Community living in fear

 By DOROTHY MARK
MORE than 30 people have died so far in sorcery-related killings at a local level government in Madang’s Rai Coast district, a government official says.
People in the area are appealing to Rai Coast MP James Gau, pictured, to repair roads in the area so police could travel there.
Naho-Rawa local level government president Samuel Nesau said there were no police officers around to deal with the escalating criminal activities.
“Four children were killed just last week and the situation is getting worse,” he said.    “Something needs to be done about this.
“I suggest that police should be stationed here for a while.”
He said the killings had forced public servants to leave and schools to close.
Hundreds of people in the area are living in fear.
Nesau said the killings started when alleged sorcerers were dealt with by villagers, triggering a cycle of revenge.
“Over 30 people have been killed so far and police are not doing anything despite reports we sent to them to assist,” Nesau said.
He said people were attacking each other with bush knives and axes.
James Kero, a teacher who taught at Niko Primary School in the LLG, said the school was forced to close when the killings began.
“We closed the school and never went back there,” Kero said.
A policeman from Walium said they were aware of the situation but lacked resources to go to the area.
Nesau appealed to Gau to fix the roads and bridges to Ranara, Tauta and Gomumu so police could travel to the area.
Gau said he had spent K2 million on road works equipment to be taken to Madang. “I will see that one of the machines will be sent to work on roads on this side of Rai Coast.”