Witchcraft in West Nile scares human rights officials

Cultural leaders and officials of the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) are worried about the rampant rate of witchcraft practice in the West Nile region.

The officials and cultural leaders of Nebbi, Zombo, and Packwach are concerned that the high rate of witchcraft in West Nile is causing abuse of human rights.

The victims of witchcraft have been killed or beaten by a mob while in some communities they are expelled.

UHRC and cultural leaders have jointly agreed to fight the vice in order to uphold respect for human rights in the region.

In a presentation to empower cultural leaders in Nebbi town on Monday, the Regional Human Rights Officer Harriet Kajobe Rwakabbira appealed to cultural institutions to join in the fight against abuse of human rights.

Kajobe said UHRC found it important to raise awareness among cultural institutions by working together to fight the violation of human rights.

"Some traditional practices end up abusing rights of people and yet some communities think it is normal" Kajobe said. 

She advised the cultural leaders to values and respect human rights adding that culture can be helpful in promoting human rights, but also it can be a determinant in causing abuse of human rights.

"Not all cultures are good, some cultures promote bad practices that lead to human sacrifice, torture, abuse of women and children's rights," Kajobe told the cultural leaders.

She implored cultural leaders to guide the nation by identifying good cultural practices that can be upheld but also preach against bad cultural practices.

Kajobe implored the elders and cultural leaders to ensure the communities do not kill anyone suspected to be practicing witchcraft, but instead report such cases to police.

Cultural leaders that attended the presentation said the fight against human rights abuse as a result of witchcraft has been on and will continue until the vice is overpowered.

Dison Olama, the chief of Pangero chiefdom in Nebbi acknowledged that witchcraft is still existent in the Alur Kingdom. Photo by Robert Ariaka

 
Dison Olama, the chief of Pangero chiefdom in Nebbi acknowledged that witchcraft still exists in the Alur Kingdom. 

Olama said witchcraft is a very difficult thing to talk about. People are divided, others believe in it, others do not believe in it.

He added that people who are not loved in the community are labeled witches which creates hatred and leads to mob justice in the long run.

 "We do not know how the witches operate, handling the cases is difficult and has led to some people being killed and victimized. We would like to join hands with the government to avoid mob justice in the communities resulting from allegations of witchcraft.

Okech Bob Opio, the Attorney General of the Alur Kingdom said witchcraft practice is rampant in the Alur Kingdom and Mahagi in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Photo by Robert Ariaka

 
Okech Bob Opio, the Attorney General of the Alur Kingdom said witchcraft practice is rampant in the Alur Kingdom and Mahagi in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

He said some people mistake witchcraft to be a cultural practice yet the Alur culture condemns the act. 

"Once somebody is accused of practicing witchcraft, rituals are performed. Coffee beans are roasted and once they burst, the person is considered a witch.  

According to Opio, the infiltration into communities by those who claim to be witch doctors telling lies to the people is what is causing more confusion.

"The Alur Kingdom is going to resume counseling of people accused of practicing witchcraft and mediate peace," Opio said

Opio critiqued that some people allege witchcraft because they have other plans like grabbing the land of the victims.