on planet earth, hands down.

Africa needs huge social, economic and political change to truly achieve emancipation from the continued bondage of poverty, deprevation, war and suffering

I'm sorry man, but Africa literally needs about 200-300 years before that place is fixed.
 
UTIA - Unfortunately This Is Africa

Not just Africa.
Dispatches did a documentary on this happening in UK.

Certain African communities in their churches accuse children of being witches, who then go on to be abused and in some cases killed.
 
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