Understanding Witchcraft Accusations in AfricaShareBy Leo IgweOctober 27, 2014Skeptical activist Leo Igwe explains the developments that led to the situation in Africa where “witches” are still regularly persecuted and even murdered.The first major witchcraft persecution in Scotland in late 16th century when the ship of King James VI ran into some terrible storms on its way from Denmark. The wife of a Danish official, who had insulted a member of the escorting team, was accused of trying to sink the King’s ship through witchcraft. The King believed that the storm was not natural but an act of malevolent magic by those who wanted to kill him. The necessary machinery was put in place to fish out the criminals. Several people were arrested, implicated, tortured, and made to confess in the massive witch-hunts that ensued. Agnes Sampson, John Fian and others were convicted of using witchcraft to send the storm against the ship.Fast forward to 21st century Africa. In 2009, the aunt of the President of Gambia, Yahya Jammeh, died and he suspected that she was killed through witchcraft. The President hired some witch doctors who went into villages accompanied by the police and state security agents. They flushed out those suspected of perpetrating the crime, arresting all those identified as witches. The suspects were detained, tried, and forced to drink some concoctions. Amnesty International brought attention to the witch hunt in the Gambia which caused pressure on the Gambian authorities. All those detained were later released, though a few died in detention and some suffered some health damage. Most of the people arrested where poor rural dwellers who were not in any position to resist arrests and maltreatment.In the case of early modern Scotland and in 21st century Gambia, there is a toxic mix of politics and interpretations of misfortune. There is a magical predatory mechanism that targets mostly women, and others in weak, less privileged, vulnerable, socio-cultural positions. Beliefs, conceptions and misconception require social power to give them force and effect. When superstition and politics mix, that can have devastating effects on those at the receiving end of the insinuations.
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Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2014 20:25:26 +0100
From: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Foday Makalo Passed Away (RIP)
To: [log in to unmask]
Foday Makalo was former APRC administrative secretary lest we forget. Just like the late Buba Baldeh who worked as a the mouth piece of the APRC party, the Observer. May their souls rest in peace.
Kejau
Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2014 15:14:20 -0400
From: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Foday Makalo Passed Away (RIP)
To: [log in to unmask]
Yero
I think you or someone should follow his trail to let us know his life. I can't still understand such a buoyant character went so quiet for so long. Jumping out of Gambia is understandable. The mystery was were was he and what was he doing. Why did he gave up completely?
Burama
On Monday, October 27, 2014, Y Jallow <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Burama,
Thanks. Many years ago, it was speculated that he was dead. We did some investigative work, leading to gainako's publication that he was alive, lived in Mali and was in fact mobile. He also broke his silence when he app on Freedom radio to shame Jammeh and the aprc. It is with a heavy heart I express my condolences to the entire Makalo and his many followers. At long last, he has been accounted for, and now a closure. Thanks for sharing the sad news Suntou. Regards, Yero
Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2014 07:15:30 -0400
From: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Foday Makalo Passed Away (RIP)
To: [log in to unmask]
I think it would be good to play publicly account for the mysterious (for lack of better word) circumstances surrounding Foday's supposed disappearance, re-appearances, living in exile, illness and now dead.
Remembered sometimes back Yero or someone has put a piece of information about him online.
It mysterious for such a prominent figure to go quiet instantly and permanently.
Think his political peak was during the Jawara Cooked up SeneGambia confederation negotiation. Purposefully or a blessing in disguise he seem to be the backbone of those negotiations when The rest were pretty much yes vote on anything or everything.
Again RIP
On Monday, October 27, 2014, Burama Jammeh <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
RIP
Burama
On Monday, October 27, 2014, suntou touray <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
http://www.kaironews.com/news/former-gambian-mp-makalo-passed-away/
Foday Makalo was once labelled by the ex-Gambian President Sir Dawda Jawara as “Foday Mmee kalan lon” meaning, Foday it is hard to describe you in a political rally. Foday Makalo was a fire brand opposition politician in the Gambian parliament within the NCP, he was described as a hard hitting uncompromising MP. After the 1994 coup, he later briefly worked with APRC, but later fell out with them and went into exiled. He is survived by his children, some of whom lives abroad. People have fond memories of the first Republic MP. The bitter rivalry in parliament and the camaraderie outside it is reported to have created a formal relationship between NCP opposition politicians and their PPP colleagues. Foday Makalo lived a quiet life in exile, with reports that, he secretly enters in and out the Gambia to see relatives. He will be fondly remembered.
On behalf of the entire Kairo news team, from our Executive Editor Musa Saidykhan, who is currently in Europe on a trip, to the senior Editor Yaya Dampha, Editorial Consultant Mohammed L Sillah, to Imam Ceesay, and my humble self Suntou Touray, we extend our health felt condolences to the Makalo Family of Badibou and beyond. Our special regards to ASN editor-In-Chief Sulayman Makalo, sorry for your loss. May the departed soul rest in peace.
Curtsey of our sister paper, American Street News, the exiled Gambian politician Foday Makala,
“Foday Makalo, the exiled former member of parliament of the defunct opposition National Convention Party (NCP) has died. He died today, Sunday, October 26, 2014 in Dakar, Senegal where he was receiving medical treatment at the age of 67.
Mr. Makalo who is a one-time administrative secretary of the ruling APRC, escaped The Gambia about 15 years ago in dramatic circumstances. Mr. Makalo escaped following an advanced attempt by Dictator Yahya Jammeh and his regime to kill him. Shortly after his escape, reports were rife that he might have been killed and buried in a secret location. One of such conspiracy theorists was then opposition leader and member of national assembly, Hamat Bah, who advanced a report that Foday had been killed and buried in the garden belonging to then Niumi Chief Alhagie Tabora Manneh,
Shortly afterwards, Mr. Makalo’s official car was retrieved by the police and parked at the Barra police station. Little has been heard of Foday Makalo since then except for a one-tine report by The Independent newspaper about his secret visit to his family in Baddibu. His family and close associates later reconnected with him. He mostly lived in Mali where he sought refuge until his recent illness when he moved to Dakar, Senegal.
Makalo was a prominent Gambian household name both during the first and second republics. Foday is survived by his wife and several children and grandchildren. The family is currently making arrangements for his burial.
Foday Makalo is the elder brother of our Editor-In-Chief, Sulayman Makalo. ASN extends our condolences to Sulayman and his entire family for the loss.”
http://americanstreetnews.com/news/gambia-foday-makalo-is-dead
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www.suntoumana.blogspot.com
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