Abstract of a new U.N. publication:
Witchcraft Allegations, Refugee Protection and Human Rights: A Review of the Evidence, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Jan 2009
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/lib.nsf/db900SID/RWST-7RAL7E?OpenDocument
This paper examines the link between witchcraft accusations and displacement. Accusations may cause displacement through forced exile or the personal decision to flee from the threat of harm. Some of the numerous explanations for witchcraft accusations will be introduced, before turning to the ways in which witchcraft accusations are a protection concern. Documented examples of persecution aimed at alleged witches in various countries will be provided before turning to particular risk groups: women, the elderly and children. Additionally, albinos in East Africa face persecution not because of alleged witchcraft activity, but because they are being killed for their body parts, which are thought to bring good luck. The connection between HIV/AIDS and witchcraft will then be addressed briefly.
This global overview will be followed by an investigation into the impact of witchcraft accusations in a displacement continuum: internally displaced people's camps, refugee camps, during repatriation and reconstruction, and among resettled refugees. Next, the role of the government will be considered, from outlawing witchcraft accusations to prosecuting alleged witches in government courts. Witchcraft beliefs have also been utilized by rebel groups, in places such as Uganda, Liberia, and Angola.
This brings us to a discussion of the legal aspect of refugee protection based on claims of witchcraft accusations. The experiences of the UNHCR office in Kuala Lumpur and Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board are noted, with brief reference to cases where individuals claim to be the victim of another's witchcraft. Expert testimony given in two occult-related asylum cases in the United States will be noted. We then proceed to the relevant 1951 Refugee Convention grounds: religion and membership of a particular social group. In the majority of stories surveyed, individuals did not proclaim to be witches and only confess unwillingly. Thus, the persecution is typically based on beliefs that are imputed upon the accused. The role of nonstate actors and gender protection are also mentioned. Some recommendations for organizations working with affected populations are provided in conclusion.
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Sweet are the uses of adversity...Find tongues in the trees, books in the brooks, and good in everything. --Shakespeare, As You Like It.
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