Fiji Sun

Keep children away from witchcraft

- AVINESH GOPAL Edited by Ranoba Baoa

No child should go through what my children went through because of witchcraft.

These are the words of Salvin Singh, who lost his two daughters aged 11 and eight years, in the Nausori Highlands tragedy in Nadi last week.

Mr Singh said while he would not get his daughters back, he hopes to stay strong and create more awareness on children’s rights. A profession­al counsellor and child protection officer, he spoke to the Fiji Sun about how he saw his in-laws practicing witchcraft and how his former wife and two daughters were also dragged into it.

“What is in my mind right now is that I want to create as much awareness as possible. I don’t want any other child to go through what my children did, but that’s if I survive whatever I’m going through now,” he said.

“I’m still going through a lot in my mind and if I fully regain consciousn­ess in time to come, then I want to create awareness freely as I’m a child protection officer. “At least my daughters will see me from Heaven and be happy that I’m doing something for other children so that they don’t go through the same thing.”

Mr Singh said he had nothing as far as taking revenge against whoever killed his former wife and two daughters was concerned. “During my counsellin­g sessions at different places, I always tell parents not to use children in witchcraft because I saw that my children were used when I lived at my in-laws place for seven years,” he said.

“But still, some people just don’t seem to understand this. If only parents listen and don’t get their children involved in this witchcraft stuff.

“My revenge for my daughters’ deaths will be in a different way. My revenge will be to take the likely perpetrato­rs away before anything happens to their children because of witchcraft.

“We have to get rid of them, those who practice witchcraft,” said Mr Singh.

Feedback: avinesh.gopal@fijisun.com.fj

 ?? Photo: Waisea Nasokia ?? The caskets of the Nausori Highlands victims placed at the Votualevu College Hall in Nadi on August 31, 2019.
Photo: Waisea Nasokia The caskets of the Nausori Highlands victims placed at the Votualevu College Hall in Nadi on August 31, 2019.

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