Sorcery tortures: 3 dead

News that matter in Papua New Guinea

Sorcery tortures: 3 dead

PORT MORESBY: Three of the seven women who were tortured by villagers in Pawayamo last week were found buried.

The three died from injuries inflicted after they were stripped, bound to poles and burnt with hot knives in Kagua-Erave’s Aiya in Southern Highlands.

Police Comm David Manning said police were protecting two survivors in Southern Highlands and another two in Enga.

For story context, read this earlier report: https://pngcybermonitor.blogspot.com/2021/12/sorcery-shame-for-papua-new-guinea-in.html (Sorcery shame for Papua New Guinea in X’mas)

The news break was reported by The National:

Tortured 3 dead

December 29, 2021The NationalMain Stories

Policemen standing at the grave of two of the five women tortured at Pawayamo village. The third woman is buried at Uma village at the Aiya LLG, Kagua. – Picture supplied by Kagua-Erave police

By MIRIAM ZARRIGA
THREE of the seven women subjected to a horrific torture at the hands of villagers who accused them of practising sorcery have died, according to Police Commissioner David Manning.
The three died from injuries they received after they were stripped naked and humiliated in public in the Aiya local level government, Kagua-Erave, Southern Highlands.
Police are protecting two others who survived the torture.
Another two women were tortured in a separate incident in Porgera, Enga.
“In Kagua, five women were taken into the mountains of Pawayamo village, Aiya LLG – a walk through a bush track into a mountain (where they) were tortured for several hours,” Comm Manning said.
“Two of the survivors are now under police protection.
“Police officers from Mendi and Kagua-Erave have repatriated the two women who are now seeking medical treatment in Mendi.
“The two (picked up at Ipia village, Aiya LLG, Kagua and Buiebi village, Imbonggu) were allowed back to their families. One went back to her family in Imbbongu.
“They are currently living in fear because of reprisal. Police will do all we can to protect the women and bring the men involved to justice.
“I have stressed to the provincial police commanders to ensure arrests are made.
“We want to make it clear to so-called glass-men or women that we will arrest you for the torture of women for monetary gain.”
Prime Minister James Marape said he had made it clear to police that he wanted arrests done as quickly as possible on the men involved in the torture of the seven women.
Marape told The National he had been briefed on what happened to the women.
“Police have already got the ball rolling in terms of investigating the torture of the women,” he said.
Comm Manning wants to see a separate court deal with sorcery/traditional belief-based violence.
“There is the law and there is justice.
“This must be correctly applied to these sorcery-related cases,” he said.
He urged the governors and MPs to assist police address the issue.
“They need to assist police by being on the ground with us,” he said.
“These are the very people they represent in Parliament and they must provide leadership in their electorates.
“Help us deliver the message that these actions are barbaric.”
Northern Governor Garry Juffa said: “We watch such videos and get outraged – but then too many of us go back to whatever we were doing and fail our women out there.”
The five women who were all married to men in Pawayamo village are Maria Sedrik of Buiebi, Imbonggu, Magda Michael of Ibia, Kagua, Nancy Gibson of Erave (deceased), Yondovame Kana of Uma, Kagua (deceased) and Bale Nama of Aboba, Kagua (deceased).