* * Burning Issues <http://www.foroyaa.gm/modules/news/index.php?storytopic=5> : “I Was Raped” Says Abductee By Publisher<http://www.foroyaa.gm/userinfo.php?uid=31> on 20-03-09 (144 reads) News by the same author<http://www.foroyaa.gm/modules/news/newsbythisauthor.php?uid=31> By Abubacarr Saidykhan A resident (name with held) of Makunbaya who was abducted by witch hunters in the early hours of Tuesday, on the 25th day of February 2009, at about 11:00am in Makumbaya in the Western Region of the country, indicated that she was raped by one of her captors. According to her, she was raped by a young man while she was in captivity in a compound they called Baba Jobe’s compound. The victim who was in an angry mood, said she was at the Makumbaya village garden when she and her colleagues received a messenger who claimed to be sent by the Alkalo, Alhagie Kujabi; that all the Gardeners should immediately go and answer to a very important guest from the president. She said whilst on their way to the Alkalo, they met with the so-called witch hunters that were accompanied by armed personnel and young men and women in green clothes. The woman added that after she was abducted by the group, she was told that she was possessed by demons that “gave her their shirts without her notice”, and that being the case, she had to go to Kololi with them in order for her to be cured of the spell. The distraught woman said upon their arrival at Kololi, she was told by the witch hunters that she should drink the concoction so that they could start her treatment. She said her captors forced her to drink the concoction; and shortly after drinking the liquid that night, she said she fell down and went into a trance and did not know where she was or what was happening to her. She said a young man raped her while she was under detention at Kololi; that she was raped during the second day of her detention at Kololi. She said while in captivity, this young man would come to her and ask her to take bath; and that while she was taking bath; the young man would stand and look at her while she was naked. She said whenever she planned to go to the toilet to urine or defecate; the young man would insist that he was going to accompany her. She lamented that it was during one of those instances that the young man wrestle her to the ground and forcefully raped her. The victim said after undergoing this ordeal, her daughter who is a police at the Banjulinding Police Station came to Kololi and requested for her release. She said that was how she regained her freedom. She said if she sees the man who raped her, she would recognise him. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *This is abhorent and disgusting to the highest degree. Only this woman knows the kind of ordeal she was forced to endure. I can only imagine the pain and trauma she must be going through right now. Suffering abduction, kidnapping and imprisonment for no reason and being forced to drink something God knows what, then you are inviolated and raped is simply incomprehensible. Are the authorities gonna take notice and investigate (i think not). For real peace and justice to prevail, it is not enough releasing Halifa Sallah as noted in the Foroyaa Editiorial but to stop the witch hunt and the crimes associated with it immediately. This woman's case may be just the tip of the iceberg. Who knows what happen to others who were abducted and kidnapped. Some may be ashame or afraid to come forward and speak about what happened to them whilst being kidnapped. This lady is very brave. Rape is a heinous and despicable crime. It destroys the victim, causes self-doubt and brings about low self-esteem. Victims sometimes blame themselves for it and thus it is imperative for help to be provided and those accused must be confronted immediately for justice and peace to prevail. In the name of peace and justice this lady's plight must be investigated and those accused must be stopped from 'circulation' until the truth is established. They are a danger to the public. The ordeal of rape, one can imagine is painful. The scar and wound inflicted by rapists to their victims is permanent, degrading and can never be healed properly. The real witches and wizards are the rapists who have destroyed the soul of this dignified lady. Something must be done. This is vile and just unimaginable.* * * *Mboge * ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?S1=gambia-l To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤