Saturday, February 27, 2010

Congolese children are being lured to fight and serve as witch doctors for an armed group in volatile eastern Congo

Children are being targeted by the Mai Mai militia because the group believes their lack of sexual experience gives them special powers as witch doctors. The children are called on to administer potions believed to make fighters invincible. In doing so, the children are often given a false sense of invincibility themselves, putting them at further risk. Not all children are used by the Mai Mai as witch doctors. Some are used as front-line fighters and girls are often used as sex slaves.

Related:

Crisis in DR Congo

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