In Malawi, witchcraft leaves dead in its wake

In Malawi, one of the poorest countries in the world, beliefs in witchcraft are very present and have a very concrete influence on the way of life of the inhabitants. While mass murders and lynchings are on the increase, local authorities, allied with NGOs, are trying to find solutions, which are very often unsuitable.

Malawi in the grip of its evil spirits. Since 2019, at least 75 people have been lynched and killed by vengeful mobs, accused of black magic, according to the Center for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR), a local NGO. Last week again, the villagers of the city of Dezda (center), killed a traditional chief accused of witchcraft by the latter.

In 2017, rumors of blood-sucking vampires spread in the south of the country, leading to the deaths of seven people and forcing the authorities to impose a curfew, and the UN to withdraw its representatives from the region.

WHEN LAW CONVERSES BELIEFS

NGOs and local authorities have set up a special commission to adjudicate on the issue of witchcraft in Malawi. Currently, accusing someone of witchcraft is an offence.

The commission found that this law, developed under British colonial rule, assumes that witchcraft does not exist, which runs counter to the beliefs of most people in Malawi. That’s why the commission proposed… that we recognize that magic exists.

“Beliefs cannot be denied by law,” writes retired Supreme Court Justice Robert Chinangwa. “The commission recommends that the law recognize the existence of witchcraft but criminalize its practice.”

Criminalizing witchcraft could help calm vigilantes by punishing those they suspect of being so, says CHHR director Michael Kaiyatsa. However, obtaining convictions related to the practice of magic could be as complicated as tangible proof of its existence.