Getting death threats from the locals? Now you can hole up with the Witches Protection Program. Witches Protection Program by D. Trull Enigma Editor dtrull@parascope.com Samantha Stephens on "Bewitched" never got threatened much with witch hunts. Darrin was always crapping his pants worrying that Sam was gonna get outed and burned at the stake, and that nosy old bag Mrs. Kravitz always had her paranoid suspicions, but by and large things worked out fine, week in and week out. That's because Sam was a witch who knew how to play it cool and, above all, how to assimilate. The situation hasn't been so magical in the non-sitcom world of contemporary Africa. Lynchings of suspected witches are on the rise throughout the continent, including the killings of alleged "penis snatchers" along the west coast from Cameroon to Nigeria. South Africa has also been hit hard with witchcraft-related homicides, particularly in villages of the Northern Province where superstition runs rampant. Local police report 143 killings of suspected witches between April 1994 and February 1995. As a result, South African law enforcement agencies have instituted a witch protection program. There are currently ten "witch sanctuaries" throughout the country, where accused practitioners of black magic can hope to find peace and safety. "If someone dies in suspicious circumstances, or something inexplicable happens, a witch is usually suspected," explained Sgt. Stephen Ramabula, a officer on the witchcraft task force. "Generally if people believe there is a witch in their village, they will consult the Inkanga [or witch doctor]. He or she will then 'sniff out' the witch." The incited villagers proceed to attack and kill the implicated individuals or destroy their property. In one case, a nurse who accidentally caused a patient's death was lynched and burned to death. After Esther Rasesemola was charged with causing lightning to strike in her village, her house was looted and burned down, and she and her family were kidnapped and dumped in a deserted area. Rasesemola now lives in Helena, a "witch protection" community with a population of 70. Sometimes the witch-hunters give their targets the option of leaving the village of their own accord, but this is no guarantee of a peaceful resolution. "A woman passed away in our village and a meeting was called with the Inkanga," said Daniel Ngoepe, a 63-year-old man who was forced into a witch sanctuary. "A list of seven people was drawn up suspected of witchcraft, including myself and my wife. We were given the afternoon to pack our things and leave. When my son, who was a policeman, heard what had happened, he came to the village and killed four of the villagers. He was arrested and we fled. ... I have been condemned because of rumors and superstitions." Even when suspected "witch" killers and tormentors are brought up on charges, a conviction can be nearly impossible to conjure up. "It is difficult to gather evidence on witchcraft murders because people are scared," Inspector Matome Mamabolo explained. "If someone is accused of murdering a witch, the community tends to support them by supplying money for an advocate when the case comes to court. There is a solidarity there -- after all, that person is accused of ridding the village of a witch." South Africa has progressed enormously in recent years, but obviously has a long way to go before it can call itself an enlightened society. This witch protection program is a horrible compromise in a climate rife with fear and murder, where senseless prejudices drive innocent people from their homes and into guarded containment areas. You'd think the people of South Africa would have learned better by now. Source: Electronic Telegraph (c) Copyright 1997 ParaScope, Inc. More Fortean Slips! Share your views in the message boards!