President Goodluck Ebele
Jonathan
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Aso Rock Villa
Abuja, Nigeria
Re: The abuse of the witch children of Akwa Ibom
State
Dear Mr. Jonathan:
The Institute for Science and Human
Values is an international organization devoted to
the global advancement of science, reason, and
humanist values. Naturally, we were appalled to
hear how children accused of witchcraft in Akwa Ibom
State are cast out of their families, beaten,
tortured, maimed, and murdered. We were heartened
to hear how Mr. Sam Itauma of Eket has been rescuing
these abused and innocent children, otherwise left
to fend for themselves, through the Child’s Rights
and Rehabilitation Network (CRARN) center, which he
established and affiliated with Stepping Stones of
the U.K. Mr. Itauma has worked tirelessly to
restore the rights of these children. We were again
heartened to hear how Governor Godswill Akpabio,
responding to Mr. Itauma, signed a Child Rights Law
addressing the witch children problem in 2008 and
even visited the CRARN center and donated money to
the center after Henen Ukpabio of the Liberty
Foundation Gospel Ministries and her henchmen
illegally raided the center.
Matters have taken a dark turn since
then. Ukpabin, who accuses children of witchcraft
and promotes their abuse, has never been prosecuted
under the Child Rights Law nor has she been
prosecuted for her raid on CRARN. In two interviews
with CNN in August 2010, Governor Akpabio denied the
very existence of the accused witch children that he
addressed in his legislation. Shortly thereafter,
on local radio and TV, Governor Akpabio falsely
accused CRARN and Stepping Stones of duping people
for money and declared Mr. Itauma was wanted for
unspecified crimes. Governor Akpabio ordered a
police surveillance of CRARN. On 10 November 2010,
the federal EFCC (Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission) raided the CRARN center on the basis of
anonymous petitions and sought to arrest Mr. Itauma,
who was not there, for unspecified crimes.
The Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information,
Mr. Aniekan Umanah, publically threatened to
dismantle CRARN using a government commission. Mr.
Umanah also falsely accused Gary Foxcroft of
Stepping Stones with child trafficking. The
threatened government commission, charged with
investigating CRARN and Stepping Stones, was
established on 22 November 2010 with its members
hand-picked by Gov. Akpabio’s administration.
Mr. Itauma fears for his life. Mr. Foxcroft fears
to go to Nigeria. The abused children at the CRARN
center wonder what is going to happen to them.
One measure of the decency of a society, accepted
throughout the world, is the way it treats its
children. By that measure, the forces of darkness
and superstition are destroying the children of Akwa
Iborn, and the government is in
the lead
We call upon you to:
·
Commence immediate enforcement of the
Child’s Rights Law when and where applicable.
·
Commence an immediate and ongoing
government funded education and awareness campaign
to educate communities in Akwa Ibom State against
superstitious beliefs in child witchcraft.
·
Cease all hostile actions, threats,
and petitions against Mr. Itauma, CRARN, Stepping
Stones or Mr. Foxcroft. Order the Akwa Ibom State
Government to cease negative media campaigns against
CRARN and/or its agents.
·
Guarantee that all persons living or
working at CRARN Center will not be harassed,
kidnapped or murdered. Ensure complete stoppage of
unlawful entry by law-enforcement agents into the
CRARN Compound.
·
Provide qualified and paid onsite
medical personnel for medical emergencies, first
aids, evaluations, and hospital referrals at the
CRARN Center.
·
Commence immediate and extensive
investigation of the role of Helen Ukpabio’s
organization and other such organizations whose
practices and beliefs foster child endangerment due
to stigmatization of children as witches. Full
criminal prosecution of those found complicit in
such practices should follow this investigation.
·
Commence immediate investigation of
Governor Godswill Akpabio’s administration for child
endangerment due to their failure to effectively
enforce the Child’s Rights Law, and for their
harassment and intimidation of the children’s
advocates.
It is a matter of human decency.
Sincerely yours,
Paul Kurtz, Chairman Stuart
Jordan, President

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