Superfund Site: Naval Submarine Base New London

A superfund site of particular interest to me was the one located at The New London Submarine Base in Groton, CT. This site is located about 10 miles from where I grew up and is the reason why Groton is known as the “Submarine Capital of the World”. The New London Submarine Base site covers 576 acres on the eastern bank of the Thames River in Groton and was first established in 1868. The site contains multiple areas of contamination, including three landfills, past chemical storage sites, underground and aboveground tank farms, contaminated watercourses, and varying degrees of groundwater contamination.

Some of the specific areas of concern include the Area A Landfill, the Over Bank Disposal Area, the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office (DRMO), the Lower Submarine Base, and the Goss Cove Landfill. The Area A Landfill site was a particularly in need of attention due to buried materials and its close vicinity to wetlands. This is because from 1957 to 1973, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), spent battery acids, and other wastes were buried below the water table throughout the 11-acre Landfill. Another area in need of attention, known as the DRMO, was used as a landfill and burning ground from 1950 until 1969. Inspections at this site reveal evidence of leaking containers and spilled materials containing PCB-contaminated oil, lead, cadmium, and pesticides in the sediments and surface water. All of these chemicals and compounds posed a direct risk to humans and posed an imminent threat to the contamination of local groundwater.
            The U.S. Navy is the lead agency for site investigation and cleanup, with formal oversight by the EPA and the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. The cleanup approach for the contaminated sites at the New London Submarine Base had been broken down into five long-term phases. Each phase focuses on the cleaning and remediation of different contaminated areas throughout the submarine base. The major focus areas include the Area A Landfill, the Over Bank Disposal Area, the DRMO Area, the Lower Sub Base, the Goss Cove Landfill, Area A Weapons Center, and other contaminated areas of the base.
            So far, the U.S. Navy, with the oversight of the EPA has successfully removed a substantial amount of PCB- and lead-contaminated soil, and has contained and capped the DRMO area, Building 31, and the Spent Acid Storage Disposal Area which has reduced the health threats to humans at the New London Submarine Base. There are still, however, investigations of other site areas and continual ground water monitoring are still underway. By early 1997, the Area A Landfill cap was successfully completed. In 2001, the cap on the Goss Cove landfill and the removal action at the Over the Bank Disposal Area Northeast were also completed. Since the superfund cleanup began at the New London Submarine Base, there has been a tremendous amount of progress. All three of the base’s landfills have been capped, 7 removal actions have been completed and contaminated soils and sediment at the Area A Downstream have been removed. Wetland restoration is now currently underway at the Area A Downstream. According to the status of this site on the EPA Superfund Information System site, potential or actual human exposures are under control, contaminated groundwater migration is still being monitored, and construction is still not officially complete.

Short Essay on Felon for Peace

By: Kevin Scanlon

            Jerry Elmer’s long term commitment working in the non-violent peace movement started when he was a student in high school. During that time, Elmer was a rather unmotivated student and did rather poorly when it came to his grades for that reason. He was very intelligent and witty, however, when it came to challenging existing rules and regulations that he did not agree with. Elmer had a strong drive to try to change the status quo and to motivate others to join his cause. In addition, he had strong moral objections to violence against other human beings and considered human life to be sacred. He openly considered himself a pacifist. This could be associated with that fact that Jerry Elmer’s parents were both Nazi concentration camp survivors from the holocaust in World War II. In the late 1960’s, the United States involvement with the War in Vietnam really bothered Jerry. He was outraged by the reports of innocent civilians, including children, being killed horribly on a daily basis by things like napalm fire bombings. Furthermore, he was outraged by the fact that young Americans like himself were being drafted by the Army and sent overseas to partake in these atrocities. Jerry decided to dedicate his time and effort and to jeopardize his own freedom to evoke meaningful changes in the minds of Americans, as well as the policies of the United States.

            When Jerry Elmer was a ninth grader he first took part in personal witness. He did this by wearing a button to class that read “Peace in Vietnam”. Jerry knew that wearing the button would not have any significant effect on the war, but he wore it anyway to witness against it.

            Jerry also took part in another type of nonviolent action as part of his peace effort known as legal direct action. This involved organizing public vigils, fasting, and going door to door to raise public support for the peace movement. The eight week Tiger Cage Vigil and Fast in 1974 is one example of an effective legal direct action that Jerry was involved with

            On Jerry’s 18^th birthday he openly refused to register for the draft. At the time, all 18 year old males were required to fill out forms at their local draft board in order to receive their draft card. This card was to be carried with them at all times. Failure to comply was punishable by law. Males that had moral objections to the war could apply for conscientious objector status. Some males were able to get doctors notes saying they were unable to fight. The entire system, Jerry felt, was wrong and favored the wealthy. Jerry Elmer wasn’t just opposed to this war; he was opposed to all wars. For these reasons, Jerry felt that the best thing to do with a system you don’t agree with is to not participate in it at all. This is called non-cooperation.

            Jerry Elmer worked with fellow peace activists take part in plans that involved non-violent destruction of property. They spent months planning and executing elaborate raids on various draft boards. They would gain entry to the draft boards during the weekends late at night and destroy draft registration files. They focused on A-1 status files which belonged to people immediately available to be drafted. They also took the care to destroy duplicates and backup files. Every precaution was taken to ensure that there would be no one injured during the raids. Elmer and his accomplices’ primary goal was to render these draft boards inoperable.

            I felt that Jerry Elmer took action to peruse what he believed to be the most effective course of action to bring about change. His arguments were all valid, I feel, and many of his arguments are relevant today with regards to the ongoing war in Iraq. It is essential for a democratic civilization like the United States to have people like Jerry Elmer that are driven by their morals and beliefs. It is necessary for citizens to take part in public decent against the government when it no longer seems like the government is acting in the best interest of its populace.

The United States of America & Illegal Immigration

December 12, 2006

 By: Kevin Scanlon 

Immigration has essentially made the United States what it is today. The hard work and devotion of immigrants from all over the world have shaped this country into an immensely diverse and prosperous nation. The promises of freedom, success and security make the United States a very attractive place for foreign-born individuals to begin a new life. Immigration is also beneficial to the United States because it contributes necessary workers to the labor pool, and perpetuates economic growth. There are programs in place that allow for a limited number of foreign-born individuals to gain legal residency in the United States each year. The problem is that the number of people wishing to gain legal residency is far greater than number allowed by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. This growing imbalance has lead to high levels of illegal immigration. There are essentially two methods in which people immigrate to the United States illegally. The first method entails sneaking across the national borders without detection. This is also referred to as “entry without inspection” or EWI.[1] The immigration authorities currently estimate that about two-thirds of all illegal immigrants are EWIs.[2] The second method of illegal immigration involves the legal entry to the United States with a temporary visa and the subsequent violation of the terms of that visa. This type of illegal immigration occurs when an individual over-stays the term of their legal-obtained visa. The reason for concern is that illegal immigration places an immense strain on the United States economy and is seen as a drain on public funds. The healthcare system and educational system are particularly affected in a negative way by illegal immigration.

            To fully understand the scale of the current illegal immigration problem in the United States, one must look at the available data. The foreign-born population of the United States is currently 33.1 million, equal to 11.5 percent of the U.S. population.[3] Since 1970, more than 30 million legal and illegal immigrants have settled in the U.S., representing more than one-third of all people ever to come to America's shores.[4] This year alone, an estimated 1.1 million immigrants will enter the United States.[5] This number continues to grow each year. The immigration authorities have determined that the population of illegal aliens is increasing by an estimated half million people annually.[6] The number of illegal immigrants already settled in the United States is staggering. It is difficult for authorities to get an exact number, but recent estimates range from 8-9 million[7] to over 12 million[8] illegal residence. When the number of immigrants (both legal and illegal) are combined with the high birth rates of immigrant women, the total amount accounts for three-fourths of all U.S. population growth.[9] The high volume of individuals migrating to the United States demonstrates the need for effective control mechanisms to maintain order, fairness and sustainability.

            The United States government goes to great lengths to control immigration. Agencies such as the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection act as the physical enforcers of U.S. immigration laws. These agencies primary concentrate their enforcement along the national borders and at ports of entry like airports and naval ports. The punishments for violating immigration laws rage from monetary fines to jail time to deportation. Each year the U.S. Border Patrol makes more than a million apprehensions of aliens who flagrantly violate our nation's laws by unlawfully crossing U.S. borders. Such entry is a misdemeanor, but, if repeated, becomes punishable as a felony.[10] Legal citizens of the United State that are caught attempting to aid in the illegal immigration of an individual face a fine of $5000 for their first offence.[11] Recently, the United States Customs and Border Patrol have increased their levels of inspections of passenger vehicles at border crossings. They have also increased the consequences for smugglers and implemented fines for those who don’t meet prosecution standards. These increased efforts have created noticeable results. U.S. Customs agents caught fewer people trying to enter the U.S. illegally by hiding in passenger cars. Apprehensions of undocumented migrants smuggled in cars dropped by half this year compared to last.[12] It is apparent that increased efforts at the borders are making a moderately significant impact on the number of immigrants attempting enter the U.S. illegally. The trouble is, less than half of illegal immigrants gain entry to this country by running across a border or through human smuggling. The remainder get into the country with legal temporary visas. They then knowingly overstay their allowed time periods and slip into the shadows of America. The challenge for the future of U.S. immigration control is to develop and implement more effective programs that monitor and identify visa over-stayers and U.S. immigration law breakers.

            The growing illegal immigration problem has taken a high priority among U.S. politicians and lawmakers. There are now several programs that politicians and the government leaders of this country are beginning to plan an implement in an effort to curtail this mounting problem. A few of these programs include increased employer sanctions, a guest worker program, and an increase in border security.

In the past, the standard response to illegal immigration has been increased border enforcement. And, in fact, such tightening of the border was long overdue. But there has been almost no attention paid to enforcement at worksites within the United States.[13] Many Democrats want to focus on employer sanctions as a way to stem illegal immigration. They have accused the White House and the Republican-led Congress for letting “its guard down when it comes to employer sanctions.”[14] A recent Government Accountability Office study showed that the enforcement of employer sanctions has been nearly nonexistent over the last few years. Audits of employers to make sure they are checking employee documentation fell 77 percent from 1998 to 2003.[15] State Representative Charles Gonzalez (D-Texas) has proposed a bill to increase enforcement of sanctions against employers of illegal aliens.[16] However, Angelo Amador, the director of immigration policy for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said he promised to oppose any increased employer sanctions if they came to the House floor without other immigration reform provisions.[17] It is evident that there is no simple solution. New policies that impose sanctions on companies that employ illegals would, however, essentially lead to greater corporate accountability. If effectively implemented, the policies would significantly reduce the amount of jobs available to illegal immigrants. A decrease in available jobs will then translate to a decrease in illegal immigration. Some steps are already being taken towards this goal. The Bush administration's 2007 budget proposes $41.7 million in new funds for work-site enforcement and an additional 171 agents.[18] As a result, we should begin to see more employers of illegal immigrants facing sanctions and fines in the upcoming years.

Another policy being considered to help reduce illegal immigration is a guest worker program. The intent of guest worker programs is to add workers to the labor force temporarily, but not add permanent residents to the population.[19] On January 7, 2004, President George W. Bush proposed his plan for a temporary worker program in the United States. Bush described it as a, “new temporary worker program that will match willing foreign workers with willing American employers, when no Americans can be found to fill the jobs. This program will offer legal status, as temporary workers, to the millions of undocumented men and women now employed in the United States, and to those in foreign countries who seek to participate in the program and have been offered employment here.”[20] Bush has faces a lot of criticism over his new temporary worker program. Many U.S. citizens feel that the new policy is too easy on immigrants that are already in the country illegally. The new program would require these people to come forward and willfully pay a small fee to become a registered temporary worker. According to Bush, “the legal status granted by this program will last three years and will be renewable”.[21] Although Bush claims he is against amnesty for illegal immigrants, this plan seems as though it would be very favorable for illegal immigrants. Also, those who are opposed to a guest worker program in the United States raise the point that “in almost all countries and in virtually all time periods, guest worker programs tend to become larger and to last longer than anticipated, and some of the migrant workers settle with their families.”[22] Those who oppose the program often use the situation in Germany as an example. In Germany, there is now a very large, poorly integrated Turkish population that remains as the result of a similar guest worker program. If the United States is going to implement a guest worker program, many challenges will have to be faced. The program will have to be efficient and effective.

Increased border security is one area of immigration control that has made recent progress and appears to be moving in a productive direction. The United States Department of Homeland Security has been clearly focused on achieving three major goals. They include an efficient detention and removal system, improved technology, and enhanced infrastructure at the border. The re-engineered system will involve an increase in available detention capacity and a streamlined process to minimize the length of detention prior to removal of the alien.[23] This system will also integrate with, and require the cooperation of, the Canadian and Mexican governments. An improved detention and removal system is an attempt to stop illegals from simply being caught and then released only to attempt to cross the border again. The implementation of new technology along the borders promises to increase the capabilities of Border Patrol agents. Some of these new technologies include Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), aerial assets, Remote Video Surveillance camera systems, and sensors.[24] These tools will be used to spot illegal border-crossers in desolate regions of the desert and will allow Border Patrol agents to be dispatch quickly and efficiently. Finally, improvements to border infrastructure will assist in limiting illegal immigration. These future improvements will involve increasing physical layers of security, building access roads to enable Border Patrol to speed response efforts, installing stadium style lighting to deter border crossers, and providing surveillance cameras to monitor incursion along targeted areas of the border.[25] Other physical layers of security planned for the near future include the construction of 700 miles of fencing along various parts of the U.S. – Mexican border. Programs like this have received mixed emotions. Some people feel that building walls is the wrong approach to take while others demand increased security and protection from potential terrorist threats. In the end, good immigration policies combined with a variety of effective enforcement techniques will be required to ensure a satisfactory solution to the current illegal immigration problem.

 

Works Cited

 

Camarota, Steven A., “Immigrants at Mid-Decade A Snapshot of America's Foreign-Born Population in 2005” Center for Immigration Studies, December 2005, http://www.cis.org/articles/2005/back1405.html (accessed December 7, 2006).

 

Cameron Joseph and Bob Cusack, “Dems may take hardline on those who hire illegal immigrants,” The Hill, December 6, 2006, http://www.thehill.com/thehill/export/ TheHill/Business/120606_immigrants.html (accessed December 7, 2006).

 

Cantlupe, Joe, “Feds Targeting Employers of Illegal Workers,” SignOnSanDiego.com, December 10, 2006, http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20061210-9999-1n10enforce.html (accessed December 10, 2006).

 

“Fact Sheet: Secure Border Initiative,” Department of Homeland Security, November 2, 2005, http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/press_release_0794.shtm (accessed December 11, 2006).

 

“Home Page,” Federation for American Immigration Reform, http://www.fairus.org/site/PageServer (accessed December 11, 2006).

 

“Illegal Immigration,” Center for Immigration Studies, http://www.cis.org/topics/ illegalimmigration.html (accessed December 7, 2006).

 

 “Illegal Immigration is a Crime,” Federation for American Immigration Reform, March, 2005, http://www.fairus.org/site/PageServer?pagename=iic _immigrationissuecenters6ce3 (accessed December 10, 2006).

 

Isackson, Amy, “Fewer Illegal Immigrants Being Smuggled to U.S. in Cars,” KPBS News, December 7, 2006, http://www.kpbs.org/news/local?id=6737 (accessed December 7, 2006).

 

“Number of illegal immigrants caught at the border declines,” HoustonChronicle.com, December 6, 2006, http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/ 4384742.html (accessed December 7, 2006).

 

“President Bush Proposes New Temporary Worker Program,” Whitehouse.gov, January 7, 2004, http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/01/20040107-3.html (accessed December 11, 2006).

 

“WITNESSES QUESTION ADMINISTRATION OF CURRENT GUEST WORKER PROGRAMS, DESCRIBE KEY PROVISION OF SENATE GUEST WORKER EXPANSION AS 'TROUBLING',” US Fed News, July 19, 2006, LexisNexis (accessed December 10, 2006).

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[1] “Illegal Immigration is a Crime,” Federation for American Immigration Reform, March, 2005, http://www.fairus.org/site/PageServer?pagename=iic_immigrationissuecenters6ce3 (accessed December 10, 2006).

[2] “Illegal Immigration is a Crime,” Federation for American Immigration Reform

[3] “Illegal Immigration,” Center for Immigration Studies, http://www.cis.org/topics/ illegalimmigration.html (accessed December 7, 2006).

[4] “Illegal Immigration,” Center for Immigration Studies.

[5] “Home Page,” Federation for American Immigration Reform, http://www.fairus.org/site/PageServer (accessed December 11, 2006).

[6] “Illegal Immigration is a Crime,” Federation for American Immigration Reform.

[7] “Illegal Immigration,” Center for Immigration Studies.

[8] Cameron Joseph and Bob Cusack, “Dems may take hardline on those who hire illegal immigrants,” The Hill, December 6, 2006, http://www.thehill.com/thehill/export/ TheHill/Business/120606_immigrants.html (accessed December 7, 2006).

[9] “Illegal Immigration,” Center for Immigration Studies.

 

[10] “Illegal Immigration is a Crime,” Federation for American Immigration Reform.

[11] Isackson, Amy, “Fewer Illegal Immigrants Being Smuggled to U.S. in Cars,” KPBS News, December 7, 2006, http://www.kpbs.org/news/local?id=6737 (accessed December 7, 2006).

[12] Isackson, “Fewer Illegal Immigrants Being Smuggled to U.S. in Cars,” KPBS News.

[13] “Illegal Immigration,” Center for Immigration Studies.

 

[14] Cameron Joseph and Bob Cusack, “Dems may take hardline on those who hire illegal immigrants,” The Hill, December 6, 2006, http://www.thehill.com/thehill/export/ TheHill/Business/120606_immigrants.html (accessed December 7, 2006).

[15] Cameron Joseph and Bob Cusack, “Dems may take hardline,” The Hill.

[16] Cameron Joseph and Bob Cusack, “Dems may take hardline,” The Hill.

[17] Cameron Joseph and Bob Cusack, “Dems may take hardline,” The Hill.

[18] Cantlupe, Joe, “Feds Targeting Employers of Illegal Workers,” SignOnSanDiego.com, December 10, 2006, http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20061210-9999-1n10enforce.html (accessed December 10, 2006).

[19] “WITNESSES QUESTION ADMINISTRATION OF CURRENT GUEST WORKER PROGRAMS, DESCRIBE KEY PROVISION OF SENATE GUEST WORKER EXPANSION AS 'TROUBLING',” US Fed News, July 19, 2006, LexisNexis (accessed December 10, 2006).

[20] “President Bush Proposes New Temporary Worker Program,” Whitehouse.gov, January 7, 2004, http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/01/20040107-3.html (accessed December 11, 2006).

[21] “President Bush Proposes New Temporary Worker Program,” Whitehouse.gov.

[22] Martin, Philip, “Border Security and Immigration Issues,” Capitol Hill Hearing Testimony, July 19, 2006, LexisNexis (accessed December 10, 2006).

[23] “Fact Sheet: Secure Border Initiative,” Department of Homeland Security, November 2, 2005, http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/press_release_0794.shtm (accessed December 11, 2006).

 

[24] “Fact Sheet: Secure Border Initiative,” Department of Homeland Security.

[25] “Fact Sheet: Secure Border Initiative,” Department of Homeland Security.

Witches in Ghana

            Ghana is a country located in Western Africa. It is bordered on the West by Côte d’Ivoire, the North by Burkina Faso, the East by Togo, and the South by the Atlantic Ocean. The country gained independence from British rule on March 6, 1957. [1] The religions practiced in Ghana vary widely. About a quarter of the population is Christian and thirty percent is Muslim (living mainly in the north); the remainder follow traditional religions.[2] Regardless of religion, there are several widely held superstitions among the citizens. One of these is witchcraft. Witchcraft, as defined is a form of sorcery, or the magical manipulation of nature for self-aggrandizement, or for the benefit or harm of a client.[3] In Ghana, some people openly practice forms of witchcraft as a means to cast spells of protection and good health. Others however, are believed to use the sorcery to impose harm on others. The vast majority of accusations and rituals involve relations between peers, kin, and co-wives.[4] Overall, the most common victims of witchcraft accusations in Ghana tend to be women. Women in Ghana are accused of practicing witchcraft as a result of widely held superstitions, economic and social insecurities, and as means of explaining misfortunate and inexplicable events.

Africa is a continent with an abundance of traditions and customs. This is evident even in the attitudes of relatively modernized or “westernized” citizens today. The citizens of Ghana take traditional superstitions and beliefs very seriously. One of these superstitions is that witchcraft is real and that it poses a serious risk to ones well being. In the film Witches in Exile, director Allison Berg travels the streets of the capital of Ghana, Accra. Berg stops with her translator to ask various citizens on the streets of the capital city about their perspectives on the idea of witchcraft. According to the BBC World Service, more than 90 percent of Ghana's 21-million citizens fear falling victim to a sorcerer's spell.[5] The citizens of Accra lead rather modern lifestyles compared to Ghanan citizens in the rural Northern region. Still, some superstitions, like witchcraft, transcend the social and cultural boundaries of the country. Even university graduates who have spent time in the United States talk of old women suddenly turning people into fireballs or pulling snakes from people's stomachs.[6] The majority of people that Berg speaks to agree that witchcraft is indeed a reality. They also agree that upon accusation, the proper punishment of a woman should include public ridicule, stoning, or even death.[7] The question is where these notions of supernatural forces originate. Although Ghanan citizens live modern lives in this independent, post-colonial country, their beliefs have “nothing to do with colonialism but with phenomena deeply ingrained in the African psyche and in African ways of life.”[8] It is the long history of African traditions and values that play the central role. Father John Kirby, founder of Tamale Cross-Culture Institute in Ghana comments that “The widespread belief of the existence of witchcraft is thought to stem from Ghana’s most common form of socialization; storytelling”.[9] Children are told stories by their elders as a means of education. These stories are intended to promote socially acceptable and responsible behavior. One example of a story told to children is mentioned in the film Witches in Exile. The story claims if you go out at night, and stay out very long, the witches of the village will be out and about. They will confront you and they will steal your soul.[10] It appears that the socialization process of Ghanans is partly to blame for their commonly accepted ideas and values. These engrained beliefs, true or not, have a major influence on their everyday lives. A sociology professor at the University of Ghana explains to students that the question of whether or not witchcraft exists is irrelevant, “people believe in it and it affects their behavior. That is what matters”.[11] The research suggests that the belief patterns of a society change very slowly over time, even with modern influences. The ideas and beliefs that people are raised with often determine the way they feel and act. The idea of witchcraft is one of these engrained beliefs common among the people of Ghana.u

Economic and social insecurities in the country of Ghana, as well as other parts of Africa, play a major roll in the perpetuation of witchcraft allegations. Economic insecurities such as a lack of money, food or decent living conditions are common among the poorer citizens of Ghana. The average daily income of the typical citizen in Ghana is about $0.60.[12] When life becomes difficult or unpleasant, feelings of frustration and anger are typical. These built up emotions require a form of outlet. At times the outlet of anger is directed towards women. According to a group of Ghanan women interviewed in the film Witches in Exile, beatings and ridicule are more frequent when there is hunger.[13] At times ridicule may involve witchcraft allegations. In addition, older women are often targeted because they are seen to have less value to the family. Women lack value if they are perceived as too old to remarry[14] or if they are unable to have children or perform physically demanding tasks such as retrieving water and fetching firewood. Therefore older women must rely on others to support them. This places additional strains on families struggling to make ends meet. Socially, witchcraft can be seen as a tool used by the people of Ghana to attempt to control negative elements within their society. The harsh reactions of the people towards an accused witch demonstrate fears associated with a potential breakdown of their society. As Father John Kirby explains in the film Witches in Exile, “Witchcraft is a social-evil concept; a method of response for Africans to preserve the good of society. We [Westerners] do the same thing when we say God wants us to go to war because evil is threatening the society”.[15] The battle against witches, to Ghanans, is like any battle a civilization may face. From this perspective, the act of violently lashing out towards those who are accused of being witches is merely an attempt to cleanse the society of evil. The insecurities of life in Ghana, both economic and social, play a significant role in the perpetuation of witchcraft and sorcery allegations.

Life in Africa, like all places on Earth, does not come without unfortunate circumstances. These misfortunes range from illness to crop failures to sudden and seemingly unexplainable deaths of loved ones. In Ghana, tragic events such as these are common and sometimes attributed to the presence of witchcraft. This is a common method of explanation for unfortunate events among witchcraft-believing societies throughout Africa. The concept of witchcraft provides them with a natural philosophy by which the relations between men and unfortunate events are, and a ready and stereotyped means of reacting to such events.[16] In the instance of a non-death related misfortune, a citizen may attempt to locate the sorcerer responsible for the event to bring it to an end. Only when the misfortune is death can vengeance or compensation be exacted for injury from witchcraft.”[17] In the film Witches in Exile, the story of a Ghana woman named Pona is explored in detail. Her family encountered a shocking and unexpected ordeal. One of her five grand children had suddenly become very ill and died. With no logical explanation for the death, a small number of relatives began to speculate that witchcraft may have been involved. As an older, less productive member of the family, Pona was thought to be the most likely perpetrator. Pona was soon confronted by a mass of relatives and neighbors. The mob beat her relentlessly with sticks and demanded she confess to performing witchcraft. They then destroyed all of her belongings, and burned her house. Upon her forced confession, Pona was spared her life but was required to leave the village. With nothing left but her permanently spoiled reputation, Pona was forced to move to an isolated rural region north of Tamale. She found safety at Kokuo, a “witch camp” that was established for survivors like her. It is common practice for people in Ghana to attribute their misfortunes to the presence of evil. In this area of Africa, the absence of knowledge of modern science and human physiology often results in accusations of witchcraft. For example, accusations of witchcraft are made after family or neighbors misinterpret menopausal mood swings to mean a woman is possessed by demons.[18] As education and modern medicine become more common in Ghana, some of these witch-related mysteries will hopefully be put to rest. There will, however, always be unexplainable events that occur in the country and the Ghanans are likely to still attribute these events to supernatural activities.

It is unfortunate that the women of Ghana frequently fall victim to accusations of witchcraft. The contribution of widely held superstitions, economic and social insecurities within the country and the lack of explanation for unfortunate and inexplicable events have lead to this outcome. The future, however, is not without hope. Education and modern medical care will likely assist in the reshaping of life in Ghana. Humanitarian aid groups have not overlooked the hardships these accused women face. For instance, Timaretama, a local nongovernmental group, offers small loans to women in the Gambaga camp, so they can start entrepreneurial ventures.[19] Members of the Ghanan parliament want to close the camps.[20] Unfortunately the social stigmas that survive the women in their home villages[21] give them no where else to turn. None the less, the women at Kokuo claim, “at least at the camps there is freedom”.[22]

Works Cited

 

Amatenstein, Sherry. “Helping ‘witches’ who live in exile.” The Christian Science Monitor 22 June 2006. 15 Nov. 2006.

 

Camaroff, Jean and John Camaroff. Modernity and its Malcontents: Ritual and Power in Post Colonial Africa. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 1993.

 

Evans-Pritchard. E. E. Witchcraft, Oracles, and Magic Among the Azande. New York: Oxford University Press. 1976.

 

“Ghana, country, Africa” The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6^th ed. New York: Columbia University Press, 2001-04. www.bartleby.com/65/. 16 Nov. 2006.

 

“The Witchcraft Diaries” The Post 2 June 2006. 15 Nov. 2006

 

 “Witchcraft” The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6^th ed. New York: Columbia University Press, 2001-04. www.bartleby.com/65/. 16 Nov. 2006.

 

Witches in Exile. Dir. Allison Berg. 2005. DVD. California Newsreel, 2005.

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[1] “Ghana, country, Africa” The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6^th ed. New York: Columbia University Press, 2001-04. Paragraph 2

[2] “Ghana, country, Africa” The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6^th ed. New York: Columbia University Press, 2001-04. Paragraph 3

[3] “Witchcraft” The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6^th ed. Paragraph 1

[4] Camaroff, Jean and John Camaroff. Modernity and its Malcontents: Ritual and Power in Post Colonial Africa. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 1993. 90.

 

[5] Amatenstein, Sherry. “Helping ‘witches’ who live in exile.” The Christian Science Monitor 22 June 2006. 15 Nov. 2006.

[6] Amatenstein, Sherry. “Helping ‘witches’ who live in exile.” The Christian Science Monitor 22 June 2006. 15 Nov. 2006.

[7] Witches in Exile. Dir. Allison Berg. 2005. DVD. California Newsreel, 2005.

[8] “The Witchcraft Diaries” The Post 2 June 2006.

[9] Father John Kirby Witches in Exile. Dir. Allison Berg. 2005. DVD. California Newsreel, 2005.

[10] Witches in Exile. Dir. Allison Berg. 2005. DVD. California Newsreel, 2005.

[11] Witches in Exile. Dir. Allison Berg. 2005. DVD. California Newsreel, 2005.

[12] Witches in Exile. Dir. Allison Berg. 2005. DVD. California Newsreel, 2005.

[13] Witches in Exile. Dir. Allison Berg. 2005. DVD. California Newsreel, 2005.

[14] Amatenstein, Sherry. “Helping ‘witches’ who live in exile.” The Christian Science Monitor 22 June 2006. 15 Nov. 2006.

[15] Father John Kirby Witches in Exile. Dir. Allison Berg. 2005. DVD. California Newsreel, 2005.

[16] Evans-Pritchard. E. E. Witchcraft, Oracles, and Magic Among the Azande. New York: Oxford University Press. 1976. 18.

 

[17] Evans-Pritchard. E. E. Witchcraft, Oracles, and Magic Among the Azande. New York: Oxford University Press. 1976. 33.

[18] Amatenstein, Sherry. “Helping ‘witches’ who live in exile.” The Christian Science Monitor 22 June 2006. 15 Nov. 2006.

[19] Amatenstein, Sherry. “Helping ‘witches’ who live in exile.” The Christian Science Monitor 22 June 2006. 15 Nov. 2006.

[20] Witches in Exile. Dir. Allison Berg. 2005. DVD. California Newsreel, 2005.

[21] Witches in Exile. Dir. Allison Berg. 2005. DVD. California Newsreel, 2005.

[22] Witches in Exile. Dir. Allison Berg. 2005. DVD. California Newsreel, 2005.