Hexenjagd 2009

Angehörige der Liberty Foundation Gospel Ministries, einer fundamentalistischen Pfingstkirche, welche im Südwesten Nigerias derzeit blutige Hexenjagden veranstaltet, haben Ende Juli in Calabar eine Konferenz der Kinderhilfsorganisation Stepping Stones Nigeria und des Nigerian Humanist Movement, welche sich gegen die Machenschaften dieser und anderer fundamentalistischer Gruppen richtet, überfallen. Die in einigen Staaten Afrikas (so auch in Kenia) derzeit grassierenden Hexenjagden sind dabei kein genuin afrikanisches Phänomen sondern aus einer Verbindung von traditionellen Vorstellungen von Magie und Schadenszauber mit einer aus den USA und Europa durch evangelikale und pfingstlerische Missionare eingeführten Theologie, welche „Hexerei“ als Ausgeburt des Teufels und somit als Manifestation des absolut Bösen ansieht und bekämpft (so warnt die Partei Bibeltreuer Christen daher vor Harry Potter-Romanen, Sarah Palin liess sich in den vergangenen Wahlkampagnen vor Hexerei „beschützen“), hervorgegangenes Krisenphänomen. Nachfolgend dokumentiert ein Auszug aus einem Statement der British Humanist Association:

„Leo Igwe, a friend of the British Humanist Association and Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Humanist Movement, was attacked yesterday during a raid by 150 to 200 members of a Christian church at a conference he had organised on „Child Rights and Witchcraft“ in Calabar.

…

Helen Ukpabio and her church, the Liberty Foundation Gospel Ministries, have run a campaign of terror against children and those committed to fighting for their rights, of which yesterday’s raid was only the latest development. The conference had been organised by the Nigerian Humanist Movement and the UK charity Stepping Stones Nigeria in response to the widespread abandonment, torture and killing of children in Akwa Ibom and Cross River State due to the belief in child „witches“.

As the anti-witchcraft conference began at around 10.30am, the religious protesters dressed in orange raided the venue and began protesting loudly. The extremists were carrying a number of banners with slogans such as, „This protest is organised by The Akwa Ibom State Government“, „We give freedom to the witches“ and „Stepping Stone is not a registered organisation“.

Among the other delegates attacked, Leo Igwe had his glasses smashed and his bag, phone and camera stolen by the mob, who were alternately singing and aggressively disrupting the conference. After an hour and a half, the police turned up and dispersed the mob. One person was arrested.

Speaking after the event Leo said: „The conference was a peaceful meeting for people to openly debate what could be done to prevent the abuse of child rights linked to the belief in witchcraft. This attack by Helen Ukpabio’s supporters once again highlights the depravity of this so-called „woman of God“. Such false prophets should be immediately arrested and prosecuted under the child rights act“.

Despite the raid the conference, which was well attended by representatives of the Cross River State Government, UNICEF, NAPTIP and a wide range of traditional rulers, students and NGOs, still went ahead successfully.

The issue of child witchcraft has attracted a great deal of media attention since the broadcast of the documentary, Saving Africa’s Witch Children. The documentary, which won the prestigious BAFTA and Amnesty Film awards highlights the role that Helen Ukpabio has played in spreading the belief in child „witches“ in South-Eastern Nigeria. Teachings such as the one offered by Helen Ukpabio in her book, Unveiling the Mysteries of Witchcraft, which states that, „a child under two years of age that cries at night and deteriorates in health is an agent of Satan“, have caused wide spread international outrage and condemnation of her practices.“