Editor’s note: How this article rings true when compared to the witch hunt within the halls of the Probate Court of Cook County. Lucius Verenus, Schoolmaster, ProbateSharks.com 101 East

A curse in the family

Can survivors of witch hunts in India change traditional beliefs to stop the brutal practice? 101 East Last Modified: 25 Jan 2013 05:54 inShare1 Email Print Share Feedback

In remote parts of India, illness, poor harvest and bad luck can sometimes mean only one thing: a curse in the family. Villagers will often consult an ohja, or witch doctor, who has the power to undo evil spells and identify people who placed the curse. Connect with 101 East Sixteen years ago, Chhutney Mohato was stripped naked, beaten and nearly killed after she was accused of being a witch in her village in eastern Jharkhand State. She was forced to leave her home and all of her property. Today, Mohato runs a small organisation in eastern India that helps women who have been lucky enough to survive a similar fate. Many women who are accused of witchcraft are killed by mobs of villagers. This film unveils a volatile world of land conflicts and abuse of power where women and their families fall prey to false accusations and are driven off their land. We meet women who tell first-hand how their lives have turned for the worse after being accused of being a witch and meet the people levelling the accusations against their neighbours. As India modernises and gender roles change, some of these persecuted women are fighting back. But can they change traditional beliefs or will they succumb to the collective ignorance and abuse of power around them? 101 East airs each week at the following times GMT: Thursday: 2230; Friday: 0930; Saturday: 0330; Sunday: 1630. Click here for more 101 East http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/101east/2013/01/2013121101834161718.html