Three rescued from sorcery attack in PNG Highlands

Transcript

The police commander in Papua New Guinea's Southern Highlands says more needs to be done to stop sorcery beliefs, after police this week rescued three women from being tortured.

Inspector Mas Tuman says the women were accused of using witchcraft to kill a person who died of natural causes in a village near Mendi last week.

He told Jamie Tahana that they were hunted down by some villagers and tortured with burning rods; but two of them managed to escape and police arrived in time to save the third.

MAS TUMAN: What happened was somebody died a few days ago and several people were accused of practising witchcraft, one of them being this old woman. They tried to torch the hot metal, hot wire, and they tried to burn her alive. Somebody came and reported that to us at the police station so police responded straight away and they were right at the scene so the perpetrators escaped when police arrived.

JAMIE TAHANA: So have you managed to catch up with the perpetrators?

MT: No, no, no - they escaped in to the bushes.

JT: And how is the woman now?

MT: She was okay, she received several burns but was referred to the nearest health centre; she was treated.

JT: So what happens with her now because surely she's vulnerable?

MT: We understand that, we tried to take her away and the local village councillor, the ward councillor assured police that there won't be any further attack on her or further torturing so he assured us that he will take her into his custody.

JT: But she will go back to the village?

MT: Yeah, go back to the village, at the moment she is in the custody of the ward councillor, village councillor.

JT: Are you confident of her safety though back in that village?

MT: Yes, as long as the councillors assured us that she will be safe.

JT: You mentioned that other people were accused as well as this woman, what about their safety?

MT: These others that were accused, two other females were locked up here at the police station for their safety but taken to the hospital and treated a few days ago before this old woman.

JT: And so what happens to them now?

MT: They go back to their village, for their safety they wanted to go back to where they come from. After they were treated they were returned back to their home village, their original village.

JT: Okay, so not where the attack took place?

MT: Their home village, the attackers were from their husbands' village.

JT: And is this the case with the other going back to her home village, instead of the village where the attack happened?

MT: She decided to stay back with the councillor.

JT: So what happens from there, are you investigating or trying to catch the perpetrators or have they gone completely?

MT: They've gone completely because what happened was the majority of the committee was involved in trying to torture a woman but there are a few good people who do not want this thing to happen but they don't want to speak up because of reprisals.

JT: If the whole village was involved it must again raise concerns about this woman going back, even if she does want to?

MT: Yeah, we decided to take her to wherever she wanted just like the other two ladies but we were assured by the councillor that she will be okay. We warned the councillor that if anything happens then we would hold him responsible.

JT: Is there anything that can be done to go into the village and dispel the myth of sorcery being responsible for this death or something?

MT: We need to conduct province wide awareness on this sorcery and witchcraft business, we really need to conduct some awareness. We are doing that on the local radio station, Radio Southern Highlands from time to time.