# Sign Petiton - Help the Child Witches of Nigeria



## Alisha (Jun 5, 2006)

Not sure if this is the right place to post this...

Watched the Dispatches programme on C4 and found it really quite distressing actually  
you can read and view it here:

http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/dispatches/saving+africas+witch+children/2780062

*Please sign the petition and support the projects if you can. *

Help the Child Witches of Nigeria - Support the Prevent Abandonment of Children Today(PACT) Campaign

You can view this petition at: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/tell-a-friend/2354806

/links


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## Han72 (Feb 15, 2007)

Dictating to the Government of Nigeria is NOT going to solve this problem.  Education will. If you start telling the sovereign government of a foreign country what they should or shouldn't do, firstly you're going to seriously   them off.  Then they start telling their people that once again Westerners are trying to run their lives, the people agree and consequently ignore any advice, however well intentioned, that comes from Westerners.  Just look at Zimbabwe!

Furthermore, even assuming that the members of the government are not themselves believers in the existence of child witches, and that they care enough to listen to the complaints of foreigners, AND that they're willing to do something about it, what makes you think that the generally uneducated people living in the backwaters who are the ones participating in this barbarity are going to listen to them?  You think they read the papers? Watch the nightly news?  Seriously?  No, what's likely to happen is the local cops, will go in there all heavy handed and beat the crap out of people, probably indiscriminately, or will accept bribes from these "preachers" to turn a blind eye.

You'll just force it underground, children will still suffer and nobody wins.  If you really want to make a difference, petition for better education for those people living out in the styx, at least then these sick  that claim to be men of God won't find it quite so easy to brainwash them.  Once the people are better educated THEN you should have broader support within the country itself for a change in the law.  Otherwise it just looks like arrogant Europeans telling Africans what to do and how to live their life in their own country - something that never goes over well.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying do nothing, I'm just saying try and do it a different way if you really want it to work.  You can't force people to see things your way, but you can give them the tools to figure it out for themselves.

Love

Nix
x
Just need to add that the opinions expressed on this thread are personal opinions and not ff opinions  
sorry boring i know but just have to say it


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## viviennef (Feb 22, 2005)

Hi, I watched at programme last night and was horrified at what I saw. I can't get the image of those poor children out of my head. I've signed the petition. 

Viv


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## Topkat08 (Jul 23, 2008)

I watched this last night and OMG those poor children! what they have to go through. My heart went out to them all but that 5yo girl who wanted her mum n that man threatened to kill her at night   

They need serious help and the people torturing them need hanging!


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## Alisha (Jun 5, 2006)

Hi Nix
Just wanted to reply to your post.
It was a suggestion to sign the petition or/and support the projects. On the C4 website there are many projects that are out there now doing what they can to support children and the community. There are many worthy projects that are based in Africa not necessarily run by westerners.

OK in reply to some of your comments...

Dictating to the Government of Nigeria is NOT going to solve this problem. Education will.
Yes very true but in the immediate sense we're dealing with children that need help ..NOW
Education is a long term solution, but the problem isn't that simple is it. Religion and culture are intertwined. Powerful and rich people have influenced the people of these villages/towns and that's hard to dissolve. This is something that is ingrained and there is no quick fix soloution. The projects running now are bringing awareness to the people and 'gov' and by taking in the children into shelters and providing them with help and support and also showing villagers that the projects think its all nonsense is a start. Slowly the penny will drop.

If you start telling the sovereign government of a foreign country what they should or shouldn't do, firstly you're going to seriously them off.
Again true but who says running a country is easy? Every country has there nose in other countries business that's politics. Its making others aware that you're aware can be a powerful leavarage.

what makes you think that the generally uneducated people living in the backwaters who are the ones participating in this barbarity are going to listen to them? You think they read the papers? Watch the nightly news?  
No but they're willing to watch daft naively shot films of child witchcraft which merely reinforces their views .. how about some gov. public information films to highlight the corrupt preachers / and how misinformed they are, and some not necessarily all may listen and may influence others and the word would spread.

what's likely to happen is the local cops, will go in there all heavy handed and beat the crap out of people, probably indiscriminately, or will accept bribes from these "preachers" to turn a blind eye.
yes that may happen , you tell me a country where there aren't any corrupt police... the problem there is, the villagers are a law unto themselves.. where a grown man can publicly threaten to kill a 5 year old girl and then laugh openly about it, personally I think he deserves a good kicking. But its about creating an atmosphere of intolerance to it and that can only be for the better. Its police duties to enforce the law .. how they do that is another story.

You'll just force it underground, children will still suffer and nobody wins.  
Children are already suffering. I think this is a common misconception and it's a common excuse to do nothing. Something is better than nothing. Anything to stop this hideousness in its tracks. Also it is on the rise in the UK. The number of cases is steadily increasing and these ARE already underground and no petition is responsible for that. We need a greater awareness in the UK to PREVENT it becoming prevalent amongst individuals who choose to settle in the UK.

Once the people are better educated THEN you should have broader support within the country itself for a change in the law.They have now brought in laws in all the states to try to prosecute parents and in some states this law is already in place. If you had of seen the film you would of seen the gov. coming out to greet the 'protesting' children who didn't have a clue about the background to the children's plight. He then ensured that the law was imposed in all states and has also offered some financial help to the projects helping these children. Again this process of understanding and changing ideas takes time. BUT these children need help now.

You can't force people to see things your way, but you can give them the tools to figure it out for themselves.
Of course not. And its important to give as many tools as you can, to reach all sorts of people those in power and those that aren't. But resting on your laurels won't do jack. 
Sometimes, the urgency of somethings cannot wait.

take care

Alisha 
p.s don't take this post personally I'm just replying to your comments


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## Han72 (Feb 15, 2007)

Alisha

{sigh} Did I not quite clearly say that I'm not saying to "do nothing"? Which part of that statement was unclear? Nor did I say that there weren't "worthy projects not necessarily run by westerners".

Obviously I didn't explain myself clearly enough but I'm not willing to get into a ping-pong battle with you or anyone else on the subject. It is great that people care enough to want to do something about this horrendous practise. However, it is a great _pity _ that not enough attention is paid to the best methodology to effect the necessary changes.

I pray that the petition will make a huge difference or will at least be a good start, I'm just worried that it won't help at all. Clearly you believe otherwise but as stated previously I don't intend to get caught up in an ongoing debate on the subject with you, or anyone else. I thought my original message was clear enough, obviously it wasn't but I can't think how else to put it. So shall we just agree to differ?


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## Alisha (Jun 5, 2006)

Nix (bigger sigh)  Forgive me, but I didn't realise you were just making statements that no-one should respond to. If you felt so strongly about not discussing it then maybe you shouldn't of posted 

*However*...
I'm very pleased to report that the number that have signed the petition has gone from around 500 to 3355 in just a couple of days. 
Great stuff! 
[fly]KEEP IT UP [/fly]


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## DizziSquirrel (Feb 15, 2005)

I as Moderator of this board have locked this thread, 
it is a personal decsion to sign this petition and the awareness has been brought by both sides.

Admin are also aware of this thread.

~Dizzi~


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