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STORY: DRC / WITCHCRAFT
TRT: 4:25
SOURCE: UNICEF
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH, FRENCH, KSWAHILI
DATELINE: 13 JUNE, GOMA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC)
1. Wide shot, girl enters gate
2. Wide shot, girl walks past
3. Wide shot, girl turns round building
4. SOUNDBITE (Swahili) Josiane, named changed, accused of witchcraft.
“One morning, while I was at school, a child had a fit at home. It was like an epileptic fit. He was brought to hospital and the doctor said he diagnosed nothing. Since that day, my uncle’s wife said I was responsible for that illness as she’s never seen anything like that before.”
5. Various shots, girl talks with woman
6. SOUNDBITE (Swahili) Josiane, not her real name, accused of sorcery.
“When people said I was a witch, it hurt me. And I told myself I must get married only to find a home on my own”.
7. Wide shot, girl sits with nurse
7. Wide shot, nurse takes girl’s temperature
8. Wide shot, children I classroom
9. Wide shot, teacher asks questions
10. SOUNDBITE (French) Julienne Ngutu, Children’s Voice social worker:
“When we talked to the family, we realized that the girl couldn’t stay here anymore. She was threatened to be killed, she was beaten many times, and the girl was traumatized”
10. Various shots, students in school yard
12. Wide shot, students in class
13. Med shot, two students in class
14. Wide shot, teacher asking questions, students answering
15. SOUNDBITE (French) Christine Musaidizi, Head of Children’s Voice:
“In the past in Goma, there were many cases of killings. A child would be stoned to death, a child would be burnt alive, and nobody could defend the child. If you defended the child, you’d be accused of being a witch yourself, and killed. So, we made positive results as for the past two years, no child has been killed or burnt alive because he was accused of sorcery.”
16. Pan left, police yard
17. Wide shot, woman speaks with man
18. Pan right, woman speaks with man
19. Wide shot, woman speaks to man
20. SOUNDBITE (French) David Bodeli
“The law says that accusing a child of witchcraft is punishable by 1 to 3 years penal servitude. So the law is absolutely explicit. So it is very much more severe for the person who accuses the child of being a witch. But are people aware of a law meant to protect children, and that punishes those who accuse children of witchcraft? The answer is no, unfortunately.”
21. Various shots, students in school yard
It seems like the stuff of legends, but accusations of sorcery and witchcraft still exist and they can affect the most vulnerable.
Every morning, Josiane* comes to Children’s Voice, a youth center for counseling and support. The young orphan lived with her aunt in Goma, until she was accused of witchcraft.
SOUNBITE (Swahili) Josiane, *named changed, 16-year old:
“One morning, while I was at school, a child had a fit at home. It was like an epileptic seizure. He was brought to the hospital and the doctor said he couldn’t make a diagnosis. Since that day, my uncle’s wife said I was responsible for that illness as she’d never seen anything like that before.”
Her uncle’s family threw her out of the house.
SOUNBITE (Swahili) Josiane, *named changed, 16-year old:
“When people said I was a witch, it hurt me. And I told myself I must get married to find a home on my own”.
SOUNDBITE (French) Julienne Ngutu, Children’s Voice social worker:
“When we talked to the family, we realized that the girl couldn’t stay here anymore. She was threatened to be killed, she was beaten many times, and the girl was traumatized”
Josiane found refuge in Children’s Voice, for psychosocial support, health care and education.
Beliefs in witchcraft and other occult forces are widespread in Africa, and other parts of the world. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, thousands of children are accused of witchcraft, and economic hardship, conflict, urbanization, displacement and family breakdown are identified as the underlying causes of the phenomenon.
At Children’s Voice, Josiane starts a new life. She has resumed her education, made new friends and has started to smile again.
SOUNDBITE (French) Christine Musaidizi, Head of Children’s Voice:
“In the past in Goma, there were many cases of killings. A child would be stoned to death, a child would be burnt alive, and nobody could defend the child. If you defended the child, you’d be accused of being a witch yourself, and been killed. So, we have had positive results. As for the past two years, no child was killed or burnt alive because he was accused of sorcery.”
Children’s Voice works with UN agencies such as UNICEF and the Congolese Special police for the protection of children and women. Major David Bodeli, who heads the special unit, tried to enforce the Law on Child Protection, but it’s quite a challenge.
SOUNDBITE (French) Major David Bodeli, Special Police Unit for Protection of Women and Children:
“The law says that accusing a child of witchcraft is punishable by 1 to 3 years penal servitude. So, the law is absolutely explicit. It is very severe for the person who accuses the child of being a witch. But do people know that there is a law meant to protect children, and to punish those who accuse children of witchcraft? The answer is no, unfortunately.”
*:Josiane is not her real name, for matter of confidentiality, the name was changed.
