The Maravi Post

BLANTYRE: The Association for Secular Humanism (ASH) says it has formed a task force to ensure that Malawi  "continues not to recognise witchcraft despite some quarter’s desire that our law should be reviewed to recognise witchcraft."

In a statement made available to MaraPost, ASH said it  "considers any moves calling for recognition of witchcraft as retrogressive and unconstitutional and not in line with modern and democratic principles."

ASH, in the statement signed by its executive director George Thindwa, said the task force will therefore ensure that it works with other stakeholders so that the new law is in line with international standards, constitutional and protects Malawians from harm and violence committed in the name of witchcraft.

It said it will champion its position based on the following main reasons:
1.    Witchcraft is a belief. While Malawians have the right to believe in it, but they have no right to harm others in the name of witchcraft.  
2.    There is no evidence that witches exist. Accusations grounded on jealousies, crookedness and trickery remain the greatest manifestation of the belief. Recognising witchcraft will lead to legal quagmire.   
3.    We deplore the practice of pastors or prophets, traditional healers and some chiefs that propagate that witchcraft is real; resulting into increased accusations of children as witches and violence towards women and the elderly.
4.    The alleged claims that children are taught witchcraft are just machinations of people who don`t wish our elderly and women well. It is also a tool used to settle personal vendettas. 
5.    It’s not true that the witchcraft law is not keeping with Malawians believing in witchcraft. Europeans who wrote our law sentenced to death about 50,000 witches from 1450 to 1700. The law was therefore written to ensure that the same mistake wasn’t repeated in Malawi, the way Europeans did.

"Criminalization of witchcraft will exacerbate accusations and harm to innocent people," ASH said, emphasizing that the task force will ensure that the new law continues to criminalise the practice of accusing others of witchcraft.

It said currently accusations are coming from churches through witch-hunts, activities of so-called witchcraft healers and finders and sing`angas (witchdoctors) and are increasingly associated with violence to victims in the form of beatings, confinement, chasing away victims, exorcism, destruction of property, extortion.

"The Association calls upon the Malawi Government to continue to criminalise witchcraft accusations in order to protect people from harm and violence."

ASH has been involved in freeing some of 80 "witches" convicted of practicing witchcraft from Malawi prisons.

The witches, serving up to six years, have mainly been convicted of other charges since Malawi's colonial era-laws do not recognise witchcraft, which runs deep in Malawi.
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