HARRASMENT OF CHILD RIGHTS DEFENDERS IN AKWA IBOM STRONGLY CONDEMNED

The international child rights NGO, Stepping Stones Nigeria (SSN), has condemned in the strongest terms the ongoing campaign of harassment and intimidation directed at one of its Nigerian partners, the Child Rights and Rehabilitation Network (CRARN), which is based in Eket, Akwa Ibom state, in the Niger Delta. Since the work of SSN and CRARN was featured in the multi-award winning documentary – Saving Africa’s Witch Children – in 2008 both NGOs have been on the receiving end of a fierce and relentless campaign of intimidation. This has included two court cases being launched against them by the child witch-hunting pastor – Helen Ukpabio - who also sent her supporters to raid a child rights conference organised by the NGOs and beat up the organisers. Her lawyer also escorted some police officers from Lagos to the CRARN centre in July 2009 where they falsely arrested staff and beat up a number of the 200+ children.

Recent developments have seen the Akwa Ibom State Government launch a widespread media campaign stating that SSN and CRARN are fraudulent organisations who have used the children under their care to extort millions of pounds from the international community and demanding that the President of CRARN – Sam Itauma – and the Programme Director of Stepping Stones Nigeria – Gary Foxcroft – should both be arrested. These allegations have been entirely refuted by both agencies who have stated that their accounts are publicly available for all to see.
On Wednesday 10th November, 15 years to the day since the human rights activist Ken Saro-Wiwa was hanged by the Abache Regime, the CRARN centre in Eket was once again raided; this time by the EFCC,iii who said that a petition had been filed against CRARN and that they were seeking to arrest Mr Itauma. When informed that he was not on the premises, they initially arrested another staff member, Mr Bassey, but he was released following protests from the children at CRARN.

Sam Itauma of CRARN stated ‘I am genuinely living in fear for my life. I know there are people who would like to see me dead because I have stood up and told them that it is wrong to torture and murder innocent children who have been accused of being witches. I have had to leave my home and family and go into hiding. How can this be right?”

He continued: “The only reason that certain people are making accusations against me is because their interests are threatened by our fight against child witchcraft-related abuse. I am happy to face any charges that are brought against me or CRARN, including those from the EFCC, as long as this is done through a publicly monitored and fully accountable process, rather than at the whim of some official who disagrees with the work that we do”.
Gary Foxcroft, Programme Director of SSN, said “It is absolutely disgraceful that passionate, committed human rights defenders are being threatened in this way, when all they are trying to do is protect the rights of some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children in Nigeria. We call upon the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Akwa Ibom State Government to guarantee the security of the staff and children at CRARN and to ensure that any charges brought against them by agencies such as the EFCC are conducted in a fully transparent manner.”

Foxcroft added “It appears that the Governor of Akwa Ibom state, Chief (Dr) Godswill Akpabio is being given false information by those who seek to profit financially from the exploitation of helpless, innocent children. We will continue to seek dialogue with the Governor at the earliest opportunity so that we can reassure him that we are genuine NGOs and wish to work together with the Government in order to overcome the problem of child witchcraft accusations and repair the damage done to the image of Akwa Ibom State due to this ongoing campaign of intimidation”.

ATTACK ON OFFICIALS OF NGOS WORKING WITH THE CHILDWITCHES: APPEAL FOR A MEETING WITH THE GOVERNOR

For Immediate Release


ATTACK ON OFFICIALS OF NGOS WORKING WITH THE CHILDWITCHES: APPEAL FOR A MEETING WITH THE GOVERNOR

Dear Sir/Ma,

Since the release of the UNICEF report http://www.unicef.org/wcaro/wcaro_children-accused-of-witchcraft-in-Africa.pdf and the airing of the CNN programme on Akwa-Ibom child witches recentlyhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrvHYHzDDls, the State Governor has decided to release his vernon on those "making claims that there are childwitches" in his state.
To this extent, he has declared MR SAM ITAUMA WANTED!
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/09/11/gov-akpabio-orders-arrest-of-ngo-officials/

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/his-state-bereft-children-protection-services-gov-akpabio-hounds-akwa-ibom-child-advocates

And true to his threat, some of his foot soldiers attempted to intimidate (and possibly kill) the CRARN officials on 13 September 2010
http://saharareporters.com/news-page/akpabio%E2%80%99s-gunmen-invade-stigmatized-children%E2%80%99s-home-eket

Dear all, when Mr. Governor issued the threat some weeks ago on CNN, and later during a local programme on the Akwa Ibom State Broadcasting Corporation, little did we know that HE MEANT BUSINESS and that the lives and future of the STIGMATIZED CHILDREN are not IMPORTANT TO HIM. But, now we KNOW BETTER.

A stitch in time, they say, saves nine. Hence we want all global citizens to:

1. Be aware that ALL the officials of the NGOs working with these children have been DECLARED PERSONA NON GRANTA and consequently THEIR LIVES ARE NOT GUARANTEED (they live in perpetual fear for their lives)

2. That rather than reviewing the MEASURES taken so far, Mr. Governor (Godswill Akpabio) has decided to DENY what he earlier affirmed when he visited the CRARN Center in July 2009 FOR POLITICAL REASON (because his SECOND TERM in office ambition is under threat)

3. That CRARN, SSN, SSNCEF, YHN, CEPHD and their partners have no cladetine motive towards the governor

Based on the above, and to mitigate any further attacks, we want to implore all well meaning global citizens to HELP:

1. CALL on the Governor to SHEALTH his sword for the sake of the children (because we believe that their interest should be the focus for now)

2. APPEAL to the governor to provide SECURITY for the staff of the affacted NGOs as well as the affected children

3. The Governor should APROVE A MEETING with the officials of these NGOs to discuss face-to-face, so that unclear issues will be clarified.


It is our sincerely belief that the GOVERNOR is being MISINFORMED on our role in this matter, HENCE, we are cocksure the a meeting will be enough to clarify the cloudy opinions of the Governor.

Kindly help us, through your organisations, group and consulate, to request that the governor take action on these demands of ours.


His Excellency Obong (Barr.) Godswill Akpabio
The Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State
Wellington Bassey Way
Uyo, Akwa Ibom State
Nigeria


Thanks and onward!

Yemi Ademowo-Johnson
Projects Director,
Young Humaistas Network

A revealing town-hall meeting held at Esit Eket

The participation of the locals in intervention projects cannot be overemphasized, hence, the Young Humanistas Network (YHN), Ibadan in partnership with Child Rights and Rehabilitation Network (CRARN), Eket, organized a town-hall meeting in Esit-Eket, Akwa Ibom State on August 6, 2010.



The essence of the meeting was to influence people to
work together with the organizations to address childwitch hunting menace in the state. The attendance was highly encouraging and demonstrates the commitment of the people to address the menace; a total of seventy-six people (76) people participated. The use of local dialect was employed for better understanding of the goals of the meeting. Fifteen (15) people volunteered to work within their localities. The two organizations recorded the meeting as a success. We hope to follow-up on this later on

YHN hosts an American researcher and volunteer, Jessica

In July, YHN hosts and supported the research works of Jessica Wilbanks, an American graduate student of University of Houston who visited the University of Ibadan. Jessica, against all odds and damning the fears of being kidnapped visited the abused children at the CRARN Center. For about two days, she played and taught them Elementary English. Jessy also took part in YHN Monthly seminar for July with the theme "Pentecostalism, get-rick quick syndrome and Witchcraft accusations in Nigeria". She also did the first reading of an edited volume (a book we are publishing soon). Although she is back in Houston, we want to say a very big "Thank You" to her for daring to be different. More of Jessica are needed! She really lifted the children!!