Community reports cult in North Fly

By ADRIAN MATHIAS
A CULT group, Rausim Nogut, in the isolated villages of North Fly district in Western is claiming it has been gifted with knowledge and money.
According to a 57-page report on the movement obtained by The National, the people in the villages of Bolivip and Bingabip, including some Star Mountain villages in Tabubil, have been led into doing things or acts that are false, deceiving and cunning in nature.
The report, written by a number of community leaders including  Keith Romanus from Bolivip, said the group’s founder and leader Nicholas Dennis Malongim, also of Bolivip, had told police under questioning in Tabubil his powers were given to him as a gift “by an unknown white man”.
The report, which comprises statements from witnesses, including community leaders and victims, said the cult group’s aim was to remove practices of sorcery, witchcraft but unfortunately they failed to make it happen.
“Instead their operation created disharmony, divisions and frustrations among the members of the communities by giving out false and misleading information about deaths relating to sorcery and witchcraft,” the report said.
The witnesses testified against the group in front of the gathering headed by the community leaders with the help of CID police in Tabubil.
“Malongim, his associate Bosco Manfred and others were questioned in relation to the cult movement at Pitalok Centre in Tabubil last Dec,” the report said.
“The victims of assaults and the community leaders have reported instances of serious human rights abuse such as attempted rape, sexual assault on young girls and mothers, threats and intimidation and torture on people, whom they suspected of practising sorcery and witchcraft.”
According to the report, Malongim claimed to have possessed magical and supernatural powers, which they believe could prevent people from dying.
Many people in Bolivip and Biangabip, including Tabubil, have been convinced and have reportedly spent thousands of kina funding this movement.