Killing Cursed Infants Is Customary

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5 November 2011

(CNN) – The Kara tribe in Ethiopia’s Omo River Valley have been killing mingi infants for generations. Children born out of wedlock or with visible illness or disease, are considered “mingi” – cursed. Children born to married couples who have yet to complete their series of rites before conceiving are also killed, and considered “kusbaso” – cursed as well. The Kara believe that these cursed children could stop the rain from falling or the sun to get hotter. Mothers of mingi children are not disposed to the murder of their new borns, but accepting because of their cultural customs. The tribe’s elders justify their beliefs by stating that they sacrifice these children for the livelihood of the entire tribe. However, there has been an effort to stop these killings by young educated Kara, and members of other surrounding tribe’s, the Banna, and Hamar. A Christian group has also joined in the efforts to save these children. An orphanage has been established to house, care for and educate mingi children in near by Jinka. The majority of children are not saved but the effort to save as many lives as possible remains. The Ethiopian government has also taken interest in these killings and has vowed to in prison those complicit in mingi killings.

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/05/world/africa/mingi-ethiopia/index.html?iref=allsearch (Reliability 9)

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