Churches told to join sorcery war

Churches must do more awareness on sorcery-related violence, says General-Secretary of the Catholic Bishops Conference of PNG and Solomon Islands, Fr Victor Roche.
He made this statement after a six-year-old girl believed to be the daughter of the Late Leniata Kapari , who made headlines in the country and overseas when she was falsely accused of sorcery and burned in Mt Hagen in 2013,  was also tortured after being accused of sorcery.
Roche condemned the act and called on all churches to stand together and do more awareness in their churches and communities on sorcery-related violence.
He said that it was the duty of the churches to preach the Gospel and teach the people that the act of falsely accusing, torturing and burning people was wrong.
“Papua New Guinea is a Christian country,” Roche said.
“Even in remote areas people practice the Christian faith, yet, the burning and torturing of innocent people is still going on.
“It is saddening to see a six-year-old girl brutally attacked over accusations of practising sorcery.
“It is more saddening that most of the time women, who are vulnerable and defenceless, are being blamed for practising sorcery.”
Roche also called on the leaders of communities to carry out awareness and educate their people on what was right and what was wrong.
“The government is not doing much to address the issue,” he said.
“Churches and non-government organisations must stand together to fight sorcery-related violence.
“Let us start preaching the Gospel.
“Let us start teaching our people Godly principles because we can make a change.”