Sinesine-Yongomugl MP Kerenga Kua met with over 700 people including local leaders and community members from three local level government area (LLG) at his residence in Kundiawa addressing the brutal killings, torture, and displacement caused by sorcery-related violence (SARV) in his district last week .
The meeting follows a tragic incident in March in Piau Village, Tabare LLG, where two men were killed, five tortured, and more than 150 villagers of mostly women and children were displaced after being accused of sorcery in relation to the death of a local civil engineer.
Kua condemned the violence in the strongest
terms, expressing concerns, disappointment and calling for justice and cultural reform.
“This is not acceptable. We must respect human life and handle cultural beliefs in a way that protects our communities,” Kua said.
A Tribal Foundation spokesperson, speaking at the gathering, praised the MP for being the first leader to take ownership of the ongoing issue .
“We thank the member for addressing SARV openly and pledging to support the victims. His commitment gives us hope,” he said.
Kua also pledged to work with the Tribal Foundation to provide food supplies and support to the displaced villagers now taking refuge in Kumul village.
President of PNG Tribal Foundation GT
Bustin thanked Kua personally for taking a stand against SARV and for committing to work with the Tribal Foundation on an ongoing basis.
Bustin also appealed to other Members of Parliament where there are SARV hotspots to work with Tribal Foundation and hold perpetrators accountable while looking after victims.
Three suspects arrested under the Criminal Code (Glassman) Act 2022 , last month are still police custody at the Kundiawa Police Station after being denied bail. They now face additional charges relating to the alleged misappropriation of corpses.
CID officers discovered that bodies buried at the alleged crime scene were missing when they attempted to exhume them for postmortem investigations.
Police allege that on March 28, a woman believed to be a “glass meri” (sorcery-related seer) accused two men of being responsible for the businessman’s death. The men, both in their 40s, were brutally killed, and five others tortured for nearly 10 hours before being rescued by police.
Kua reiterated the need for strong laws and community education to end SARV-related violence in Chimbu Province and across Papua New Guinea.