Mar 19 2009
Witch Hunt in Gambia
In Gambia the witch hunt is on. At least one thousand alleged witches have been taken by a team of ‘witch doctors’, police, and soldiers. They are held hostage for several days and are all forced to drink a dangerous hallucinogenic herbal drink, which causes kidney problems, vomiting and diarrhea. Some are beaten as well, and so far at least two people have died after being released.
The President of Gambia, Yahya Jammeh lost his aunt earlier this year. He believes her death is due to the witches in his country. Jammeh invited the witch doctors from Guinea to come and rid his nation of its evil. I would guess the reason behind the forced herbal cocktail is to purge the witches of whatever alleged spirits caused them to somehow cause the death of Jammeh’s aunt. It all makes an interesting belief system by the President, but doesn’t give him a right to forcibly detain and drug his people. The reports on the witch hunt are courtesy of Amnesty International. They have requested the President to stop his witch hunt. Many people have fled to Senegal in fear of the campaign spreading and worsening.
Jammeh has led the West African nation since a 1994 coup. In 2007 he said that he can cure AIDS.
