THE modern practice of witch-hunting has taken a chilling twist in recent months with an upsurge in violence and beliefs that have led to the torture and murder of alleged witches.
Concern is growing on this bizarre turn of events in society with Government and rationalists efforts to address this problem achieving little success.
Reports from Southern Province alone indicate that around 40 people suspected of practicing witchcraft have been killed over the last few years in various chiefdoms such as Sinazongwe, Mweemba, Hamaundu and Chikanta.
This is but a tip of the iceberg as similar killings have been reported in media circles in various parts of the country but mostly in remote settings.
Killing is against the law – no one has the right to take another person’s life – especially that witch-hunting has ended up in an indiscriminate fashion.
Society has over the years governed itself with practices that safeguard the lives of people and disregarding these rules is leading to uncalled for but escalating murder cases.
In as much as these deaths can be alarming, arrests involving the culprits are not known, it brings the question as to whether both are on an equal scale.
Home-made guns are used in these killings as indicated in the cases reported in Southern Province while in others, those aggrieved have used various methods to take the law in the hands and commit murder.
Witch-hunting is a global concern in most countries especially those that have been ranked by the organisation called Care2 which singled out, Saudi Arabia, Tanzania, Gambia, Nepal, India, Papau New Guinea and Uganda as places where it is on the rampage.
Most of the killings have targeted the elderly, both male and female, while in worst case scenarios children have also been brutally murdered.
Those that are lucky and are able to elude the accusations, they either relocate or are cut-off from society.
Throughout the period of such killings, allegations of witchcraft that have resulted in communal murder have for long been a part of the rural populous as well as in the urban dwellings but with time, the trend has isolated itself to rural places.
With communal violence, a witness to the abuse or murder does not stop the act from taking place. In many instances, groups of villagers are involved in attacking the victims.
There is no easy solution to stopping these witch-hunts, though the immediate remedy to cases of superstitious beliefs is intense sensitisation on targeted communities.
This is the route that authorities and stakeholders such as civil society organisations can weigh in their strategies and counter this problem before it reaches uncontrollable levels.
Stricter laws to punish violence stemming from witchcraft allegations need to be put in place when culprits are caught.
Though this is an alternative measure, several groups want to change perceptions toward women, the aged groups and supernatural belief.
Indeed, legislation is not a cure for superstition; improving critical thinking is the key.
Changing attitudes includes exposing fraud and teaching critical thinking about superstition, which sometimes runs counter to long-held indigenous beliefs.
Outside intervention in rural communities is frowned upon, and rationalists face difficultly in winning support from people with heavily ingrained beliefs but overtime and consistence on sensitisation programmes can yield the desired goals.
Traditionally manufactured weapons have already been identified in some of the cases reported in affected areas in Southern Province, law enforcement wings need to move in with the help of custodians of these areas to ensure those possessing such weapons are made to surrender them.
There is no room in modern society to allow jungle-law to prevail especially in the rural areas; citizens need to be protected from unwarranted attacks by those angered with perceived superstitious occurrences. OPINION