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No Frames Reporters and Columnists:    Christa Landon, Damon Leff, Leslie Ann Johnson,  Lowell McFarland > Special Report on South Africa: Witchcraft Suppression Act to Criminalize Wicca, rank Witchcraft with Rape and Murder MPUMALANGA WITCHCRAFT SUPPRESSION BILL 2007 Witches Demand Protection As a Religious Minority Open Letter from South African Pagan Alliance > World Council of Churches Blames Accessibility of Small Arms for VA Killings > WORLD RELIGION BRIEFS > Killed for Alleged Witchcraft in 2007 > Nairobi Conference Focuses on Ending Mutilation of Women > Religious WMDS to Be Dismantled At UN Conference > God Wills It > Whose Roots?  Defining Europe's religious identity & freedoms in the EU Constitution > SAFF Is back on line > Stonehenge news > The Akashic Record has been evoked to visible appearance! (virtually) > Aboriginal Rights ARCHIVE > African Religion ARCHIVE > Greek Religion ARCHIVE > Stonehenge ARHCHIVE > Witch Hunts Today > World Religion ARCHIVE                Press releases appear against a white background.
South Africa: Mpumalanga Witchcraft Suppression Act Witchcraft is as criminal as rape and murder? South African Witches demand protection as a religious minority. Damon Leff 21 July 2007 In June this year the Office of the Premier of Mpumalanga Province, South Africa, leaked a draft Witchcraft Suppression Bill which threatens to undermine the freedoms and rights already guaranteed to an existing religious minority – Witches - by deliberately criminalizing and prohibiting said religious minority’s constitutionally guaranteed right to exist and to practice their religion. The Bill seeks to suppress Witchcraft and will imprison self-defined Witches on the assumption of automatic inference of criminality. In submitted formal objections to the proposed Suppression Bill the South African Pagan Rights Alliance (SAPRA) and the South African Pagan Council (SAPC), supported by Pagans across the country who define themselves as Witches, have criticised the Mpumalanga legislature’s decision to base their Bill on a piece of Apartheid legislation – the Witchcraft Suppression Act (Act 3 of 1957 as amended by Act 50 of 1970). The Suppression Bill contradicts 11 clauses enshrined in the Bill of Rights, Chapter Two of the Constitution of South Africa, by denying self-defined Witches the right to dignity, equality, religious freedom, expression, association and the right to choose their trade, occupation or profession freely. The Act would in effect deny equal citizenship to South Africans who define their religion as Witchcraft. SAPRA has called on the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development to support the enactment of legislation to prevent or prohibit unfair discrimination, to protect and advance persons or categories of persons disadvantaged by unfair discrimination, and to promote the achievement of equality for a specific historically disadvantaged religious minority – Witches. SAPRA and the SAPC have presented an alternative Witchcraft Protection Bill to the Mpumalanga legislature for consideration as a replacement to the current Suppression Bill. Chapter 9 (4) of the Constitution of South Africa makes provision for the drafting of legislation to prevent or prohibit unfair discrimination. The Protection Bill will provide for the protection of self-defined Witches, protect Witchcraft as a belief system and religion, and prohibit discrimination against persons claiming to be Witches, or alleged to be Witches or practicing Witchcraft. Who defines Witchcraft? The Suppression Bill defines Witchcraft as: …the secret use of muti, zombies, spells, spirits, magic powders, water, mixtures, etc, by any person with the purpose of causing harm, damage, sickness to others or their property. Self-defined Witches have rejected this definition on the grounds that it stereotypes witchcraft as harmful and portrays Witches as a danger to the communities within which they live and work. The proposed definition will merely serve to justify public fear of witchcraft and promote malice and violence against suspected witches. SAPRA has called on Provincial and national government authorities to halt the passage of the Suppression Bill and has provided the authorities with the following preferred definition of Witchcraft: …a religio-magical occupation that employs the use of sympathetic magic, ritual, herbalism and divination. Urgent need to avert a Witch-Hunt The national Witchcraft Suppression Act (1957) prohibits not only the knowledge and practice of witchcraft but also the practice of divinations. The Act also makes it illegal to accuse another of either being a Witch or of using witchcraft to cause harm. Since 1980 thousands of innocent men and women have been accused of being witches or of using witchcraft. Many have been murdered by their communities without trial. Many more have been banished from their villages, their homes destroyed and members of their families murdered or forced to flee in fear of their lives. For many South Africans a witch is nothing but a source of mischief, quarrel, illness, barrenness and sudden death. In common usage the word ‘witch’ is virtually synonymous with poisoner, murderer and liar and has become a label of convenience for any archetypal evil that threatens the natural and good societal order. In rural South Africa, the mere suspicion of witchcraft activity may lead to accusation, assault, enforced exile or murder, especially in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Kwazulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. We are not criminals Despite numerous inter-governmental investigations into the phenomena of ‘witch-purging’ by individuals and communities within South Africa and in spite of numerous very detailed published reports, including the Thohoyandou Declaration, no attempt has been made to reconcile the two very different world-views at stake when discussing witchcraft from a traditional African and Christian perspective, and Witchcraft from a South African Pagan perspective. The 1995 Report of the Ralushai Commission of Inquiry into Witchcraft Violence and Ritual Murder in the Northern Province, defined the term ‘witch’ to mean a person who, …through sheer malice, either consciously or subconsciously, employs magical means to inflict all manner of evil on their fellow human beings. They destroy property, bring disease or misfortune and cause death, often entirely without provocation to satisfy their inherent craving for evil doing. Testifying before a Truth and Reconciliation Commission Amnesty Hearing in July 1999 Professor Ralushai confirmed his Commission’s definition of ‘a witch’ when he was asked by attorney Patrick Ndou to define what a Witch was. Ralushai stated, “A witch is supposed to be a person who is endowed with powers of causing illness or ill luck or death to the person that he wants to destroy.” It could be argued that maintaining and reinforcing a definition predisposed to eliciting violence against alleged witches was never in the best interest of tolerance or reconciliation. The characterization of a person or group of persons (witches) as ‘evil’ and so deserving of criminal classification by default makes a mockery of the values of human dignity, equality and the advancement of human rights and freedoms on which the Republic of South Africa is founded. Witchcraft is a religion Witchcraft is an ancient magical system that employs the use of divination, sympathetic magic and Pagan ritual practices. Contemporary Witches define their religio-spiritual practices as a craft and modern Witches ply their craft as herbalists, diviners and magic workers. As ‘Wicca’, Witchcraft has evolved into a modern Pagan mystery religion. Wicca is an initiatory, polytheistic (with exceptions), Pagan mystery religion inspired by various pre- and post-Christian western European beliefs and spiritual practices. Wicca was popularised in England in the 1950's by Gerald Gardner. An initiate of 'the Wicca' is one who traces his or her initiatory lineage back to Gerald Gardner or his initiates.  Not all Witches define themselves as 'Wicca'. Contrived disassociation of the term ‘Wicca’ from ‘Witch’ in order to support a cultural and religious world-view of good (the Wicca) versus evil (the Witch) is grossly misleading. The Wicca are (with exception), by self-definition, Witches. Pagans identify their religion as a modern Earth and Nature venerating spirituality, one that embraces ancient and new forms of spiritual and magical practice, including the veneration of ancient Gods and Goddesses worshiped by pagans of the pre-Christian world. Although no definite census exists, it is estimated that there are between 3000 and 5000 self-defined Pagan Witches in South Africa. For more information please visit the website of the South African Pagan Rights Alliance – Press http://www.paganrights.net
MPUMALANGA WITCHCRAFT SUPPRESSION BILL 2007                                                                                                    MPUMALANGA WITCHCRAFT SUPPRESSION BILL 2007 To provide for the suppression of witchcraft in the province, to set the code of Conduct for Traditional Healers, to provide for the responsibilities of Traditional leaders and to provide for matters incidental thereto. PREAMBLE   WHEREAS Chapter 2 of the Constitution recognizes Human rights for all., WHEREAS the Traditional Customs must be transformed to be in line with Constitution. WHEREAS the Traditional Leaders must promote goodwell, Democratic Governance within their Communities. AND WHEREAS traditional leaders must strive to enhance tradition and culture in a way that is consistent with applicable laws of the Republic of South Africa. BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Provincial Legislature of the Province of Mpumalanga, as follows:     ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS   CHAPTER 1 Definitions CHAPTER 2 Promotion of Good Relations Amongst Community Members CHAPTER 3 Responsibilities of Traditional Leaders CHAPTER 4 Registration of Traditional Healers CHAPTER 5 Code of Conduct of Traditional Healers CHAPTER 6 Offences     CHAPTER 1 DEFINITIONS Definitions “Constitution” means the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. ”Igedla” means a person who knows and uses muti either to cure, protect from evil spirits, etc or to cause damage, suffering, harm etc. without ukuthwasa and does not foretell the future as an inyanga “Inkosi” means a traditional leader- (a)        underwhose authority , or within whose area of jurisdiction Traditional leaders exercise authority in accordance with Customary law, and (b)        recognized as such in terms of the Traditional leadership and Governance Framework Act 2003 (Act.No. 41 of 2003). “Inyanga” means a person who uses muti to cause harm, damage, suffering, bad luck, cure diseases, protect from evil spirits and uses mixtures shells, coins, bones,etc. to foretell the future of people, identify witches, perform spells for good and or evil purposes. “Kuthwasa” means a special training undergone by Inyanga which teaches the inyanga about muti, ukuphengula (foretelling) and sometimes to train other new inyanga. This training can be done through disappearance under water (river/sea) for a long time or by attending the residence of the Inyanga that trains other inyangas. “Muti” means any mixture of herbs, water, wollen cufs etc, used by wizards, igedla, inyanga, African Churches, Foreign traditional Healers, etc for the purposes of curing deseases, helping others who come to consult to them for whatever purposes and including causing harm to others or their properties. “Province” means the Province of Mpumalanga. “Spells” means a form of words used as magical charm or incantation used by Wizards. “Traditional leader” means any person who, in terms of customary law of the traditional community concerned, holds a traditional leadership position, and is recognized in terms of the Traditional Leadership and Governance Framework Act, 2003. “Umhlahlo” means a gathering of families or persons with the approval of the Traditional Leader or King at the place of an Inyanga with the purpose of identifying another as witch by the Inyanga, irrespective of whether the gathering is voluntary or involuntary “Umkhaya” has a corresponding meaning. “Witchcraft” means the secret use of muti, zombies, spells, spirits, magic powders, water, mixtures, etc, by any person with the purpose of causing harm, damage, sickness to others or their property. “Wizard”means any person who secretly solicit or uses muti, zombies, spells, spirits, magic powders, water, mixtures, baboons, etc. for the purposes of causing harm, damage or suffering to another.   CHAPTER 2 PROMOTION OF GOOD RELATIONS AMONGST COMMUNITY MEMBERS 2(1) No person shall point, imply or direct that any body practices witchcraft or has been bewitched by anybody. (2) The King or Traditional Leader shall promote good neighbourhood amongst his or her subjects, (3) The King or Traditional Leader shall in promoting good neighborhood amongst subjects, advice: (a)     any person who is of the opinion that his or rights are being violated to: (i)   report the matter to the King or Traditional leader of the offence by the other person, (ii)   Call upon all parties involved to give evidence of the nature of the allegations by the other party and the plaintiff to defend her/himself in a form of a trial, (iii)  be available on the request by the King or Traditional Leader when trying the case. (b)     If for any other reason the aggrieved party is not satisfied by the ruling of the king or Traditional Leader, he or she may: (i)    open a case with the SAPS on the alleged violation of his or her rights, or (ii     seek recourse from a Court of law of the Republic of south Africa under whose jurisdiction he or she falls.   CHAPTER 3 RESPONSIBILITIES OF TRADITIONAL LEADERS 3 It shall be the responsibility of any traditional leader to: (1) Issue permits of practice to traditional healers who are registered with the Traditional Healers Association. (2) keep a register of all practicing traditional Healers under his jurisdiction. (3) Prohibit, in consultation with the Association,’ any person from practicing, who is found to be breaking the code of conduct of traditional healers or any laws applicable to the Republic of South Africa. (4) Discourage any members of the community from obtaining permission to conduct umhlahlo. (5) Prohibit the holding of Umhlahlo within his area of jurisdiction. (6) Prohibit and not entertain any group of people alleging witchcraft and who request the chasing away of any person or family from the community who is alleged to be practicing witchcraft. (7) Report to authorities, any person known to be breaking the provisions of this Bill.       CHAPTER 4 REGISTRATION OF TRADITIONAL HEALERS 4 Any person who is currently practicing or wishes to practice as a traditional healer shall:- (1) Register with the Traditional Healers Association within his area of operation; (2) Ensure that his or her name is kept in the register of the Traditional leader for people practicing as Traditional healers in his area of jurisdiction; and (3) On the registration form must indicate at least tree areas of specialty of his or her practice.   CHAPTER 5 CODE OF CONDUCT OF TRADITIONAL HEALERS 5 Traditional Healers shall in abiding by the Code of Conduct: (1) Promote the harmonious living environment for their clients. (2) Co-operate in the open and in a manner that indicates professionalism through:- (a)     abiding by the rules and regulations of the Association; (b)     keeping a register or inventory of all medicines or muti he/she uses; (c)     clearly marking the muti and it’s purpose; (d)     permitting unscheduled and scheduled searches by authorities through the Association to inspect and verify the muti so kept and any other related matters’; (e)     signing a code of conduct with the Association not to use any prohibited substances and or any human tissue as defined in the Human Tissues Act; (f)      prescribing muti for curing purposes and not for killing purposes, causing damage or harm to another nor help any person with regard to the killing, causing damage or harm others; (g)     reporting anyone soliciting human tissues or selling them; and (h)     co-operate with Police on any investigation. (3) If the traditional healer is also an Inyanga, he or she shall not:- (a)     Point any person as a witch; (b)     Involve himself or herself in or prophesy any need for ritual killing; (c)     Provide help to anyone bringing or soliciting the use of human tissue for muti purposes; and (d)     Perform umhlahlo with the purpose of identifying any person as a witch or wizard   CHAPTER 6 OFFENCES 6 Any person who conducts himself in the manner below shall be guilty of an offence:- 1    (a)     Imputes to any other person the causing, by supernatural means, of any disease in or injury or damage to any person or thing, or who names or indicates any other person as a wizard; (b)     In circumstances indicating that he professes or pretends to use any supernatural power, witchcraft, sorcery, enchantment or disappointment of any person or thing to any other person; (c)     Employs or solicits any witchdoctor, witch-finder or any other person to name or indicate any person as a wizard; (d)     Professes a knowledge of witchcraft, or the use of charms, advises any person how to bewitch, injure or damage any person or thing, or supplies any person with any pretended means of witchcraft; (e)     On the advice of any inyanga, witch-finder or other person or on the ground of any pretended knowledge of witchcraft, uses or causes to be put into operational  any means or process which, in accordance with such advice or his own belief, is calculated to injure or damage any person or thing; and (f)      For gain pretends to exercise or use any supernatural powers, witchcraft, sorcery or        enchantment. SHORT TITLE AND COMMENCEMENT 9 (1) This Act is called The Mpumalanga Witchcraft suppression Act and comes into operation on a date fixed by the Premier by proclamation in the Provincial Gazette
Mpumalanga Witchcraft Suppression Act: South Africa Witches demand protection as a religious minority. Damon Leff 20 July 2007 In June this year the Office of the Premier of Mpumalanga Province proposed a draft Witchcraft Suppression Bill which threatens to undermine the freedoms and rights already guaranteed to an existing religious minority in the Republic of South Africa, Witches, by deliberately criminalizing and prohibiting said religious minority’s constitutionally guaranteed right to exist and to practice their religion. The Bill in question determines that Witchcraft be suppressed and that Witches be criminalized on the assumption of automatic inference of criminality. In submitted formal objections to the proposed Suppression Bill the South African Pagan Rights Alliance (SAPRA) and the South African Pagan Council (SAPC), supported by Pagans across the country who define themselves as Witches, have criticised the Mpumalanga legislature’s decision to base their Bill on a piece of Apartheid legislation – the Witchcraft Suppression Act (Act 3 of 1957 as amended by Act 50 of 1970). SAPRA has called on the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development to support the enactment of legislation to prevent or prohibit unfair discrimination, to protect and advance persons or categories of persons disadvantaged by unfair discrimination, and to promote the achievement of equality for a specific historically disadvantaged religious minority – Witches. SAPRA and the SAPC have presented for consideration an alternative Witchcraft Protection Bill. Chapter 9 (4) of the Constitution of South Africa makes provision for the drafting of legislation to prevent or prohibit unfair discrimination. The Protection Bill will provide for the protection of self-defined Witches, protect Witchcraft as a belief system and religion, and prohibit discrimination against persons claiming to be Witches, or alleged to be Witches or practicing Witchcraft. For more information please visit the following websites: South African Pagan Rights Alliance – Press http://www.paganrights.net
10 July 2007 Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Ms. BS Mabandla Pretoria Fax: 012 - 315 1749 Cape Town Fax: 021 - 467 1730 Deputy Minister Mr. JH de Lange Pretoria Fax: 012 - 322 2908 Cape Town Fax: 021 - 467 1732 and South African Human Rights Commission Western Cape Office - Legal Services Ms Julie Steffers:  jsteffers@sahrc.org.za Fax: (011) 484 1360 1. Objections to the proposed draft Mpumalanga Witchcraft Suppression Bill (2007) - Office of the Premier: Mpumalanga Provincial Government 2. Urgent appeal for legislative reform to the Witchcraft Suppression Act (Act 3 of 1957 as amended by Act 50 of 1970)   Honourable Minister   Find accompanying documentation in reference and motivation: 1. draft Mpumalanga Witchcraft Suppression Bill (2007) 2. objections against the Mpumalanga Witchcraft Suppression Bill by the South African Pagan Rights Alliance (SAPRA) dated 5, 7 and 9 July 2007 3. proposed draft Mpumalanga Witchcraft Protection Bill prepared by SAPRA in collaboration with the South African Pagan Council (SAPC), for consideration by the Office of the Premier and Mpumalanga Legislature 4. unanswered correspondence dated 19 February 2007 from SAPRA to the Minister and deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, and Ms J Steffers of the South African Human Rights Commission.   1.  Objections to the proposed draft Mpumalanga Witchcraft Suppression Bill (2007) - Office of the Premier: Mpumalanga Provincial Government   On behalf of the South African Pagan Rights Alliance I wish to lodge a formal appeal to the Honourable Minister against the recently proposed Mpumalanga Witchcraft Suppression Bill currently being prepared for consideration by the Mpumalanga legislature by Advocate B. Thomas of the Office of the Premier: Mpumalanga. Adv. B Thomas. Contact: 013 766 6584 - E-mail: bbongo@mpg.gov.za This proposed draft Bill threatens to undermine the freedoms and rights already guaranteed to an existing religious minority in the Republic of South Africa, by deliberately criminalizing and prohibiting said religious minority’s constitutionally guaranteed right to exist and to practice their religion. The Bill in question determines that Witchcraft be suppressed and that Witches be criminalized on the assumption of automatic inference of criminality. The religious community to which I refer defines its spiritual occupation and religion as Witchcraft and its adherents define themselves as Witches. This self-defined religious minority currently numbers between 3000 and 5000 members. There is no authoritative census on the exact number of Witches in South Africa to date. Witchcraft is described by these South African citizens as a spiritual occupation and religion closely associated with the practice of natural (sympathetic) magic, herbalism, divinations and Pagan religious ritual. Witchcraft is just one globally acknowledged spiritual path belonging to modern Paganism. Paganism is defined by its adherents as a Nature-venerating spirituality and religion. The practices of Witchcraft are understood by its adherents as something sacred and spiritual. It is in this context that modern Pagan Witches use the terms Witch and Witchcraft. The proposed Mpumalanga Witchcraft Suppression Bill defines Witchcraft incorrectly, and in so doing, prejudges all who profess to be Witches or to claim to be a practitioner of Witchcraft as automatically criminal by virtue of their belief and religion. This Bill determines that any person who professes to use any supernatural power, or witchcraft, or professes knowledge of witchcraft or the use of charms, or for gain exercises any supernatural power or witchcraft shall be guilty of a criminal offence. See section 6 sub-section b, d and f - Mpumalanga Witchcraft Suppression Bill accompanying. I appeal to the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development and to the South African Human Rights Commission to consider the ramifications of permitting acceptance of the Mpumalanga Witchcraft Suppression Bill on residents of Mpumalanga Province who do define themselves as Witches and who do define their religion as Witchcraft. These citizens of the Republic of South Africa will be denied their constitutional rights to religious freedom, expression, equality, liberty, dignity, security and their right to choose and practice their occupation within the Province of Mpumalanga. Please do not permit this travesty of justice to occur.   To this end, the South African Pagan Rights, in collaboration with the South African Pagan Council, has prepared an alternative Bill entitled the Mpumalanga Witchcraft Protection Bill for consideration by the Mpumalanga legislature. Find said Bill accompanying. This Alliance has appealed to the Premier of Mpumalanga not to proceed with the enactment of any legislation which would in any way prohibit or criminalise South African citizens on the grounds of religion or as the result of automatic inference of criminality. We have called on the Premier to rather enact legislation to prevent or prohibit unfair discrimination, to protect and advance persons or categories of persons disadvantaged by unfair discrimination, and to promote the achievement of equality for a specific historically disadvantaged religious minority. The object of the draft Mpumalanga Witchcraft Suppression Bill was primarily to prohibit and prevent accusation of witchcraft and acts of revenge and violence against persons suspected of being witches or of using witchcraft in the Province. The draft Mpumalanga Witchcraft Protection Bill does exactly that, but without in any way discriminating against, criminalising or marginalising those persons who do define themselves as Witches, or who do claim to use or practice witchcraft. You will notice that we have defined a Witch in such a way as to include any possible definition of traditional African witchcraft, and to exclude any possible insinuation of criminality or wrong-doing to Witches or Witchcraft. This Alliance is aware of the urgent need by the Office of the Premier of Mpumalanga to prevent further incidences of ongoing violence against innocent citizens falsely accused of, or alleged to be witches or of practicing witchcraft. Despite numerous inter-governmental investigations into the phenomena of ‘witch-purging’ by individuals and communities within South Africa and in spite of numerous very detailed published reports, including the Thohoyandou Declaration, violence against suspected witches in the Province continues unabated. The Alliance calls on the Honourable Minister to support the enactment of legislation to prevent or prohibit unfair discrimination, to protect and advance persons or categories of persons disadvantaged by unfair discrimination, and to promote the achievement of equality for a specific historically disadvantaged religious minority.   2. Urgent appeal for legislative reform to the Witchcraft Suppression Act (Act 3 of 1957 as amended by Act 50 of 1970)   The South African Pagan Rights Alliance argues that our stated reasons for objection against the Mpumalanga Witchcraft Suppression Bill (find accompanying motivated reasons for objection) apply equally to the Witchcraft Suppression Act (Act 3 of 1957 as amended by Act 50 of 1970). Act 3 as amended by Act 50 (Act 3) determines that any person who professes to use any supernatural power, or witchcraft, or professes knowledge of witchcraft or the use of charms, or for gain exercises any supernatural power or witchcraft shall be guilty of a criminal offence. Act 3 prohibits South African citizens who define themselves as Witches, irrespective of where they live in the Republic, from practicing their religion. These citizens of the Republic of South Africa have been and are being denied their constitutional rights to religious freedom, expression, equality, liberty, dignity, security and their right to choose and practice their occupation within South Africa. The Alliance appeals to the Honourable Minister to initiate urgent legislative reform to the Witchcraft Suppression Act (Act 3 of 1957 as amended by Act 50 of 1970) in order to prevent any further or future unfair discrimination and prejudice against citizens of a free and democratic country founded on the recognition of human dignity, equality for all - irrespective of religion or belief, and the advancement of human rights and freedoms for all South African citizens equally.   Yours Sincerely Mr. D. Leff Convenor: South African Pagan Rights Alliance Tel. /Fax. 044 850 1297 www.paganrights.net   Kindly acknowledge receipt of all documentation at your earliest convenience.
Open Letter from the South African Pagan Rights Alliance 7 July 2007 Office of the Premier Mpumalanga Provincial Government For attention: Advocates B. Thomas and H.M. Mbatha and L. Pretorius With reference to: P.15/5/15 Comment as an Interested and Affected Party: Mpumalanga Witchcraft Suppression Bill 2007. Registered I&AP’s: The South African Pagan Rights Alliance Additional Comment   Dear Advocates Thomas and Mbatha and L. Pretorius My previous correspondence on behalf of this Alliance dated 5 July 2007 and hereto appended refers.   1. The proposed Mpumalanga Witchcraft Suppression Bill is unconstitutional. No amount of redrafting will correct this. To the extent to which this proposed Bill provides for the suppression of witchcraft, a recognised belief system and religion, this Bill contradicts several sections of Chapter 2 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996), including: A. Section 1 (a) 1. The Republic of South Africa is one, sovereign, democratic state founded on the following values: a. Human dignity, the achievement of equality and the advancement of human rights and freedoms. B. Section 3 (2) (a) 3. (2) All citizens are  a. equally entitled to the rights, privileges and benefits of citizenship C. Section 7 (1) and (2) 7. (1) This Bill of Rights is a cornerstone of democracy in South Africa. It enshrines the rights of all people in our country and affirms the democratic values of human dignity, equality and freedom. (2) The state must respect, protect, promote and fulfil the rights in the Bill of Rights.   D. Section 9 (1) to (4) 9. (1) Everyone is equal before the law and has the right to equal protection and benefit of the law. (2) Equality includes the full and equal enjoyment of all rights and freedoms. To promote the achievement of equality, legislative and other measures designed to protect or advance persons, or categories of persons, disadvantaged by unfair discrimination may be taken. (3) The state may not unfairly discriminate directly or indirectly against anyone on one or more grounds, including race, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, ethnic or social origin, colour, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, conscience, belief, culture, language and birth. (4) No person may unfairly discriminate directly or indirectly against anyone on one or more grounds in terms of subsection (3). National legislation must be enacted to prevent or prohibit unfair discrimination.   E. Section 10 10. Everyone has inherent dignity and the right to have their dignity respected and protected.   F. Section 12 (1) 12. (1) Everyone has the right to freedom and security of the person.   G. Section 15 (1) 15. (1) Everyone has the right to freedom of conscience, religion, thought, belief and opinion.   H. Section 16 (1) (b) 16. (1) Everyone has the right to freedom of expression, which includes  b. freedom to receive or impart information or ideas;   I. Section 18 18. Everyone has the right to freedom of association. J. Section 22 22. Every citizen has the right to choose their trade, occupation or profession freely. K. Section 31 (1) 31. (1) Persons belonging to a cultural, religious or linguistic community may not be denied the right, with other members of that community  a. to enjoy their culture, practise their religion and use their language; and b. to form, join and maintain cultural, religious and linguistic associations and other organs of civil society. 2. This Bill was based on the Witchcraft Suppression Act (Act 3 of 1957 as amended by Act 50 of 1970), which is also unconstitutional. To the extent to which this Act provides for the suppression of witchcraft and of practices associated with witchcraft, a recognised belief system and religion, this Act contradicts several sections of Chapter 2 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996). See above. The Bill of Rights states in Chapter 9 (3) – The state may not unfairly discriminate directly or indirectly against anyone on one or more grounds, including …religion …belief…] and in Chapter 7 (2) – The state must respect, protect and fulfill the rights in the Bill of Rights. This Alliance argues that the proposed Mpumalanga Witchcraft Suppression Bill 2007 and the national Witchcraft Suppression Act (Act 3 of 1957 as amended by Act 50 of 1970) must be declared unconstitutional and invalid to the extent to which this legislation identifies one group of persons, on the grounds of belief, to be prohibited and criminal. 3. The Alliance wishes to advise the premier of Mpumalanga, and the drafters of this proposed Bill, to scrap this proposed Bill on the grounds that it contradicts the Bill of Rights to the extent to which it makes witchcraft illegal.  4. The Alliance further requests that the Office of the Premier of Mpumalanga draft a new Bill entitled 'The Mpumalanga Witchcraft Protection Act' which will protect Witches (and alleged witches) against further and future discrimination and persecution by the state and people of South Africa, in accordance with Chapter 9 (4) of the Bill of Rights which states “National legislation must be enacted to prevent or prohibit unfair discrimination”. 5. The Alliance further requests that Parliament be advised to scrap the national Witchcraft Suppression Act (Act 3 of 1957 as amended by Act 50 of 1970) and to draft a new Act entitled ‘The Witchcraft Protection Act’. The South African Pagan Rights Alliance reserves the right to submit additional comment.   Yours Sincerely Mr. D. Leff Convenor: South African Pagan Rights Alliance
Proposed Draft: Mpumalanga Witchcraft Protection Bill (2007) 9 July 2007 Office of the Premier Mpumalanga Provincial Government For attention: Advocates B. Thomas and H.M. Mbatha and L. Pretorius Submission for consideration:  Mpumalanga Witchcraft Protection Bill (2007) With reference to: P.15/5/15 Comment as an Interested and Affected Party: Mpumalanga Witchcraft Suppression Bill 2007. Registered I&AP’s: The South African Pagan Rights Alliance & The South African Pagan Council (Convenor: Mr. L Martin) Previous correspondence and submissions on behalf of the South African Pagan Rights Alliance dated 5 and 7 July refers.   Dear Advocates B. Thomas and H.M. Mbatha Find accompanying a draft Mpumalanga Witchcraft Protection Bill which has been prepared by the South African Pagan Rights Alliance in collaboration with the South African Pagan Council for consideration by the Office of the Premier: Mpumalanga, as a preferred alternative and replacement to the proposed Mpumalanga Witchcraft Suppression Bill (2007). This draft Mpumalanga Witchcraft Protection Bill has been modelled on the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act (Act No. 4 of 2000) and has included appropriate provisions from Act 4 of 2000 in order to give effect to the aims and objectives envisaged in Chapter 2 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996) with respect to the enactment of legislation to prevent and prohibit unfair discrimination and to advance persons and categories of persons disadvantaged by unfair discrimination, as reflected in the preamble of this proposed ‘Mpumalanga Witchcraft Protection Act’. This Alliance appeals to the Premier not to proceed with the enactment of any legislation which would in any way prohibit or criminalise South African citizens on the grounds of religion or as the result of automatic inference of criminality, but rather to enact legislation to prevent or prohibit unfair discrimination, to protect and advance persons or categories of persons disadvantaged by unfair discrimination, and to promote the achievement of equality for a specific historically disadvantaged religious minority. The object of the draft Mpumalanga Witchcraft Suppression Bill was primarily to prohibit and prevent accusation of and acts of revenge and violence against persons suspected of being witches or of using witchcraft. The draft Mpumalanga Witchcraft Protection Bill does exactly that, but without in any way discriminating against, criminalising or marginalising those persons who do define themselves as Witches, or who do claim to use or practice witchcraft. You will notice that we have defined a Witch in such a way as to include any possible definition of traditional African witchcraft, and to exclude any possible insinuation of criminality or wrong-doing to Witches or Witchcraft. We have chosen not to include any reference to 'Wizard' or 'sorcerer' as these are not clearly distinguished from the general practice of either witchcraft or magic. I do not think it necessary to further define magic as this will not add any further value to the definition of Witchcraft within the context of this proposed Bill – Witchcraft Protection Bill. The Bill must enforce equality and protection for Witches, and for persons falsely accused of being a Witch or of practicing Witchcraft, not define nor extoll the virtues or philosophy of magic or religion. You will also notice that we have refrained from dictating policy on traditional leaders and traditional healers - not our place to do so - with the exception of 3.3. Duty of all persons to promote equality - All persons, including non- governmental organisations, community-based organisations and traditional institutions must promote religious equality and respect for human dignity. I think traditional healers will appreciate this consideration. Should the Mpumalanga legislature wish to further regulate Traditional leadership and healers they should first refer to existing legislation covering traditional institutions, traditional leadership and traditional healers. We believe this proposed Mpumalanga Witchcraft Protection Bill adequately covers this matter without imposing upon traditional leaders and healers any further unecesary obligations. The Alliance looks forward to further consultation and submission, and trusts that the Mpumalanga legislature will rule in favour of the proposed Mpumalanga Witchcraft Protection Bill and against the proposed Mpumalanga Witchcraft Suppression Bill.   Yours Sincerely Mr. D. Leff Convenor: South African Pagan Rights Alliance Please acknowledge receipt of correspondence dated 5, 7 and 9 July 2007, and proposed Mpumalanga Witchcraft Protection Bill.
South African Pagan Rights Alliance Open Letter to The Traditional Healers Organisation (THO) 17 July 2007 The Traditional Healers Organisation Dear Phepsile Maseko   I am in receipt of a submission by the THO in objection to the 'Mpumalanga Witchcraft Suppression Bill'. I wish to offer the following comments on behalf of the South African Pagan Rights Alliance in this regard.   1. Definition of Witchcraft The THO's proposed definition of Witchcraft is: (a) Any act or conduct, which causes or leads to the infliction of injury, illness, or even spiritual damage to another person through the use of ubuthi [1] or other destructive means; (b) Any act or conduct that leads to the death of another person through ukuthakatha [the practice of witchcrafts]; (c) Any act or conduct which is perceived by the community as unnatural and capable of causing danger or damage to the person or property of another through some negative energy; (d) Any conduct or act which cannot be explained in western scientific terms but which is perceived or believed to exist and can be proved so to exist by those trained in African Science through diagnosis. [1] 'ubuthi' is defined by the THO as: [(i) an object, act or substance used in the application of negative energy with an intention to kill or harm a person, (ii) the usage of any poisonous substance with an aim to kill or harm a person. (iii) any act that is evil in its nature and does not uphold the principles of humanity and nation building as enshrined in our constitution, and (iv) casting a spell on any person ].   This Alliance finds the THO's definition of Witchcraft to constitute an infringement on the right of self-defined Witches to freedom of belief and religion. The THO's definition defines Witchcraft as causing or leading to "the infliction of injury, illness, spiritual damage and death". The Alliance would argue that this definition prejudges Witchcraft and persons who practice Witchcraft as automatically evil. The THO's definition undermines the dignity and security of self-defined Witches by characterising Witches as a threat to the well-being of communities within which Witches live and work. We hold that the THO's definition will serve to justify future acts of revenge against alleged and actual Witches on mere suspicion of bewitchment, and to this extent, we would argue that the THO's definition constitutes hate-speech and implicit incitement to violence against anyone suspected of practicing Witchcraft. Self-defined Witches - practitioners of Witchcraft - will never accept nor condone such a discriminatory and offensive definition of Witchcraft. The Alliance defines Witchcraft as: 'a religio-magical occupation that employs the use of sympathetic magic, ritual, herbalism and divination'. I wish to draw your attention to the following motivation in support of the Alliance's preferred definition of Witchcraft as stated above. The South African religious community to which I refer defines its spiritual occupation as Witchcraft and its adherents define themselves as Witches. It should be noted that most, but not all members of this Alliance define themselves as Witches or as members of ‘the Wicca’. The English word ‘witch’ is derived from the medieval English word ‘wicche’. The medieval word in turn derives from the Anglo-Saxon words ‘wicca’ (meaning a male Witch) and ‘wicce’ (meaning a female Witch). The Anglo-Saxon derivation of the word ‘witch’ places this discussion of witchcraft within a pagan / heathen context. Witchcraft is described as an occupation closely associated with divination and the practice of natural magic, and its practices are understood as something sacred and spiritual by those who practice them. It is in this context that modern Pagan Witches use the terms Witch and Witchcraft. Witchcraft is an ancient magical system that employs the use of divination, sympathetic magic and ritual practices, but does not necessarily confine itself to the worship of deity, nor to any specific religion or culture. Contemporary Pagan Witches define their religio-spiritual practices as a craft. Modern Witches ply their craft as herbalists, diviners and magic workers. As ‘Wicca’, Witchcraft has evolved into a modern Pagan mystery religion. Wicca is an initiatory, polytheistic (with exceptions), Pagan mystery religion inspired by various pre- and post-Christian western European beliefs and spiritual practices. Wicca was popularised in England in the 1950's by Gerald Gardner. An initiate of 'the Wicca' is one who traces his or her initiatory lineage back to Gerald Gardner or his initiates. Not all Witches define themselves as 'Wicca'. Contrived disassociation of the term ‘Wicca’ from ‘Witch’ in order to support a cultural and religious world-view of good (the Wicca) versus evil (the Witch) is grossly misleading. The Wicca are (with exception), by self-definition, Witches.   Here are a few alternative definitions of Witchcraft: # the art of sorcery - Note: The word ‘sorcerer’ derives from the Middle English 'sorser' and originates from the Old French 'sorcier'. A sorceress is defined as a woman who practices magic and divination. wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn # The term witchcraft (and witch) is a controversial one with a complicated history. Used in entirely different contexts, and within entirely different cultural references, it can take on distinct and often contradictory meanings. Each culture has its own particular body of concepts dealing with magic, religion, benevolent and harmful spirits, and ritual; and these ideas do not find obvious equivalents in other cultures. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witchcraft # A magical religion with many diverse traditions derived from various cultural sources around which covens and individual practitioners base their practices. www.geocities.com/sorchagriannon/terminology.htm # The practice of spells and magick, often involving the worship of many deities or a supreme God and/or Goddess. www.spiritonline.com/dictionary/w.html # 1.A way of life, or practice that involves magic, or sorcery, or worship of the earth itself. It is perceived as both good and bad by different cultures in society. 2. Wicca www.csgr.us/terminology.html # the power or practices of witches. towerwebproductions.com/alt-lib/occult/definitions.shtml # The craft or workings of the Witch, i.e. magic(k) and healing making use of personal power in combination with the energies within candles, stones, herbs, and other natural items and combined with correspondences. www.witchdom.com/LearnCraft/Glossaries/gloss%20w.htm   The Alliance is aware of the urgent need to engage in further debate and discussion on this very important subject and looks forward to further engagement with the THO in this respect in order to prevent the enactment of any legislation which would in any way criminalise South African citizens who define themselves as Witches on the grounds of cultural or religious prejudice, or as the result of automatic inference of criminality to practitioners of Witchcraft in South Africa.   Yours Sincerely Mr. Damon Leff Convenor: South African Pagan Rights Alliance
MPUMALANGA WITCHCRAFT PROTECTION BILL 2007 -------------- Draft Note: This draft Mpumalanga Witchcraft Protection Bill has been prepared by the South African Pagan Rights Alliance in collaboration with the South African Pagan Council for consideration by the Office of the Premier: Mpumalanga, as a preferred alternative and replacement to the proposed Mpumalanga Witchcraft Suppression Bill (2007). Note: This draft Bill has been modeled on the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act (Act No. 4 of 2000) and has included appropriate provisions from Act 4 of 2000 in order to give effect to the aims and objectives envisaged in Chapter 2 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996) with respect to the enactment of legislation to prevent and prohibit unfair discrimination and to advance persons and categories of persons disadvantaged by unfair discrimination, as reflected in the preamble of this proposed ‘Mpumalanga Witchcraft Protection Act’. ---------------   Proposed draft MPUMALANGA WITCHCRAFT PROTECTION BILL 2007   To provide for the protection of self-defined Witches in the province, to protect Witchcraft as a recognised religious minority, and to prohibit discrimination against persons claiming to be Witches, or alleged to be Witches, or of practicing Witchcraft.   PREAMBLE   Chapter 2 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996) recognises and enshrines human dignity, the achievement of equality and the advancement of human rights and freedoms. Section 9 (2) and (4) of the Bill of Rights provides for the enactment of legislation to prevent or prohibit unfair discrimination, to protect and advance persons or categories of persons disadvantaged by unfair discrimination, and to promote the achievement of equality for a specific historically disadvantaged religious minority. Be it therefore enacted by the Provincial Legislature of the Province of Mpumalanga as follows: TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 DEFINITIONS, OBJECTS AND INTERPRETATION 1.1. Definitions 1.2. Objects of this Act 1.3. Interpretation of this Act CHAPTER 2 PREVENTION AND PROHIBITION OF UNFAIR DISCRIMINATION 2.1. Prevention and prohibition of unfair discrimination 2.2. Prohibition of false allegation, hate speech, harassment and acts of violence 2.3. Prohibition of dissemination and publication of information intended to unfairly discriminate CHAPTER 3 PROMOTION OF EQUALITY 3.1. General responsibility to promote equality 3.2. Duty of the State to promote equality 3.3. Duty of all persons to promote equality SHORT TITLE AND COMMENCEMENT   CHAPTER 1 DEFINITIONS, OBJECTS AND INTERPRETATION 1.1. Definitions “Constitution” means the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.  (Act No. 108 of 1996) “discrimination” means any act or omission, including a policy, law, rule, practice, condition or situation which directly or indirectly, (a) imposes burdens, obligations or disadvantage on; or (b) withholds benefits, opportunities or advantages from any person. “equality” includes the full and equal enjoyment of rights and freedoms as contemplated in the Constitution. “harassment” means unwanted conduct which is persistent or serious and demeans, humiliates or creates a hostile or intimidating environment or is calculated to induce submission by actual or threatened adverse consequences. “Witchcraft” means, (a) the practice of divinations and natural sympathetic magic, whether through the agency of natural or supernatural means, and (b) a religious Pagan spirituality. “Witch” means a practitioner of Witchcraft as defined above.   1.2. Objects of this Act The objects of this Act are: 1. to enact legislation required by section 9 of the Constitution; 2. to give effect to the letter and spirit of the Constitution, in particular, (a) the equal enjoyment of all rights and freedoms by all persons: (b) the promotion of equality with respect to a specific religious minority; (c) the promotion of the values of religious equality and human dignity enshrined in the Constitution; (d) the prevention of unfair discrimination and protection of human dignity as contemplated in the Constitution; (e) the prohibition of advocacy of hatred based on religion, that constitutes incitement to cause harm; (f) to provide for a legislative measure to facilitate the eradication of unfair discrimination, hate speech and harassment on the grounds of religion and belief.   1.3. Interpretation of this Act 1. Any person applying this Act must interpret its provisions to give effect to the Constitution, provisions which include, (a). the promotion of equality through legislative and other measures designed to protect or advance persons disadvantaged by past and present unfair discrimination; and (b). the objects and guiding principles of this Act as set forth in the Preamble to this Act.   CHAPTER 2 PREVENTION AND PROHIBITION OF UNFAIR DISCRIMINATION 2.1. Prevention and prohibition of unfair discrimination 1. Neither the State nor any person may unfairly discriminate against any person on the grounds that such person, (a) is or professes to be a Witch, (b) does practice or professes to practice Witchcraft, (c) does practice or professes to practice divinations, or (d) does practice or professes to practice magic.   2.2. Prohibition of false allegation, hate speech, harassment and acts of violence 1. Prohibition of false allegation and hate speech (a). No person may falsely accuse another of being a Witch or of using Witchcraft to bewitch another. (b). No person may publish, propagate, advocate or communicate words against any person on the grounds that such person is a Witch or is practicing Witchcraft, that could be construed to demonstrate a clear intention to, (i) be harmful or to incite harm, or (ii) promote discrimination or propagate hatred. 2. Prohibition of harassment and acts of violence (a). No person may subject any person to harassment or acts of violence on the grounds that such person is alleged to be a Witch or accused of practicing Witchcraft. (b) No person may subject any person to harassment or acts of violence on the grounds that such person claims to be a Witch or to be practicing Witchcraft.   2.3. Prohibition of dissemination and publication of information intended to unfairly discriminate 1. No person may disseminate or broadcast any information, or publish or display any advertisement or notice, that could reasonably be construed, or reasonably be understood to demonstrate a clear intention to unfairly discriminate against, or deliberately misrepresent any person claiming to be a Witch, provided that, (a) bona fide engagement in artistic creativity, academic and scientific inquiry, (b) fair and accurate reporting in the public interest, (c) publication of any information, advertisement or notice in accordance with section 16 of the Constitution, is not precluded by this section.   CHAPTER 3 PROMOTION OF EQUALITY 3.1. General responsibility to promote equality All persons have a duty and responsibility to promote equality.   3.2. Duty of the State to promote equality 1. The State has a duty and responsibility to promote and achieve equality through, (a). the elimination of any and all forms of unfair discrimination, (b). the prevention of the perpetuation of inequality in any law, policy or practice. 2. The State must, where necessary, with the assistance of relevant constitutional institutions, (a) develop awareness of fundamental rights in order to promote a climate of understanding, mutual respect and equality, (b) take measures to develop and promote equality, and (c) where necessary or appropriate, develop measures to address unfair discrimination, hate speech and harassment against alleged or actual Witches in such a way that does not infringe on the right of self-defined Witches or practitioners of Witchcraft to practice their religion freely.   3.3. Duty of all persons to promote equality All persons, including non-governmental organisations, community-based organisations and traditional institutions must promote religious equality and respect for human dignity.   SHORT TITLE AND COMMENCEMENT This Act is called The Mpumalanga Witchcraft Protection Act and comes into operation on a date fixed by the Premier by proclamation in the Provincial Gazette.
SAPRA Claims the Right of Self-Definition for Euro-Pagans 5 July 2007 Office of the Premier Mpumalanga Provincial Government For attention: Advocates B. Thomas and H.M. Mbatha and L. Pretorius With reference to: P.15/5/15 Comment as an Interested and Affected Party: Mpumalanga Witchcraft Suppression Bill 2007. Registered I&AP: The South African Pagan Rights Alliance The Alliance would like to thank the Advocates Thomas and Mbatha and L. Pretorius for this opportunity to submit comment and recommendation as an interested and affected party. I have had an opportunity to study a draft of the proposed ‘Mpumalanga Witchcraft Suppression Bill 2007’ on behalf of the South African Pagan Rights Alliance. The Alliance finds, in objection to the proposed draft, the following for consideration: 1. The title of the proposed bill - Witchcraft Suppression – and the intent of the bill stated in the first paragraph of the draft as “to provide for the suppression of witchcraft…” constitutes a deliberate contravention of the Bill of Rights with respect to the protection of an established and already identified religious community’s right to practice their religion. [Chapter 2, section 31 of Act 108] The religious community to which I refer defines its spiritual occupation as Witchcraft, and its adherents define themselves as Witches. It should be noted that most, but not all, members of this Alliance define themselves as Witches or as members of ‘the Wicca’. The English word ‘witch’ is derived from the medieval English word ‘wicche’. The medieval word in turn derives from the Anglo-Saxon words ‘wicca’ (meaning a male Witch) and ‘wicce’ (meaning a female Witch). The Anglo-Saxon derivation of the word ‘witch’ places this discussion of witchcraft within a pagan / heathen context. Witchcraft is described as an occupation closely associated with divination and the practice of natural magic, and its practices are understood as something sacred and spiritual. It is in this context that modern Pagan Witches use the terms Witch and Witchcraft. The South African Witchcraft Suppression Act (Act 3 of 1957 as amended by Act 50 of 1970) does not provide any definition for the words witch, sorcerer or wizard. These words are used interchangeably throughout the act. The word ‘sorcerer’ derives from the Middle English 'sorser' and originates from the Old French 'sorcier'. A sorceress is defined as a woman who practices magic and divination. The Middle English 'wisard', meaning wise, is defined as a person (male) who practices magic, i.e. a magician. It may then be assumed that the words sorcerer, wizard and magician are cognate with that of ‘witch’ in the sense that all were ascribed at varying times and places to people who used magic. Pagan Witches in South Africa do not refer to themselves as either sorcerers or wizards and I will therefore not use either term in reference to Witchcraft. Nor will I use the term ‘magician’ to refer to a Witch. Modern Pagans understand a magician to properly refer to a practitioner of ceremonial magic. Ceremonial magic differs in practice from ‘natural or sympathetic magic’ i.e. witchcraft. The South African Pagan Rights Alliance defines Witchcraft as : a religio-magical occupation that employs the use of sympathetic magic, ritual, herbalism and divination. Witchcraft is an ancient magical system that employs the use of divination, sympathetic magic and ritual practices, but does not confine itself to the worship of deity, nor to any specific religion or culture. Contemporary Witches define their religio-spiritual practices as a craft. Modern Witches ply their craft as herbalists, diviners and magic workers. As ‘Wicca’, Witchcraft has evolved into a modern Pagan mystery religion. Wicca is an initiatory, polytheistic (with exceptions), Pagan mystery religion inspired by various pre- and post-Christian western European beliefs and spiritual practices. Wicca was popularised in England in the 1950's by Gerald Gardner. An initiate of 'the Wicca' is one who traces his or her initiatory lineage back to Gerald Gardner or his initiates.  Not all Witches define themselves as 'Wicca'. Contrived disassociation of the term ‘Wicca’ from ‘Witch’ in order to support a cultural and religious world-view of good (the Wicca) versus evil (the Witch) is grossly misleading. The Wicca are (with exception), by self-definition, Witches. 2. Chapter 6 of the proposed bill criminalises members of a recognised religious minority – Witches - by making it illegal for self-defined Witches to admit to being Witches or to practicing Witchcraft. 3. The bill undermines the right of members of a recognised religious minority to freedom of religion and belief. 4. The bill undermines the dignity and security of self-defined Witches by characterising Witches as a threat to the well-being of communities within which Witches live and work. This Alliance is aware of the urgent need by the Office of the Premier of Mpumalanga to prevent further incidences of ongoing violence against innocent citizens falsely accused of, or alleged to be witches or of practicing witchcraft. Despite numerous inter-governmental investigations into the phenomena of ‘witch-purging’ by individuals and communities within South Africa and in spite of numerous very detailed published reports, including the Thohoyandou Declaration, no attempt has been made to reconcile the two very different world-views at stake when discussing witchcraft from a traditional African and Christian perspective, and Witchcraft from a South African Pagan perspective. The Alliance would argue that our stated reasons of objection to the Mpumalanga Witchcraft Suppression Bill apply equally to the Witchcraft Suppression Act (Act 3 of 1957 as amended by Act 50 of 1970). The Alliance will be submitting substantial objections against both this Bill and Act 3 directly to the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development in due course in order to ensure that constructive debate and action on this subject prevents any future limitation of the right to religious freedom for self-defined Witches. We appeal to the Premier and to the drafters of this Bill not to proceed with the enactment of any legislation which would in any way prohibit or criminalise South African citizens on the grounds of religion or as the result of automatic inference of criminality. Existing criminal law already comprehensively covers the identification and punishment of criminal acts irrespective of the context within which such acts are perpetrated. The South African Pagan Rights Alliance reserves the right to submit additional comment on the proposed Mpumalanga Witchcraft Bill. Yours Sincerely Mr. D. Leff Convenor: South African Pagan Rights Alliance
Green Views: A Pagan Perspective A Triplex View of Israeli/Palestinian Problem Abstract: "If Israelis and Palestinians are unable to agree on their tragic mutual history, maybe they can benefit from learning how the other side views it. That, in a nutshell, is the premise behind a new series of workbooks, whose third volume is to be published in the coming weeks, presenting the central historical narratives of Israelis and Palestinians side by side. " "From the beginning of the workbook, the difficulty of bridging the two narratives becomes apparent. The Israeli side describes the birth of the Zionist movement in the 19th century, while the Palestinians begin much earlier, with Napoleon's plan in 1799 to establish a Jewish state in Palestine, "considered the first plan in the world of colonialist Jewish cooperation before the establishment of the Zionist movement." (Israeli sources doubt the reliability of this information.)" "Reading the three workbooks consecutively will probably send the average Israeli reader back to the history books to check, for example, whether his or her main memory of the British Mandate, as almost every Israeli schoolchild declaims it, is the series of White Papers and limitations on Jewish immigration to Palestine - or perhaps, as the Palestinians tell it, the use by the Mandate of laws and regulations to help the developing Jewish economy at the expense of the Palestinian one. "
World Council of Churches - News Release Contact: +41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org For immediate release - 17/04/2007 01:54:32 PM A different model of coexistence Haaretz, Tel Aviv, Israel If Israelis and Palestinians are unable to agree on their tragic mutual history, maybe they can benefit from learning how the other side views it. That, in a nutshell, is the premise behind a new series of workbooks, whose third volume is to be published in the coming weeks, presenting the central historical narratives of Israelis and Palestinians side by side. "This is history teaching at its best: presenting a number of points of view; learning that there is no one historical truth," says Rachel Zamir, a history teacher at Tel Aviv's Rogozin School, who tried out the books in her classes in previous years. "The students understand the complexity simply and quickly, and their awareness expands to the existence of the 'other.' From my point of view, it is a success when the student asks who is right in this conflict - understanding that there is justice on both sides," Zamir adds. When the final editing is completed, and the third workbook is published, an unusual project, started five years ago, will have reached completion. The project was the brainchild of Dr. Dan Bar-On, of the department of behavioral sciences at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, and Prof. Sami Adwan, a lecturer in education at Bethlehem University.   The two head the Peace Research Institute in the Middle East (PRIME), an NGO founded in 1998 with the help of Germany's Peace Research Institute. Few believed that Jewish-Israeli and Palestinian teachers from the territories would succeed in their attempt to write a study program together describing the Arab-Israeli conflict. But despite the intifada, terror attacks and roadblocks - or perhaps because of them, as some of the participants say - the work was completed. Every page of the workbook is divided into three sections of equal size: the Israeli narrative on the right, the Palestinian on the left, and in the middle, empty lines for students to write their own reactions to the historical descriptions. The first workbook started with the Balfour Declaration, in 1917.  The third ends with the beginning of the Al-Aqsa Intifada, seven years ago. Reading the three workbooks consecutively will probably send the average Israeli reader back to the history books to check, for example, whether his or her main memory of the British Mandate, as almost every Israeli schoolchild declaims it, is the series of White Papers and limitations o Jewish immigration to Palestine - or perhaps, as the Palestinians tell it, the use by the Mandate of laws and regulations to help the developing Jewish economy at the expense of the Palestinian one. 18th century or 19th? From the beginning of the workbook, the difficulty of bridging the two narratives becomes apparent. The Israeli side describes the birth of the Zionist movement in the 19th century, while the Palestinians begin much earlier, with Napoleon's plan in 1799 to establish a Jewish state in Palestine, "considered the first plan in the world of colonialist Jewish cooperation before the establishment of the Zionist movement." (Israeli sources doubt the reliability of this information.) And so the history goes. A long chain of death and destruction, seen through opposing points of view: the "riots of 1920-1921," as opposed to the "popular uprisings of 1920"; the"riots of 1929," versus the "1929 rebellion"; the "great Arab revolt of 1936-1939," in contrast to the "Al-Qassam rebellion"; the "War of Independence," as opposed to "the Nakba [disaster] of 1948"; the wars of 1973, 1967, 1956 and 1982, the first intifada in 1987, the Oslo Accords, and on to the outbreak of the second intifada (see box). "Our goal is not to build a single agreed-on narrative; that is a mission impossible," Prof. Bar-On says.  "The goal is to get to know and respect the narrative of the other, even if we don't agree with everything it says.   Clearly this is not a process that will solve all the problems; many dilemmas will remain.  But where have we ever heard of a Palestinian teaching about the Holocaust?" "This is a different model of coexistence," Tel Aviv University historian Prof. Eyal Naveh, academic advisor to the Israeli side, explains. "All the other models are post-conflict, rebuilding history in a bridging historical narrative. Our model works differently. During the conflict, both narratives in the workbook are supposed to carry on a dialogue with each other through the empty lines. This may bring about coexistence and perhaps also a reexamination of the Israeli narrative." Work on the project was full of crises.  First among these were the physical barriers imposed by the intifada. Initially, the group would meet in various cities in the territories, bu the difficulty of movement for the Palestinians, due to the many roadblocks, as well as the fear of some of the Israelis to enter the territories, led to the holding of two-day meetings, one every few weeks, in East Jerusalem. 'I don't know who I am' Over the years, some of the Palestinian teachers left the project.  In the preface to one of the workbooks, Adwan and Bar-On quote one of those who left: "I do not know who I am. \I meet with Israeli teachers and we try to understand each other, but only a few hours ago I was humiliated at a military roadblock." Another teacher left after his brother was arrested by the security forces. "But most of the teachers found that this is the right way from their point of view to deal with the madness outside," Adwan says. After overcoming logistical problems, participants faced a more serious challenge: the writing process itself, with academic oversight provided by professors Naveh and Adnan Musallam, who advised the Palestinian side.  The teachers worked in national and cross-national groups.  At the first stage each chapter was written by the Israelis and the Palestinians separately; afterward the teachers discussed the different versions. At the second stage, the draft underwent extensive discussion, in which all the teachers took part. Throughout the project, participants adhered to the principle on which Bar-On and Adwan had decided at the beginning: No one had a veto over what is written. One could only explain one's opposition, debate it and hope that the other side accepted the objections. One of the first arguments that arose was over the chapter on the events of 1929. "We brought the Palestinian description of the Hebron massacre," Rachel Zamir says, "and they brought a similar story about an Arab family that was killed in Jaffa by a Jewish policeman. In the discussion that ensued, the point was made that this line of description was not exactly what would lead to coexistence, but rather to a perpetuation of the conflict, and maybe we should take out these descriptions. We accepted the comment and we gave up the bloody descriptions, and left only the fact that there were killings. The Palestinian teachers, however, did not change their style.  We thought perhaps we had made a mistake. But I would probably make the same decision today." Each summer the participants traveled abroad for longer seminars of a number of days. During the first three years, these were funded by the U.S. State Department, which supported non-governmental peace initiatives after the 1998 Wye Plantation agreements. Later, Bar-On and Adwan managed to get European Union funding for the project, as well as assistance from the Ford Foundation and a number of private donors. In the summer of 2003 in Turkey, where a meeting took place on the second volume, arguments about the 1967 War threatened to break the group apart. The Israeli teachers defined the Palestinians' first draft as "a text that would not pass in Israeli classrooms," and claimed that parts were not based on solid historical evidence.   Zamir recalls a discussion among all the participants in which she expressed doubts as to the value of continuing the project. The Palestinians, for their part, argued that the Israelis were trying to force their opinion on them. In the end, the Palestinian narrative underwent some softening. Debates continued over later chapters as well. For example, the Palestinians wrote that the terror attacks on Israeli targets in the 1970s (first and foremost Munich and Ma'alot) were for the purpose of bargaining over prisoner release."But Israel's prime minister at that time refused the proposal, and in the ensuing attack the kidnappers and the hostages were both killed." "It was hard for me to hear these claims," says Niv Kedar, a history teacher at the Givat Brenner regional high school. "The message that emerges is that the rescue attempts and the lack of willingness to release prisoners were the cause of the deaths. I asked the Palestinian teachers if the kidnappers themselves bore no responsibility for the deaths of the hostages.  The answer I got was that this message was 'between the lines.'" Recognizing the Green Line In another case, involving Operation Litani in 1978, the initial Palestinian version stated that "the Palestinian presence in Lebanon was a source of concern for the colonies in northern Palestine." After a harsh confrontation, in which the Israeli teachers insisted on differentiating between communities inside and outside the Green Line, the words "colonies in northern Palestine" were replaced by "population concentrations in northern Israel."  In parentheses, however, the Palestinians wrote that these were "communities/settlements built on the ruins of Palestinian homes from 1948." "The Israelis' use of the term Eretz Israel (Land of Israel) is strange for me. We know this place as 'Palestine,'" a Palestinian teacher says. "On another occasion we described Haifa, Tel Aviv and Kiryat Shmona as settlements. There was a big argument and the Israelis explained their sensitivity to the definition. For us these are settlements, but in the end we decided to remove this definition." There were also arguments within the groups. The Israeli teachers debated whether the chapter on "the War of Independence" should relate in detail to the expulsion and flight of Palestinian refugees, or whether this should only be mentioned, without special emphasis. In the end they decided to limit themselves to including only a few paragraphs on the subject. "We wanted to be relevant to Israeli society, to the age group of the students," says Naveh. "Therefore there was no choice but to use a middle-of-the-road narrative. Except for a small group in the academia, post-Zionism does not speak to Israeli society." Similar questions arose in the Palestinian group regarding the actions of the mufti of Jerusalem in the 1920s and '30s, Mohammed Amin al-Husseini; on the extent to which the Arab countries were responsible for the refugee problem; the Jordanian policy toward the refugees; and the Oslo Accords. Prof. Adwan says: "This may be the starting point for a new historiography. Nevertheless, it must be remembered that the Palestinians are still under occupation; they do not feel secure enough to talk freely about various points of view." The first workbook came out in 2002, and about six teachers from each side began to use it in some of their history classes, usually for older high school students. The pilot workbook featured small pictures of Israeli and Palestinian flags at the top of every page. When the Palestinian students saw this, they asked to block out the Israeli flag. "It was hard for them to study from a workbook featuring the same flag as at the roadblocks," a teacher explains. Immediate ban It was agreed at the outset of the project not to ask for authorization from the Israeli or Palestinian education ministries. Thus, the heads of the Israeli Education Ministry under Limor Livnat, of the Likud, first heard about the initiative at the beginning of 2004, via a small item in the media. They immediately banned it. "You must instruct teachers that they are prohibited from teaching with this workbook in any way," the chairman of the ministry's pedagogic secretariat, Prof. Yaakov Katz, wrote to the principals of the schools of some of the Israeli teachers. "If they do not desist, I will be forced to take disciplinary action against them," he added. Nevertheless, before the ban was issued, Rachel Zamir managed to teach the main elements of the first workbook for an entire year at the Rogozin school. She later used parts of the book as worksheets handed out to students. Niv Kedar also used the material for history lessons. Other Israeli teachers taught some of the material in their civics classes or homerooms.  In other cases, the workbooks were used in lessons taught in small groups during after school hours. The Palestinian side also kept a low profile, with some Palestinian teachers using the workbooks in their classes. "It isn't simple to teach Israeli history in a refugee camp," the Palestinian teacher says."You have to be very sensitive, and know how to insert the subject into the lesson. I believe it can be done, but slowly. The process will be completed only after the occupation ends," the teacher says. "I tell my students that what the other side believes is important. I propose they think about Israeli history, look at the reality from other perspectives, without giving up Palestinian identity. Otherwise we will be Israeli." Bar-On and Adwan already have their next targets in their sites: Increasing the number of Israeli and Palestinian teachers using the workbooks, and publishing them in a single volume and offering it to the Israeli and Palestinian education ministries. They also want to develop a Web site that will serve as a teacher's guide, featuring, among other things, suggested lesson plans, background material and teacher feedback. In the past year, 14 teachers from each side have used the workbooks. Prof. Adwan estimates that a few thousand Palestinians have been exposed to at least some of the content. "There have been students who refused to study the Israeli narrative, and who left the classroom," he explains."Some said Israeli history is propaganda and twists what really happened. Others wondered if the Israelis really teach the Palestinian narrative. But there have also been more understanding responses." According to Zamir, students very quickly grasp the basic idea of the project. "Usually one lesson is enough for them to understand that every chapter in history has a number of points of view. For me, as a history teacher, the very fact that students understand that one place can have two names depending on national allegiance, is already a success," she notes. After studying the two narratives, the students in the younger classes are asked to write two articles, one for a Palestinian newspaper, the other for a Jewish one, before the establishment of the state; or to draw one poster for Independence Day and one in memory of the Nakba. At the end of each period of study, Kedar elicits feedback from his students. He says almost all agree that the Palestinian narrative should be taught. In answer to a question as to whether they were surprised at the narrative of the other side, many responded that it had a lot of logic. "If I were on the other side, I would want the same thing," one student wrote. Another wrote, "I'm sure that if I were in their situation, without a state, I would behave in the same way." At least on the Israeli side, it appears that most students did not change their essential positions. One of Zamir's younger students wrote that the Palestinians "have always been violent toward us and attacks are nothing new. This gives us the courage to fight." In contrast, however, another student wrote that the study "caused me to understand them more. Until now I thought only we were right, but now I understand what they are fighting for." "Sometimes I wonder whether through these workbooks I am undermining 'the just cause' of Zionism among the students," Zamir says. "But I believe that the Zionist narrative is deeply rooted in them from kindergarten. The conflict is harsh and the project does not blur it. On the contrary, perhaps it sharpens the differences. All in all we have planted a small seed that will grow in keeping with the desires and abilities of each student, and will make possible greater psychological ability to compromise. Haaretz invites you to send this article to a friend. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/846379.html	GreenViewsEditorial: This is a fascinating attempt to gather and present critical opposing ideas into one series of workbooks for students. The resistance to these workbooks being used in Israeli and Palestinian classrooms is also telling. Besides Israel and Palestine, I would hope these workbooks, with their unique structure and sectarian histories, would be available in the US. Tangentially, many strong subjects might benefit from this triplex workbook concept. Loch Sloy! Tuan Today "Tuan MacCarrill/MacParthalon, Forever the Celtic story!" Lowell McFarland <lowell@optonline.net>
From the Israeli Side 1. Zionism: "The national movement of the Jewish people. Developed in Eastern and Central Europe as a result of disappointment with emancipation, continued anti-Semitism, the impact of other national movements and the continuing bond between the people of Israel and the Land of Israel. 2. The Balfour Declaration: "The first time any country supported Zionism... Expressed the support of the British government for the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in the Land of Israel." 3. The War of Independence: "On November 29, 1947, the United Nations approved by a large majority the proposal for two independent states alongside each other (Resolution 181). The Jewish community celebrated that night with dancing in the streets. However, the next morning acts of terror began, carried out by the country's Arabs and volunteers from Arab countries, who did not accept the Partition Plan." 4. The origin of the refugees: "During the war a number of massacres, robberies and rapes were carried out by Jewish fighters. The best known massacre was at Deir Yassin, where 250 Arabs were murdered by Irgun and Lehi fighters. The incident was roundly criticized in the country and harsh public debate broke out." 5. The Six-Day War: "The war began on June 5, 1967, and ended six days later, on June 10, 1967. Israel fought three Arab countries: Egypt, Syria and Jordan, and attained a victory that became a landmark in Zionist history. The backdrop to the war's outbreak was the relationship between Israel and the Arab countries in the 1960s." 6. Israel and the territories it occupied: "Israel administered occupied Judea, Samaria and Gaza, first under military rule and subsequently under civil administration." 7. Mass immigration: "The establishment of Israel was the moment for which Jews had longed for many years. However it was still not the complete fulfillment of the Zionist dream. The first years of the state were devoted to bringing as many Jews as possible to Israel." 8. The first intifada: "On December 8, 1987, an Israeli truck hit a Palestinian car in the Gaza Strip, killing four occupants of the vehicle. The Palestinians claimed the act was intentional and deemed it malicious murder."	From the Palestinian side 1. Zionism: "A colonialist political movement ascribing a national character and racial attributes to Judaism ... Led to Jewish immigration to Palestine, claiming historical and religious rights." 2. The Balfour Declaration: "The unholy marriage between British imperialism and the colonialist Zionist movement, at the expense of the Palestinian people and the future of the entire Arab nation." 3. The Nakba of 1948: "Resolution 181 of the United Nations on the division of Palestine into two states, Arab and Jewish, symbolized on the one hand the beginning of the countdown to the establishment of Israel, on May 15, 1948, and on the other hand the beginning of the countdown to the Nakba of 1948, the uprooting and exile of the Palestinian people." 4. The events of the Nakba: "The actions of the Zionist gangs were intended to sow terror among the Palestinian inhabitants to cause them to abandon their villages, especially after the massacre at Deir Yassin." 5. The situation after 1948: "The Jewish state began to enact a series of laws and regulations the aim of which was to wipe out the identity of the Palestinians remaining in the territories it took over ... Among other things, the Law of Return was passed in 1950 that allows every Jew from any place in the world, without reference to citizenship, to immigrate to Israel. In contrast, Israel prevented refugees from returning to their cities and villages. It destroyed more than 500 villages and Palestinian settlements and built colonies over them." 6. The June 1967 war: "The war that Israel started against the Arab countries is known as the 'June 5 aggression' because Israel was the initiator of the declaration of battle and opened an offensive." 7. Israeli policy in the occupied territories: "The policy was based on two fundamental principles: Judaizing the land and causing the people to disappear. This is part of the oppressive racist policy that was imposed on 1.5 million Palestinians, and a policy of land expropriation." 8. The first intifada: "On December 8, 1987, the day the intifada broke out, an Israeli truck driver in Gaza intentionally ran into an Arab car, resulting in martyrs' deaths of a number of Palestinians. After news spread of the incident, huge demonstrations broke out all over the West Bank and Gaza."
Press Release The World Council of Churches (WCC)  on Small Arms Control KOBIA EXPRESSES DEEP SORROW AT VIRGINIA KILLINGS, ASKS FOR MORE CONTROLS ON SMALL ARMS   “The World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia has expressed "deep sorrow" over "this new horror of random violence" that took place at Virginia Tech University. To his prayers for the families and the wounded, he adds international church concern for more effective regulation of firearms. "Churches around the world join churches and councils of churches in the US in sending sympathies to those who are suffering, and in upholding parishes in Virginia in their ministry during these difficult days", says Kobia in a statement published today. Kobia affirms that "In deference to those who have died and with concern for the future, we all must ask why such killings happen so easily. Why are these incidents repeated as if there are no remedies? "We are all Virginians in our sympathy, but many people around the world are also Virginians in their vulnerability to the misuse of unregulated guns", Kobia says. "Wanton killings", "indiscriminate use of armed force" and "widespread availability of deadly weapons" are features of the Virginia tragedy but are also present daily in Darfur and in Iraq. Kobia calls for "firm and appropriate controls" on the globalized trade in small arms. He notes, among other factors, that the "pro-gun position adopted by the US administration" has been "one of the major obstacles" to progress toward that goal. ___________ The full text of the WCC general secretary's statement is available at: http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?id=3478 Additional information: Juan Michel, +41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org Sign up for WCC press releases at: http://onlineservices.wcc-coe.org/pressnames.nsf r The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 347 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 560 million Christians in over 110 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, from the Methodist Church in Kenya. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland. WCC ID: nJoBWU5exi1qWrutF9UPe3zxFO1kvkS1 uXQ4WDHV1NjMpf3OQUc2W1yD9KlKiEs
WORLD RELIGION BRIEFS: click for story Britain:                  March 25, 2006 - The Economist Linking Souls Across the Sea Christian groups are regaining political influence in Britain by applying strategies learned from religious activists in the U.S. Africa: March 24, 2006 - Associated Press African Christians a Growing Dynamic Force The face of 21st century Christianity is increasingly African, with pentecostals and evangelicals now outnumbering Roman Catholics and Anglicans nearly 2-to-1 in some African countries. Australia:       Reina Michaelson, an Australian psychologist and "children's rights activist" has accused the Ordo  Templi Orientis of performing Satanic rituals involving animal sacrifice, pedophilia, and child sacrifices.  As evidence, she cites only The Book of the Law, a record of a series of trances which was dictated to Aleister Crowley by his trance medium wife.  As The Book of the Law, itself says that Crowley would never really understand it, I don't understand how it could be used as evidence.  After all, there are several dozen places in the Bible where the people are ordered to kill every living thing wherever the Goddess is worshipped, but no one is accusing modern Orthodox Jews of it. This sort of blood libel has plagued occultists (and lined the pockets of exorcists, witchfinders, and witch doctors) for millennia, but this time, the occultists are suing both Michaelson and website owner Dyson Devine under the religious vilification law.  The OTO argued that "What is contained on the website could incite hatred and lead to violence against members of the OTO." Full story: http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,15461960%255E2862,00.html US/Norway:  Geologist uses microscopic evidence to verifies that the Kenington Runestone was indeed carved in the 14th Century. Linguistic evidence verifies it. Full story at http://wcco.com/topstories/local%5Fstory%5F143121108.html See also: The Runestone Museum                  'The Kensington Rune Stone' Book                  Answers.com: History Of The Kensington Runestone Europe: Pew Forum Event Transcript Believing Without Belonging: Just How Secular Is Europe? December 5, 2005 Key West, Florida
In memorium Killed for Witchcraft in 2007 The following, mostly women, were killed explicitly for practicing witchcraft, AS REPORTED IN NEWSPAPERS. While most local Christian missionaries condemn these murders and sometimes shelter potential victims, they claim that Pagan superstitious fear is the root cause. Remember this when you're tempted to "freak out the mundanes."
India, January 12, 2007 In the Giridih district of Jharkhand, Sanu Khatun, 50, was beaten and finally stabbed to death by seven persons, according to Supt. of Police Arun Kumar Singh.  According to the official report, her attackers were identified and had claimed that Ms. Khatun  used witchcraft to sicken several others in her village, Raigarha. The seven had not yet been apprehended, but police raids were planned. (Source:  Bureau Report, appeared in Jan. 13, 2007 http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=347675&sid=REG ***
2004 The "Witch" Children of Angola: The War Is Over But a New Horror Is Growing By Rebecca They are the criancas feiticeiras, the "child witches," the latest victims in Angola's degrading, agonizing civil war. The war supposedly ended two years ago, after twenty-seven years of conflict, with the assassination of rebel leader Jonas Savimbi. But the war left more than just buildings and streets and cities in ruins -- it left families broken, bodies malnourished, minds damaged, spirits wounded. Thousands of children have been accused of witchcraft by their families. Abused, tortured, they are "fortunate" if they are only driven away from home. Helena Kufumana is one such fortunate "witch," a shy thirteen year-old in a "101 Dalmatians" T-shirt that is too big for her skinny body. She cries. In February, Helena was accused by her own parents of making her nieces ill by casting spells. Her hand was burned on a stove, her few clothes burned, and she was choked. Finally, her own mother and sisters beat her in public, and drove her from her home. She cries. Like many such children, Helena has found refuge in a church shelter. "They tell me that if I try to come home they will kill me. They say I'm cursed." WHAT IS HAPPENING How many other children like Helena are "cursed" is impossible to say. Accused by their families of imagined acts of witchcraft, they are beaten, tortured, and sometimes killed. Human-rights workers, stunned by the large scale and maliciousness of the accusations and attacks, suspect that most of the children who wander the streest of Angola are just such criancas feiticeiras. Pariahs, they survive on scraps of food and hand-outs at markets. The luckier ones are taken in by churches and human-rights groups, where they are given regular meals and clean clothing -- but remain haunted by the accusations and torture. The attacks on the "child witches" and the abuse inflicted on them, usually by their own families, is one of the most gruesome and deranged outbreaks of domestic violence in Africa in recent years. Human-rights activists seem at a loss to fully explain it. "This is something new to us," says Matondo Alexandre of the United Nations Children's Fund. "In African culture it is usually the older people who are accused of practicing witchcraft. Now we're even seeing cases popping up involving babies." WHY? Why are so many Angolans turning on their own young, and in such a vicious manner, especially now? The war is over, finally. Why the torture and beatings when the people should be rebuilding? To begin, peace has not brought prosperity for many. Though the war is over, over half the nation's children are malnourished. Buildings remain in ruins, roads unpaved, and jobs are hard to come by. Disease is rampant. Clean water is in short supply. Marriages are broken. Others point to the explosive growth of evangelical Christian churches, whose fire-and-brimstone, apocalyptic vision of creation meshes very nicely with the rise in accusations of witchcraft. Still others point to the influx of ideas from the neighboring Congo, where economic turmoil and political upheavel have lead to the development of a particularly malignant belief system regarding "child sorcerers" and "child witches." Most human-rights activists and psychologists, though, agree that the root of accusations and abuse lies in Angola'¹s own wounded heart. Twenty-seven years of horrific warfare has left the entire country in a state of severe post-traumatic stress. "Witchcraft fears have broken out in many societies during times of distress," explains Francisco de Mata Mourisca, the Roman Catholic bishop of Uige. The Bishop¹s hilltop compound has become a refuge for the nervous, hungry and sometimes bruised children who have fled the witch hunts. "But you have to ask yourself, why our children?" de Mata Mourisca said. "The answer in Angola is simple. Because war has brutalized our families in the same way it destroyed our homes and streets." Consider what has happened in the Bishop¹s own city of Uige, a coffee-growing town near the Congo border: children's advocates say that a teenager accused of witchery was set ablaze by a mob that included his own family. Another child was buried alive, beneath the corpse of a man he allegedly cursed. Children as young as five have been hanged, stoned to death, raped, burned and drowned in rivers after being accused of practicing witchcraft.   Consider Carolina Jorge, a forty-five year-old grandmother. She looks eighty-five. "Nobody can care for all these scattered children anymore. They just get spoiled by witchcraft.  She is describing her own grandchildren, Jose (10) and Carolina (7). When their parents recently died of an undiagnosed illness (probably AIDS), the children moved in with Jorge. The little children were blamed for bewitching their own parents to death. In February, local police found Jose and little Carolina bound, beaten and imprisoned in an animal pen behind Jorge¹s mud hut. Rarely does the government take action in such flagrant cases of abuse. Jorge was the exception: she was jailed for five days. Unrepentent, Jorge explains, "Those children weren't normal. They had a suitcase that made a singing noise. And the boy messed his bed every night. He was possessed." Her grandchildren and their suitcase now live in an orphanage in the capital of Luanda. THOSE WHO PROFIT Finally, there are men like Papa Matumona (51). Clad in spotless white pants and a t-shirt covered with mutiple images of Marilyn Monroe's face, Matumona is the most powerful and influential kimbandero (faith healer) in Uige. He runs an evangelical treatment center for the "child witches" out of an old pastry factory. Others say it's not a treatment center at all -- it¹s a torture chamber. "He forces them to jump and dance for hours during the hottest part of the day" to purge them of their magical powers, says Leopoldina Neto, a UNICEF child-protection officer in Uige. "He beats them. He puts chili powder in their eyes and drips boiling palm oil in their ears." Papa Matumona denies the accusations. "I cure with love," he affirms, clutching his Bible. The services at his Provincial Center for Traditional Psychiatry are free - though he later admits that he puts his young patients to work in his vegetable gardens to pay off their "treatment" fees. Other kimbanderos demand a goat or metal pot as payment. Only then will they identify for anxious parents which of their children is a "witch." Next to oil, this capitalization on suffering makes "witchcraft" one of the few profitable industries in postwar Angola. United Nations workers hope to break this supply-and-demand cycle through the simplest, and most difficult, of means: education. Specifically education of parents and other adults. It will be an intense, uphill struggle. An international study of the crisis has been abandoned. The Angolan researcher who headed the project -- like so many local police -- concluded that "witchcraft" was in fact real. By extension, then, most if not all of the accusations must be true. DEFENDING THEMSELVES Aside from over-worked, under-staffed aids workers and some religious organizations, the only people to speak in defense of the "child witches" are the accused themselves. "It's all lies," says Sebastiao Nzuzi (12) a bald little boy with a big smile. He was stoned in his village for being a wizard. "I don't need to be cured. I'm as normal as anybody." The local Catholic orphanage where Sebastiao sought refuge has taught him a few things -- like how to speak up for and be proud of himself. He is among twenty "child witches" who live in a sturdy building beneath a few eucalyptus trees. Fortunately for them, the building is sturdy. One afternoon, people from the nearby slums surrounded the orphanage and pelted it with rocks. The boys, they claimed, flew over their houses at night and tried to bewitch their children. Sebastiao and the other "child witches" hunkered inside, shaking.   -- It's a shallow life that doesn't give a person a few scars. -- Garrison Keillor
Never again the Burnings!
Press Release RELIGIOUS WMD'S to Be Dismantled At International Conference U.N. spiritual caucus, Institute of Advanced Theology, 2 dozen thought leaders, and hundreds of concerned individuals to examine tenets of faiths in search of peaceful resolutions to religious conflict CONTACT: Gerry Harrington (845) 331-7136 (845) 389-9201 (cellphone) gerryharrington@mindspring.com ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. -- April 19, 2005 -- Weapons of mass destruction do exist in Iraq. Indeed, they exist worldwide. But they aren't the military hardware you might think. They are an arsenal of individual and collective beliefs that proclaims, "My path is the only right path to God." Hundreds of people from around the world -- clergy and laypeople, scholars and students, professionals and laborers, business people and artists, policy makers and concerned individuals of many faiths and traditions -- intend to locate and dismantle those weapons in an international theological conference to be held at Bard College, 90 miles north of New York City, June 3 through 5. The conference, "Seeds of Transformation: Toward a Spiritual Renaissance in a Time of Fundamental Change" (http://bard.humanitysteam.org), will reveal a trend in which people around the world inspect the spiritual weapons in their arsenal of beliefs, including ideas that we are "better" than others, that we are separate from one another, and in particular that God wants it only one way on this earth and that we had better get it right or we are sure to be condemned. The groundbreaking event, which will also explore the ramifications of the trend, will feature some two dozen speakers, including world-renowned authors, theologians, scientists, artists and spiritual leaders of Eastern, Western and indigenous faiths. Among the speakers will be: * Feisal Abdul Rauf, chief executive of the American Sufi Muslim Association and author of    "What's Right With Islam Is What's Right With America: A New Vision for Muslims and the     West"; * Bruce Chilton, religion professor at Bard, whose most recent books include the celebrated    "Rabbi Jesus: An Intimate Biography" and "Rabbi Paul: An Intellectual Biography"; * William Commanda, the most senior Elder from the Algonquin Nation; * Paul Ferrini, author of the best-selling "Love Without Conditions"; * Alex Grey, the celebrated visionary artist; * Andrew Harvey, the acclaimed mystical writer; * Jana Riess, religion book editor of Publishers Weekly, a specialist in American religious    history, and author of the spiritual, religious and mythological "What Would Buffy Do? The    Vampire Slayer as Spiritual Guide"; * Neale Donald Walsch, whose latest best-seller is "What God Wants: A Compelling Answer to    Humanity's Biggest Question"; and  * Arthur Zajonc, physics professor at Amherst College and author of "Catching the Light: The    Entwined History of Light and Mind" and lead contributor to "The New Physics and    Cosmology: Dialogues with the Dalai Lama." The weekend event will also be the site of a special meeting of the Spiritual Caucus at the United Nations. The caucus will discuss the U.N.'s evolving spiritual role as the world body seeks to fulfill its mission to promote world peace and cooperation. The conference is co-sponsored by the Institute of Advanced Theology at Bard (www.bard.edu/iat), founded by Chilton and dedicated to a better understanding of the world's religious traditions, and Humanity's Team www.humanitysteam.org a nonprofit, pluralistic educational movement created by Walsch. Besides lectures, panel discussions, seminars and workshops, the conference will feature special screenings of award-winning films depicting the changing religious and spiritual climate, inspiring sculptures and paintings of scriptural figures and spiritual expression, uplifting performances by Emmy and Grammy Award-winning musicians, and an ecumenical prayer service officiated by clergy from a range of faith traditions. The event will also serve as the site of Humanity's Team's 2005 Worldwide Gathering. Dubbed a "civil rights movement for the soul," Humanity's Team -- composed of some 10,000 people from 94 countries on six continents -- seeks to free people from oppressive beliefs about God, life and each other so that humanity can truly experience unity and oneness. The price of attendance for all three days is $460, including all meals. Group discounts are available. Attendees may also register to participate on any single day. The college is offering affordable sleeping accommodations on campus. For more information or to register, logon to http://bard.humanitysteam.org or call (845) 256-1444.
Press Release from AREN, Alternative Religions Educational Network An International Pagan Rights Organization Pagan Civil Rights Group Supports Canadian Native Struggles By Roger Lymburner February 17, 2005, Montreal, Canada - AREN Canadian Affairs division announces its recent decision to do its part in assisting the Native Americans in their current struggle for political and spiritual sovereignty, the settling of land claims and an insurmountable accounts of human rights violations. I was recently approached by leading members of the Native Youth Movement (NYM) concerning their struggles and asking would AREN be capable of giving any assistance. After extensive research of the issues it was decided that they fit into AREN's mandate. It was then presented to the board of directors of AREN for review. AREN Canadian Affairs has decided to give its full support to these just causes. I will give a brief account of some of the issues at hand: The people of Six Nations are currently in struggle with the City of Hamilton Ontario over disputed land in the Red Hill Valley and according to the 1701 Nanfan Treaty this land is theirs. The city wishes to build a highway over ancestral burial grounds and an archaeological site which would provide proof that this land is theirs from time immemorial. In addition we are talking about the destruction of some 250,000 hardwood trees. The site from witness accounts is now off limits to Native peoples and the removal of archaeological artifacts is being conducted during nighttime operations, before it can be analyzed by the proper persons and have the site declared historical and protected. The St'at'imc people of British Columbia are in a desperate struggle to stop the construction of a $500,000,000.00 ski resort on untouched land in an Alpine region of the Cayoosh mountain range. This region is home to the Grizzlies, cougars, hawks, bobcats, wolverines, owls and many other small animals. It is also home to one of the largest mountain goat herds left in North America. Carved out by the retreat of the last Glacier period it became the sacred ground of the St'at'imc people for the gathering of food, medicines, and spiritual cleansing it is also the training ground of their Shaman for the last 10,000 years. Both the Federal and Provincial Government's are in violation of Canada's own laws (i.e. the 1763 Royal Proclamation and the 1997 Delgamuukw Supreme Court decision. In addition to the 1911 Declaration of the Lilooet Tribe. All of this because Nancy Green-Raine former Olympic Gold Medalist now turned land developer proposed to build this $500 million dollar all season ski resort. There are so many more issues that I could write about like the clear cut devastation of trees and the use of mercury to strip bark at Grassy Narrows by lumber company Abitibi Consolidated and the Canadian Government. Again in violation of treaties and laws. What must be understood is that to the Native people traditionally see themselves as belonging to the land, an integral part of it. Politics, Art, Religion, environmental conservation and spirituality are all one in the same and all part of a way of life. Not separated and conveniently compartmentalized. The Native people's traditional way of life predates the arrival of Christianity and therefore falls under AREN's mission to assist those of Alternative Religions facing discrimination. Corporations and Government continue to violate people and the land for economic gain. Backroom dealings and corruption have become the norm by the elected officials we choose to protect us. How has humanity come to place more importance on economic growth than spiritual growth? Is not spiritual growth what all the great profits spoke of as being the most important? The issues will mount and AREN Canadian Affairs will continue to address them by all legal means possible. It should not be difficult for most non-Natives to identify with these causes. Our ancestors faced a similar fate at the hands of the Romans, Crusaders, and Inquisitors. It has taken lifetimes for some of our people to reclaim our traditional ways. Let's put a stop to this tragedy that has been in the making for over 500 years. These people have a right to freedom and a destiny of their own choosing. They should not be made the subservient property of an invading power. We are still following a primitive might makes right philosophy. This also must end. For those wishing to do their part and assist in this struggle, deferring legal expenses, communication costs and so on. You can forward donations to: Bill Kilborn, AREN Treasurer. P.O. Box 1893 Trenton, FL 32693. Or go to www.paypal.com  and make a payment to treasurer@aren.org using a credit card. Please indicate that your donation is for the Native struggle. Anything you can give will help. Roger Lymburner Vice President AREN International Inc. Canadian Affairs Email: canada@aren.org For additional information, Contact: Steve Foster (President) aren@aren.org Christopher Blackwell news@aren.org Clint Cowan webmaster@aren.org James McCoy members@aren.org Darla Wynne prison@aren.org Bill Kilbourn treasurer@aren.org Roger Lymburner canada@aren.org                                                                   **************************** AREN came to life on 1 January 2000, not as a new years baby but as the reorganized rebirth of an exsisting Pagan Civil/Religious Rights Group. Our predecessor WADL, Witches Anti-Discrimination League was founded in New York City on Samhain, October 31 1970 by Dr. Leo Luis Martello, a pioneer in the Pagan Rights movement. WADL evolved from a letter writing group to full blooded Pagan Activist Group, actively participating in Pagan Right demonstrations in all parts of the Nation. WADL pursued discrimination cases involving allowing Pagans to wear emblems of their faith in the business workplace, assisted in the presentation of a court case in Lincoln Park, MI to allow a Honor Roll student to wear, openly, the emblem of her faith, assisted in cases in Indiana where discrimination existed in schools, their Attorneys defended Religious Discrimination in a PA custody case, in addition WADL had the first Witch Attorney ever admitted to practice in from of The United States Supreme Court. Currently AREN is active in the Pagan Prison Ministry and is assisting in defense of the Civil/Religious Rights of a member in Great Falls, SC. Press Release from AREN, Alternative Religions Educational Network An International Pagan Rights Organization PO Box 1346, Lexington, KY 40588-1346 Fax: (530) 869-5928 news@aren.org http://www.aren.org
Nairobi Conference Focuses on Ending Mutilation of Women News and commentary by Khrysso Heart LeFey PIR Contributing Editor An international conference was slated to meet in Nairobi, Kenya in mid-September to consider social, legal, and political aspects in eradicating the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). FGM, also known as female circumcision, is often justified on religious grounds, and though often associated with Islam in Africa, is actually a pre-Christian social custom. Traditional religion ("Animism") is still a predominant practice throughout Africa, constituting the primary religious orientation of probably 40 to 50% of African people. The main thrust of the three-day conference was to discuss ratification of The Maputo Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa, adopted by the 53 Heads of State of the African Union at a conference in the capital of Mozambique last year. The Protocol stipulates that FGM should be prohibited and condemned. The Maputo Protocol requires ratification by 15 members of the African Union before it will acquire any teeth. Representatives of No Peace Without Justice, a major organizer of the conference, say that  Ratification of the Protocol by as many countries as possible would be a considerable step forward not only for the fight against FGM, but also for women's rights and gender issues in general." African Traditional Religions (ATRs), like Neo-Pagan paths, generally honor the Divine Feminine. Though scholars agree that it appears to have originated as a pre-Christian practice, FGM rarely occurs among contemporary practitioners of ATRs; rather, it functions as a powerful tool for patriarchal control, mostly but not exclusively among Muslims. Some Muslim scholars insist that Muhammad condoned, though did not insist on, the practice, if not too much cutting was done. It is important to reiterate that FGM is not a religious practice but a social one--it is not an imperative in Islam the way male genital mutilation is in Judaism. Rather, it is thought that cutting away the most sensitive parts of girls' genitalia, thus robbing them of most of their ability ever to enjoy sex, will help to enforce their fidelity to their husbands. In cultures where FGM is practiced, chastity is still a selling point where women are still treated as property, and adultery by women is a capital offense. Modern technology has led to FGM's sometimes being performed as a surgical procedure, though in cultures in which women are considered dispensable, sanitation and anesthesia have traditionally tended to be low priorities. Death and infertility are not uncommon results of the procedure even in the 21st century. FGM is becoming a better-recognized human-rights issue on the world scene, though it began to be addressed as a political issue sometime during the 1950s--still quite late in the timeline for a practice that is centuries, and probably millennia, old. It occasionally makes its way into industrialized nations from cultures where it is tolerated, said conference organizers, who promoted attendance by political leaders:  Representatives of the international community will be involved to highlight the international dimension of the problem, given... the tendency to perpetuate the practice by some immigrant communities. For example, the conference was to be opened by the President of the Republic of Kenya. Overall, the conference hoped to involve victims, former circumcisers (both lay and professional), doctors, teachers, judges, both provincial and national government representatives, parliamentarians and representatives of civil society, NGOs, cultural and religious community leaders, and the media from across Kenya. Conference organizers and sponsors were many and diverse. They included the Kenyan Government, No Peace Without Justice, the Association of Media Women in Kenya, the Italian Association for Women in Development, the European Commission, The Canadian International Development Agency, UNICEF, the Italian Cooperation, the Norwegian Government, UNIFEM, the Swedish Government, the Sigrid Rausing Trust, and GTZ (a German development organization).
"God Wills It" By Uri Avnery Sunday 12 September 2004 "Two shocking manifestos were published [in Israel] this week. Both call for comment." "The second manifesto declares that the Halakha (Jewish religious law) commands the killing of innocent Palestinian civilians if this helps to save Jews. It is signed by the heads of the "Arrangement Yeshivot," the West Bank settlement rabbis and other religious leaders. They were later joined by one of the two Chief Rabbis (the Sephardic one)." "The second manifesto is far more dangerous. A religious doctrine that calls for the killing of civilians in the name of God is very serious. Such a decree signed by the rabbis of the "Arrangement Yeshivot" is tenfold worse." "It is impossible to know how many, if any, of these [Palestinian] civilians --  men, women, old people and children are killed by Arrangement Yeshivot soldiers, or soldiers commanded by kippa-wearing officers. Nobody can be accused without incriminating evidence. But it is clear that the interpretation of the Halakha by the rabbis has now put a kosher-stamp on such acts. It puts an end to any pretence of the "pure arms" myth ["Pure Arms for a Pure Cause" - The ends justify the means]. It negates not only the prohibition of murder, but also the shame for such acts." "Many of the most heinous crimes in human history were committed in the name of religion. The Book of Joshua says that God commanded the Children of Israel to commit a general ethnic cleansing in the [Pagan] land of Canaan. The crusaders carried out horrible massacres in this country (and against the Jews on the way here) while shouting "Deus le volt!" (God wills it). Three years ago, Osama Bin-Laden sent his people to kill thousands in the New York TwinTowers in the name of Allah. May God protect us from those who would speak in His name." Source: Uri Avnery is a journalist, peace activist, former member of the [Israeli] Knesset, and leader of Gush Shalom. He is a regular contributor to Media Monitors Network (MMN). courtesy © 2004 Uri Avnery Find this article in full at: http://world.mediamonitors.net/content/view/full/9608
Whose Roots? News with Commentary by Khrysso Heart LeFey ©2004 KHLeFey. Published by permission. PART I  I grew up in Constitution Town, USA, namely, Louisville, Ohio, the hometown of a certain Ms. Olga Weber, who wrote to President Eisenhower pointing out that the US had an Independence Day but no Constitution Day, and that we should have the latter as well as the former. Ike agreed and declared September 17 (the date of the US Constitution's ratification, natch) to be Constitution Day and Louisville, Ohio to be the nation's Constitution Town. As a democracy-watcher and a community minister with some training in small-group process, I am interested in the parallels in the process of constitution-smithing among governing bodies of both monochromatic and diverse groups. Notable smiths in recent news have been Iraq and, more to the current point, the European Union. During June the EU got caught up in the same discussion that once dogged the US Constitutional Convention and, in recent decades, the Unitarian Universalist Association's General Assemblies. Seven countries, mostly newbies to the EU, wanted to make reference to the impact of Christianity on European history and culture in the preamble to the EU Constitution. They claimed that they wanted not to make the EU a theocracy, but rather to acknowledge a religious influence that was most deeply etched into its history (which is always written by the winner). Not surprisingly, these countries included Italy and Poland, the two nations with the strongest ties to the Vatican. Also not surprisingly, nations with significant Jewish, Muslim, and Humanist populations were less than thrilled with this suggestion. French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier went so far as to protest officially, with moral support from Belgium and others. British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, for example, said, "If we were to go down the road of making specific reference to one religious tradition, we have to bear in mind other religious traditions and reference to them as well within Europe." The mostly-Protestant USA, once upon a time, had to decide how tolerant to be of "Papistry," or Roman Catholicism, in the new democratic republic. In the early 1980's, when the UUA's C-Bylaw on the Sources of our Faith was written, a lot of people thought that the UUA should have left well enough alone and stopped at the Third Source: "Wisdom from the world's religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life." As soon as the Fourth Source (Judaeo-Christian tradition) got introduced, many UUs saw the laundry-list coming. UUs who were UU in the early 90's will remember when the delegates of the UU General Assembly began to discuss what came to be codified as in 1995 as the "Sixth Source" of the UUA's Living Tradition: "Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature." Even at this writing, the UUA's web site only lists the Fourth Source: "With its historical roots in the Jewish and Christian traditions, Unitarian Universalism is a liberal religion." Of course, this is historically accurate: both Unitarianism and Universalism in the US grew directly out of English PuR.nism, unquestionably Christian. But it seems odd, with the presence of Humanism and Earth-Centered paths on record as coequal sources, that only Judaism and Christianity would be mentioned on the UUA's most public electronic face. France, England, and Belgium--and others--offered a similar argument: don't list any of them. Just mention God, and leave it at that. It's what the US did (thanks to the Deist members of the Constitutional Convention, the direct philosophical forebears of Unitarianism). The text in the preamble to the EU Constitution, as submitted last year by the EU Constitutional Convention and accepted on June 18 as the final version of the Treaty, ended up saying this: "Drawing inspiration from the cultural, religious and humanist inheR.nce of Europe, the values of which, still present in its heR.ge, have embedded within the life of society the central role of the human person and his or her inviolable and inalienable rights, and respect for law." Source: http://european-convention.eu.int/docs/Treaty/cv00850.en03.pdf COMMENT:  It's ironic that the debate doesn't change and that governing bodies continue to come down on different sides in their decisions: the US and the EU leave out the laundry-lists; and the UUA doesn't; Iraq probably won't, but then Islam is so predominant in Iraqi culture that the conclusion is probably foregone there.    PART II: In the Words of Rome Here is the Vatican response to the above wording in the preamble to the European Union's Constitution the day after its ratification, according to a news release published by the Vatican Information Service: HOLY SEE: DISAPPOINTMENT CHRISTIAN ROOTS NOT RECOGNIZED VATICAN CITY, JUN 19, 2004 (VIS) - Joaquin Navarro-Valls, director of the Holy See Press Office, made the following declaration at midday: "The media have reported the adoption by consensus in Brussels of the European constitution by the heads of State and Government of the twenty-five member countries. "The Holy See express [sic] its satisfaction for this new and important step in the process of European integration that has been hoped for and encouraged by the Roman Pontiff. The introduction in the document of a measure which safeguards the status of religious confessions in the Member States, and commits the Union to maintain an open, transparent and regular dialogue with them, recognizing their identity and specific contribution, is also a reason for satisfaction." "The Holy See express [sic] its satisfaction for this new and important step in the process of European integration that has been hoped for and encouraged by the Roman Pontiff. The introduction in the document of a measure which safeguards the status of religious confessions in the Member States, and commits the Union to maintain an open, transparent and regular dialogue with them, recognizing their identity and specific contribution, is also a reason for satisfaction." "The Holy See cannot but express its distress over the opposition of some governments to the explicit recognition of the Christian roots of Europe. It is a question of disregard of the historical evidence and of the Christian identity of European peoples." "The Holy See expresses heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to those governments that, aware of the past and of the historical horizon in which the new Europe is taking shape, worked to express concretely its recognized religious heritage." "Not to be forgotten is the intense commitment of different entities to have the Christian heR.ge of Europe mentioned in this treaty, stimulating the reflection of political leaders, citizens, and public opinion on a question that is not secondary in the present national, European and world context." The Pope also issued this statement as part of another press release: POPE: WE CANNOT IGNORE OUR ROOTS VATICAN CITY, JUN 20, 2004, (VIS) -  ..After the Marian prayer, addressing his compatriots in Polish, John Paul II expressed his disappointment that the Christian roots of Europe were not recognized in the European constitution: "We cannot forget our roots," he affirmed with energy. "I thank Poland who in the European forum has faithfully defended the Christian roots of our continent from which our culture and the development of the civilization of our time has come." Source: ANG/REFUGEES:CHRISTIAN ROOTS/... VIS 040621 (350) http://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/vis/dinamiche/e4_en.htm             PART III: THE ROOTS OF THE ROOTS  It is interesting, given its real effects on the spiritual and cultural roots of Europe, to note that Paganism in its sundry varieties is not mentioned at all in the current version of the Treaty, which needs to be ratified by all 25 member states by October to become the EU's official Constitution. Not that Paganism had always been left out. Earlier versions of the EU Constitution had been worded thusly: "Our Constitution is called a democracy because power is in the hands  not of a minority but of the whole people. --Thucydides II, 37 "Conscious that Europe is a continent that has brought forth civilisation; that its inhabitants, arriving in successive waves since the first ages of mankind, have gradually developed the values underlying humanism: equality of persons, freedom, respect for reason,  "Drawing inspiration from the cultural, religious and humanist inheR.nce of Europe, which, nourished first by the civilisations of Greece and Rome, characterised by spiritual impulse always present in its heR.ge and later by the philosophical currents of the Enlightenment, has embedded within the life of society its perception of the central role of the human person and his inviolable and inalienable rights, and of respect for law." Source: http://www.comece.org/comece.taf?_function=future&_sub=_integ&id=9&language=en The Thucydides quote has remained intact in the current version, thank you, though it interests me to note that some translators dealing with the English version of the document would have preferred to render "the whole people" as something more on the lines of "the majority." COMMENT:  It would have been nice, as a nod to those who provided the roots for Christianity to provide roots for Europe, had the references to Greece and Rome remained, but we can't have everything; considering the religious diversity of the EU, compromise was unavoidable. Those who revere YHWH and Jesus will just have to remain unsatisfied with innuendo, as will those of us who revere Zeus and Jupiter and Mithras. PART IV: The European Union REALLY IS Catching up to the UUA  COMMENT: (Il) Papa don't 'low no leavin' out o' Jesus 'round here. (Il) Papa don't 'low no leavin' out o' Jesus 'round here. Well, we don't care what (Il) Papa don't 'low; We're gonna leave Jesus out anyhow! (Il) Papa don't 'low no leavin' out o' Jesus 'round here.  Thus might the EU Constitution be worded were it to be recast as the old blues/folk song, "Mama Don't 'Low." For all the conservative backlash in the West in recent decades, religious pluralism appears to be alive and well in Europe, and may, thereby, be giving more credit to Enlightenment thinkers and their forebears in classical Greece and Rome. In addition to the diversity-friendly language in the Preamble, Article 51 of the Constitution, "Status of churches and non-confessional organizations," says: 1. The Union respects and does not prejudice the status under national law of churches and 2. The Union equally respects the status of philosophical and non-confessional organisations. 3. Recognising their identity and their specific contribution, the Union shall maintain an open, Source: http://european-convention.eu.int/docs/Treaty/cv00850.en03.pdf Essentially, this is Europe's version of the First Amendment. And it's worded just as politically correctly as the UUs would have done it, too, if you ask me. Researching this article on the Internet, I ran across a number of conservative Christians' web sites that decried the alleged godlessness and the diabolical Postmodernism of the EU. The struggle among ideologies may be just beginning afresh, but this codification of respect for differences is, likewise, refreshing.   May 26, 2004 - Religion News Service European Union Debate on Religion in Constitution Continues Seven EU nations have urged that the bloc's new constitution make explicit reference to Europe's Christian roots, but France objects.
SAFF Is Back On Line As you know our fight for freedom of belief for New Age philosophies is essential but we are constantly being harrassed by Xists who try to censor our work in disseminating the truth.   We have yet again had to switch out website host and would very much appreciate your help again in updating the links on your site. British and Commonwealth Pagan News http://www.saff.ukhq.co.uk/
Soul-eater' Forced into Witches' Refuge March 09, 2004 SPARE a thought for Tabouanga, whom neighbors think is a witch. She has officially been a hex since New Year's Eve, when the local witch-hunting posse came to call. ... Tabouanga denied the charge. But the posse has ways of finding out the truth -- a hallucinogenic potion that could get the devil himself to confess. But then her daugher, Lizeta, found her and brought her to a place in the capital called "The Court of Witches." Here, among 75 other alleged sorceresses, she has found a roof and one meal a day -- and time to reflect on the injustice of life. READ THE FULL STORY: accessed March 18, 2004 at  THE AUSTRALIAN http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,8912784%5E29677,00.html
The Akashic Record Has Been Evoked to Visible Appearance! The Internet Archive is building a digital library of Internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. Like a paper library, we provide free access to researchers, historians, scholars, and the general public. Browse the Archive http://www.archive.org/
Press Release RELIGIOUS WMD'S to Be Dismantled At International Conference U.N. spiritual caucus, Institute of Advanced Theology, 2 dozen thought leaders, and hundreds of concerned individuals to examine tenets of faiths in search of peaceful resolutions to religious conflict CONTACT: Gerry Harrington (845) 331-7136 (845) 389-9201 (cellphone) gerryharrington@mindspring.com ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. -- April 19, 2005 -- Weapons of mass destruction do exist in Iraq. Indeed, they exist worldwide. But they aren't the military hardware you might think. They are an arsenal of individual and collective beliefs that proclaims, "My path is the only right path to God." Hundreds of people from around the world -- clergy and laypeople, scholars and students, professionals and laborers, business people and artists, policy makers and concerned individuals of many faiths and traditions -- intend to locate and dismantle those weapons in an international theological conference to be held at Bard College, 90 miles north of New York City, June 3 through 5. The conference, "Seeds of Transformation: Toward a Spiritual Renaissance in a Time of Fundamental Change" (http://bard.humanitysteam.org), will reveal a trend in which people around the world inspect the spiritual weapons in their arsenal of beliefs, including ideas that we are "better" than others, that we are separate from one another, and in particular that God wants it only one way on this earth and that we had better get it right or we are sure to be condemned. The groundbreaking event, which will also explore the ramifications of the trend, will feature some two dozen speakers, including world-renowned authors, theologians, scientists, artists and spiritual leaders of Eastern, Western and indigenous faiths. Among the speakers will be: * Feisal Abdul Rauf, chief executive of the American Sufi Muslim Association and author of    "What's Right With Islam Is What's Right With America: A New Vision for Muslims and the     West"; * Bruce Chilton, religion professor at Bard, whose most recent books include the celebrated    "Rabbi Jesus: An Intimate Biography" and "Rabbi Paul: An Intellectual Biography"; * William Commanda, the most senior Elder from the Algonquin Nation; * Paul Ferrini, author of the best-selling "Love Without Conditions"; * Alex Grey, the celebrated visionary artist; * Andrew Harvey, the acclaimed mystical writer; * Jana Riess, religion book editor of Publishers Weekly, a specialist in American religious    history, and author of the spiritual, religious and mythological "What Would Buffy Do? The    Vampire Slayer as Spiritual Guide"; * Neale Donald Walsch, whose latest best-seller is "What God Wants: A Compelling Answer to    Humanity's Biggest Question"; and  * Arthur Zajonc, physics professor at Amherst College and author of "Catching the Light: The    Entwined History of Light and Mind" and lead contributor to "The New Physics and    Cosmology: Dialogues with the Dalai Lama." The weekend event will also be the site of a special meeting of the Spiritual Caucus at the United Nations. The caucus will discuss the U.N.'s evolving spiritual role as the world body seeks to fulfill its mission to promote world peace and cooperation. The conference is co-sponsored by the Institute of Advanced Theology at Bard (www.bard.edu/iat), founded by Chilton and dedicated to a better understanding of the world's religious traditions, and Humanity's Team www.humanitysteam.org a nonprofit, pluralistic educational movement created by Walsch. Besides lectures, panel discussions, seminars and workshops, the conference will feature special screenings of award-winning films depicting the changing religious and spiritual climate, inspiring sculptures and paintings of scriptural figures and spiritual expression, uplifting performances by Emmy and Grammy Award-winning musicians, and an ecumenical prayer service officiated by clergy from a range of faith traditions. The event will also serve as the site of Humanity's Team's 2005 Worldwide Gathering. Dubbed a "civil rights movement for the soul," Humanity's Team -- composed of some 10,000 people from 94 countries on six continents -- seeks to free people from oppressive beliefs about God, life and each other so that humanity can truly experience unity and oneness. The price of attendance for all three days is $460, including all meals. Group discounts are available. Attendees may also register to participate on any single day. The college is offering affordable sleeping accommodations on campus. For more information or to register, logon to http://bard.humanitysteam.org or call (845) 256-1444.

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