Parents, chiefs complicit in sexual cleansing
Eric Aniva, the infamous Nsanje ‘hyena’ has been sentenced to two years imprisonment. People have reacted differently to the sentencing. There are some who argue that two years, for a man who openly admitted to stealing young girls’ innocence and infecting them with HIV, is not enough. Others are calling for the release of Aniva, arguing that he never acted alone; hence, if he shouldn’t go down alone.
I agree with the latter thinking. Let me start by a disclaimer that I am not an expert in traditional and cultural practices prevalent in Malawi. Most of the knowledge I have on these issues, of course, with an exception of my own culture, is through reading and hearing.
One thing I know that is common across the country is that chiefs at all levels—from group village heads to paramount chiefs—are custodians of culture and traditions. Oftentimes, in the rural set-up, when one contravenes the cultural rules, it is chiefs that mete out punishment. The same chiefs also ensure that cultural practices are enforced or not. They usually encourage their subjects to respect their tradition and perhaps not copy ‘foreign’ traditions.
From chiefs, then we have, at household level, parents who ensure that such cultural norms are adhered to. Parents usually ensure that their children adhere to the norms so that they ‘do not bring shame’ to the parents and family.
With this in mind, I feel it is very unfair to simply arrest and convict one person for doing what is morally right within his culture. Why has government not taken to task the chiefs and parents? Aniva had the blessing of the community to do whatever he was doing. Let us be clear, I am in no way supporting the disgusting and evil sexual cleansing ritual, but I feel the system has been unfair to Aniva.
In his statement, Aniva admitted that parents sought his ‘services’ by paying him to sleep with girls. I am sure if anyone bothered to ask Aniva further he would have mentioned by name these parents. To me, these parents, too, are complicit in the sexual cleansing ritual crime. If they didn’t source and pay Aniva to sleep with their girls, perhaps we couldn’t even be talking about this today.
The chiefs, as leaders in the community, know exactly what cultural practices are being practised in their community. They did nothing to stop the sexual cleansing practice because, to them, that is an accepted tradition. It is this belief that made Aniva to feel proud of what he was doing.
I understand that government wants to use the arrest of Aniva and his subsequent conviction to deter others from doing what he was doing. But that is missing the point. Aniva didn’t do it alone, he had the blessing of the girls’ parents and chiefs. If government is serious about ensuring that this disgusting practice ends, it should start with taking to task chiefs and parents.
If chiefs put a stop to it, it will end. So far, we haven’t heard anything in regard to whether the chiefs in Nsanje are discouraging the practice. What this means is that the practice is still prevalent. After all, it is just Aniva that is in cooler, while a whole lot more are still out there stealing girls’ innocence and infecting them with all sorts of diseases. Don’t just arrest Aniva, arrest the culture, too. Go back and arrest everyone who has a part in this ritual.
