"Spirit Children" Murdered as Witches by Christian Churches
Posted by:
S_Byers666
()
Date: March 05, 2012 12:57AM
A witchcraft scandal on our doorstep (UK)
By Damian Thompson
March 2nd, 2012
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/damianthompson/100141065/a-witchcraft-scandal-on-our-doorstep/
A 15-year-old boy is tortured to death for witchcraft. In London. In 2010. And the private reaction of police and social workers? Quiet despair. It’s happened before and will happen again.
The boy, Kristy Bamu, was hit in the mouth with a hammer, had his ear twisted with pliers, had bottles smashed over his head, and was finally drowned in the bath by his sister, Magalie, and her boyfriend, Eric Bikubi.
The Metropolitan Police waited until after the end of the court case to warn us that children are being abused and murdered in increasing numbers in Britain because their African relatives think they are “spirit children” – that is, witches.
Also, children’s charities and campaigners “urged communities to report abuse and said social workers must be firmer in confronting abuse in immigrant groups”.
Let’s deconstruct that. Campaigners are making this appeal because African communities in Britain have been too slow to report this abuse. And social workers have soft-pedalled on the subject, despite the shameful record of their colleagues in the case of Victoria Climbié, an eight-year-old girl from the Ivory Coast who was tortured to death in 2000 by family members who believed she was possessed by the devil.
Victoria’s death could have been avoided if Brent and Haringey social services hadn’t turned a PC blind eye to her abuse. Victoria’s senior social worker, Carole Baptiste, was accused of “spending her time talking about God and her experiences as a black woman, rather than looking after the interests of the vulnerable”. She was found guilty by magistrates of failing to help the public inquiry.
A contact working in this field told me yesterday: “Social workers from African backgrounds are scared. First, because they may have residual beliefs about witches themselves. Second, because they don’t want to confront church pastors who make a fortune out of 'exorcising’ children – often at the request of their parents.”
The Climbié and Bamu cases were atypical because they involved spectacular violence. But the charity Trust for London is talking nonsense when it says that “no faith or culture promotes cruelty to children”.
In 2009, the African journalist Sorious Samura made a World Service programme about the slaughter of “witches” in Ghana. He walked up one hill in which, he reckoned, the bodies of tens of thousands of “spirit children” were buried.
This can be heard at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/documentaries/2009/04/090417_west_african_journeys_one.shtml
[It can be downloaded using StreamTransport or recorded whilst playing using Audacity with Stereo Mix as the input.]
An African organisation, Afrikids – one of The Daily Telegraph’s charity appeal partners – is trying to challenge this mentality. But it’s not easy, when the parents of a disabled or “strange” child believe it will murder the rest of the family. Samura asked the pupils of a Ghanaian primary school about “spirit children”. Most of them thought they should be killed.
Afrikids provides shelter for mothers who have run away with their child rather than allow the local “concoction man” to administer the appropriate poison – a daily occurrence in parts of Africa. Will it soon have to do the same in London?
Prof Jean La Fontaine is the anthropologist who exploded the myth of satanic ritual abuse. She’s based at Inform, Britain’s foremost academic cult-watching body, and certainly doesn’t think the abuse of “spirit children” in Britain is a myth. She is horrified by the rich African pastors who encourage these crimes, and adds: “We do not hear Christian churches raising their voices against the belief in child witches.”
Good point. I don’t care if these Pentecostal congregations are thriving, and provide role models for black youths. If we can get worked up about secularists banning prayers, or the Islamist infiltration of mosques, why not this unspeakable scandal?
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/05/2012 12:59AM by S_Byers666.
By Damian Thompson
March 2nd, 2012
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/damianthompson/100141065/a-witchcraft-scandal-on-our-doorstep/
A 15-year-old boy is tortured to death for witchcraft. In London. In 2010. And the private reaction of police and social workers? Quiet despair. It’s happened before and will happen again.
The boy, Kristy Bamu, was hit in the mouth with a hammer, had his ear twisted with pliers, had bottles smashed over his head, and was finally drowned in the bath by his sister, Magalie, and her boyfriend, Eric Bikubi.
The Metropolitan Police waited until after the end of the court case to warn us that children are being abused and murdered in increasing numbers in Britain because their African relatives think they are “spirit children” – that is, witches.
Also, children’s charities and campaigners “urged communities to report abuse and said social workers must be firmer in confronting abuse in immigrant groups”.
Let’s deconstruct that. Campaigners are making this appeal because African communities in Britain have been too slow to report this abuse. And social workers have soft-pedalled on the subject, despite the shameful record of their colleagues in the case of Victoria Climbié, an eight-year-old girl from the Ivory Coast who was tortured to death in 2000 by family members who believed she was possessed by the devil.
Victoria’s death could have been avoided if Brent and Haringey social services hadn’t turned a PC blind eye to her abuse. Victoria’s senior social worker, Carole Baptiste, was accused of “spending her time talking about God and her experiences as a black woman, rather than looking after the interests of the vulnerable”. She was found guilty by magistrates of failing to help the public inquiry.
A contact working in this field told me yesterday: “Social workers from African backgrounds are scared. First, because they may have residual beliefs about witches themselves. Second, because they don’t want to confront church pastors who make a fortune out of 'exorcising’ children – often at the request of their parents.”
The Climbié and Bamu cases were atypical because they involved spectacular violence. But the charity Trust for London is talking nonsense when it says that “no faith or culture promotes cruelty to children”.
In 2009, the African journalist Sorious Samura made a World Service programme about the slaughter of “witches” in Ghana. He walked up one hill in which, he reckoned, the bodies of tens of thousands of “spirit children” were buried.
This can be heard at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/documentaries/2009/04/090417_west_african_journeys_one.shtml
[It can be downloaded using StreamTransport or recorded whilst playing using Audacity with Stereo Mix as the input.]
An African organisation, Afrikids – one of The Daily Telegraph’s charity appeal partners – is trying to challenge this mentality. But it’s not easy, when the parents of a disabled or “strange” child believe it will murder the rest of the family. Samura asked the pupils of a Ghanaian primary school about “spirit children”. Most of them thought they should be killed.
Afrikids provides shelter for mothers who have run away with their child rather than allow the local “concoction man” to administer the appropriate poison – a daily occurrence in parts of Africa. Will it soon have to do the same in London?
Prof Jean La Fontaine is the anthropologist who exploded the myth of satanic ritual abuse. She’s based at Inform, Britain’s foremost academic cult-watching body, and certainly doesn’t think the abuse of “spirit children” in Britain is a myth. She is horrified by the rich African pastors who encourage these crimes, and adds: “We do not hear Christian churches raising their voices against the belief in child witches.”
Good point. I don’t care if these Pentecostal congregations are thriving, and provide role models for black youths. If we can get worked up about secularists banning prayers, or the Islamist infiltration of mosques, why not this unspeakable scandal?
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/05/2012 12:59AM by S_Byers666.
Re: "Spirit Children" Murdered as Witches by Christian Churches
Posted by:
S_Byers666
()
Date: March 05, 2012 01:18AM
UK Government urged to tackle 'witchcraft belief' child abuse
By Andy Dangerfield BBC News, London
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-17006924
1 March 2012
"We're quite happy to talk about what is inappropriate belief when it comes to terrorism or paedophilia," said African studies expert Dr Richard Hoskins.
"But when it comes to fundamentalist religious belief affecting child protection, we don't seem to want to talk about it."
Dr Hoskins, who gave evidence at the trial of a couple who have been convicted for brutally torturing and killing a teenager in their east London flat, is among experts and charities calling for more to be done to tackle the problem of child abuse linked to witchcraft.
Eric Bikubi, 28, and Magalie Bamu, 29, from Newham, east London, have been found guilty at the Old Bailey of killing 15-year-old Kristy Bamu on Christmas Day 2010.
"What happened to Kristy is horrendous and scandalous," said Dr Hoskins.
"We've got to take action because I'd hate to think a child in our capital goes through anything like this ever again."
Scotland Yard said it had conducted 83 investigations into faith-based child abuse in the past decade. They include other high-profile cases such as Victoria Climbie in 2000 and the headless torso of "Adam", a five or six-year-old boy, which was found in the Thames in 2001.
'Ferocious onslaught'
Child abuse linked to belief in witchcraft is a growing phenomenon, according to evidence submitted to the Commons Select Committee's current inquiry into child protection. The government has said it is due to publish an action plan to tackle faith-based child abuse later this year.
Boy in DRC face blurred out.
Bikubi and Bamu were originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, where witchcraft - called Kindoki - is practised in some churches.
In 2010 Unicef reported 20,000 children accused of witchcraft were living on the streets of DR Congo capital Kinshasa.
However, Dr Hoskins said the Newham incident went way beyond any accepted practices in the DR Congo.
"What happened in the flat was feral," he said.
"It was the most ferocious onslaught.
"It's pretty inconceivable two people could do that for five days in Kinshasa - there is a community glue in place.
"But in London it is very easy to be anonymous and hidden."
The police investigation found Bikubi visited a number of African churches in north London.
'Rogue churches'
Debbie Ariyo, the head of the charity Africans Unite Against Child Abuse (Afruca), said a belief in witchcraft in the UK was "endorsed by various African churches, putting children at risk".
"If you look at how fast new African churches have grown since 2005, it's quite astonishing," she said.
====
Side bar
LONDON CHILD ABUSE LINKED TO WITCHCRAFT BELIEF
Victoria Climbie
* 2000 - Five year old Victoria Climbie died after being tortured in 2000 in Haringey, north London. Experts later linked the case to a belief in spirit possession.
* 2001 - The torso of a five or six-year-old boy "Adam" was found floating in the River Thames. Officers believe his death was a ritualistic killing and he had been poisoned.
* 2005 - Sita Kisanga convicted of aiding and abetting cruelty to eight-year-old "Child B" who was beaten, cut and had chilli rubbed in her eyes in a flat in Hackney, east London, because she was thought to be a witch.
====
"One of the key beliefs of these churches is in witches and exorcising them."
She said Afruca had worked with dozens of churches to improve their policies and practices.
"But we have churches who preach witchcraft - and this can lead to inciting people to harm children," she added.
"Dozens of rogue churches don't want to change their practices. Small churches can be hidden away in a living room or a garage."
Some churches are held in public centres, including leisure centres and school halls, and "no-one knows what's going on," she added.
Ms Ariyo said financial profit motivated some of these churches.
"The idea is to extort money from parents because if your child is branded a witch you will need to exorcise that child," she said.
There is currently no obligation for faith organisations to register with the Charity Commission or any other organisation in the UK, something which Ms Ariyo said needed changing.
However, the government said regulation would not change the behaviour of such churches and it was working with "faith and community leaders" and child protection charities to "improve awareness and understanding in different faiths and communities about child safeguarding".
Afruca has also been campaigning to prosecute those who verbally brand children as witches.
'Lack of training'
Dr Hoskins said he agreed this should happen.
Kristy Bamu and his siblings were visiting London from Paris during the Christmas holidays Kristy Bamu was visiting London from Paris during the Christmas holidays
"When the first prosecution happens because someone is being accused of telling a child they're possessed, then we'll know action's happening," he added.
"For every case that we hear about there are at least 10 others," he said.
Ms Ariyo said there was a "lack of adequate training for police officers" to detect these abuse cases.
Scotland Yard set up Project Violet in 2004 to tackle faith-related child abuse.
Det Supt Terry Sharpe, who heads the project, said they knew it was an "under-reported crime" and the Metropolitan Police would be training officers better over such issues.
"Officers are now encouraged to consider not just the immediate family, but also the extended family and wider faith, culture or community links," he added.
However, some campaigners said they believed the fundamental problem was that politicians did not want to tackle the issue because they thought it would be too racially sensitive.
"There isn't the commitment by the government to bring this thing wide open," said John Azah, chairman of the British Federation of Race Equality Councils.
"They are too scared of being accused of racism."
The Department for Education (DfE) insisted it was a matter it was taking seriously.
A spokeswoman said: "Over the past year, voluntary, faith and community organisations, the Metropolitan Police, Association of Directors of Children's Services and the London Safeguarding Children Board have been working with the government on proposals to tackle faith-based child abuse.
"The proposals will be shared with a wider group of professionals, voluntary sector organisations, faith and community groups to build on what has been developed so far."
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 03/05/2012 01:24AM by S_Byers666.
By Andy Dangerfield BBC News, London
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-17006924
1 March 2012
"We're quite happy to talk about what is inappropriate belief when it comes to terrorism or paedophilia," said African studies expert Dr Richard Hoskins.
"But when it comes to fundamentalist religious belief affecting child protection, we don't seem to want to talk about it."
Dr Hoskins, who gave evidence at the trial of a couple who have been convicted for brutally torturing and killing a teenager in their east London flat, is among experts and charities calling for more to be done to tackle the problem of child abuse linked to witchcraft.
Eric Bikubi, 28, and Magalie Bamu, 29, from Newham, east London, have been found guilty at the Old Bailey of killing 15-year-old Kristy Bamu on Christmas Day 2010.
"What happened to Kristy is horrendous and scandalous," said Dr Hoskins.
"We've got to take action because I'd hate to think a child in our capital goes through anything like this ever again."
Scotland Yard said it had conducted 83 investigations into faith-based child abuse in the past decade. They include other high-profile cases such as Victoria Climbie in 2000 and the headless torso of "Adam", a five or six-year-old boy, which was found in the Thames in 2001.
'Ferocious onslaught'
Child abuse linked to belief in witchcraft is a growing phenomenon, according to evidence submitted to the Commons Select Committee's current inquiry into child protection. The government has said it is due to publish an action plan to tackle faith-based child abuse later this year.
Boy in DRC face blurred out.
Bikubi and Bamu were originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, where witchcraft - called Kindoki - is practised in some churches.
In 2010 Unicef reported 20,000 children accused of witchcraft were living on the streets of DR Congo capital Kinshasa.
However, Dr Hoskins said the Newham incident went way beyond any accepted practices in the DR Congo.
"What happened in the flat was feral," he said.
"It was the most ferocious onslaught.
"It's pretty inconceivable two people could do that for five days in Kinshasa - there is a community glue in place.
"But in London it is very easy to be anonymous and hidden."
The police investigation found Bikubi visited a number of African churches in north London.
'Rogue churches'
Debbie Ariyo, the head of the charity Africans Unite Against Child Abuse (Afruca), said a belief in witchcraft in the UK was "endorsed by various African churches, putting children at risk".
"If you look at how fast new African churches have grown since 2005, it's quite astonishing," she said.
====
Side bar
LONDON CHILD ABUSE LINKED TO WITCHCRAFT BELIEF
Victoria Climbie
* 2000 - Five year old Victoria Climbie died after being tortured in 2000 in Haringey, north London. Experts later linked the case to a belief in spirit possession.
* 2001 - The torso of a five or six-year-old boy "Adam" was found floating in the River Thames. Officers believe his death was a ritualistic killing and he had been poisoned.
* 2005 - Sita Kisanga convicted of aiding and abetting cruelty to eight-year-old "Child B" who was beaten, cut and had chilli rubbed in her eyes in a flat in Hackney, east London, because she was thought to be a witch.
====
"One of the key beliefs of these churches is in witches and exorcising them."
She said Afruca had worked with dozens of churches to improve their policies and practices.
"But we have churches who preach witchcraft - and this can lead to inciting people to harm children," she added.
"Dozens of rogue churches don't want to change their practices. Small churches can be hidden away in a living room or a garage."
Some churches are held in public centres, including leisure centres and school halls, and "no-one knows what's going on," she added.
Ms Ariyo said financial profit motivated some of these churches.
"The idea is to extort money from parents because if your child is branded a witch you will need to exorcise that child," she said.
There is currently no obligation for faith organisations to register with the Charity Commission or any other organisation in the UK, something which Ms Ariyo said needed changing.
However, the government said regulation would not change the behaviour of such churches and it was working with "faith and community leaders" and child protection charities to "improve awareness and understanding in different faiths and communities about child safeguarding".
Afruca has also been campaigning to prosecute those who verbally brand children as witches.
'Lack of training'
Dr Hoskins said he agreed this should happen.
Kristy Bamu and his siblings were visiting London from Paris during the Christmas holidays Kristy Bamu was visiting London from Paris during the Christmas holidays
"When the first prosecution happens because someone is being accused of telling a child they're possessed, then we'll know action's happening," he added.
"For every case that we hear about there are at least 10 others," he said.
Ms Ariyo said there was a "lack of adequate training for police officers" to detect these abuse cases.
Scotland Yard set up Project Violet in 2004 to tackle faith-related child abuse.
Det Supt Terry Sharpe, who heads the project, said they knew it was an "under-reported crime" and the Metropolitan Police would be training officers better over such issues.
"Officers are now encouraged to consider not just the immediate family, but also the extended family and wider faith, culture or community links," he added.
However, some campaigners said they believed the fundamental problem was that politicians did not want to tackle the issue because they thought it would be too racially sensitive.
"There isn't the commitment by the government to bring this thing wide open," said John Azah, chairman of the British Federation of Race Equality Councils.
"They are too scared of being accused of racism."
The Department for Education (DfE) insisted it was a matter it was taking seriously.
A spokeswoman said: "Over the past year, voluntary, faith and community organisations, the Metropolitan Police, Association of Directors of Children's Services and the London Safeguarding Children Board have been working with the government on proposals to tackle faith-based child abuse.
"The proposals will be shared with a wider group of professionals, voluntary sector organisations, faith and community groups to build on what has been developed so far."
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 03/05/2012 01:24AM by S_Byers666.
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