Girl, 7, tortured

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By PHOEBE GWANGILO
A SEVEN-year-old girl believed to have been tortured over at least two years by a relative after being accused of practising sorcery has been rescued and is undergoing treatment at a hospital.
Western Highlands police commander Jacob Kamiak could not comment on the matter last night as he said he was out on an operation.
But the PNG Tribal Foundation confirmed in a statement yesterday that two weeks ago, Angelyn Andrew was dropped off at the Bukapena health center in Western Highlands by the relative.
Investigation by the foundation special project manager Ruth Kissam confirmed that Angelyn had been accused of practising sorcery and tortured over a period of time by the female relative.
She was found to have multiple fractures to her hands, feet and other parts of her body.
“She had knife wounds all over her body and several burns on her lips and genital,” Kassam said.
She was finally rescued two weeks ago and taken care of by the Tribal Foundation. She was admitted at the Mt Hagen General Hospital.
The foundation working with the police managed to get the female relatives arrested and charged on Friday, July 16.
The foundation is working with the police and the special parliamentary committee on gender-based violence on the case.
Once Angeline’s health is stable, they plan to move her to a safe place with a different family member.
She is the second child known to have been tortured over false sorcery accusations. In 2017, the foundation also rescued a girl facing a similar situation.
Attempts by The National to get comments from police in Western Highlands concerning the incident were unsuccessful.
Earlier this month, Evangelical Lutheran Church head bishop Rev Dr Jack Urame told The National that it was un-Christian to mix Christianity with sorcery.
“Sorcery, Christianity and money are combined to strengthen the culture of sorcery accusations and it is an emerging trend in our communities today,” he said.
“Sorcery is commercialised under the pretext of Christianity and people who claim to be diviners or glasman, glasmeri and witchdoctors use sorcery to make money.
“They claim to have the knowledge of revealing the causes of sickness or death or have the power to heal or reverse negative effects of sorcery.”

12 comments

  • This was clearly the work of the devil. all those found to be connected to this case must be found, arrested and charged. It is a shame indeed. People doing this seem to have lost lost their minds. God help this people and our country.

  • My heart breaks for this little girl. I just can not imagine what she has gone through, thank you Tribal Foundation for saving her from such abusive relatives.

  • I think the real sorcerer are the ones accusing the innocents.
    The real sorcerers are those so called ‘glassmahn’ or ‘glassmeri’ who normally points the innocent to save themselves, I think!

  • This is a serious ptoblem that community and church keaders need to address with all community members to stop such abuse and report to the police any person within the community that is abusing children accused of practicing witchcraft.

  • The bishop is right…because of massive poverty…and breakdown in our normal systems, a temporary fix in money is driving the glassman..to shift the blame. All glassman’s should be weeded by the legal system at least. A wake up call for PNG and its leaders…..is there is continued poverty and the problems associated with it…such nightmares will continue to be experienced by our vulnerable mothers and children… Im sick of of this. Law enforcement agencies, you know your job….lets get down and weed out such persons…one case alone dealt with swiftly and professionally will multiply itself to address the others !.

  • This is a very serious matter Christians need to rise up against this, the church needs to play a more active role on these sorcery related incidents. Such things are of the spiritual nature and cannot be determined or understood through our physical nature. Church leaders need to rise up and fight against this evil that destroying innocent lives in our communities. This is the work of the devil. I pray her deliverance in the name of Jesus Christ

  • SORCERY:
    Sorcery Related cases is a growing concern here in PNG.
    Pretty much, most of the victims are innocent and had fallen prey to their accusers and torturers.
    Of course we cannot undermine the power of the devil, he is a created being and has supernatural powers, however he is limited COMPARED to our Creator God. Our God is All-Powerful and is Sovereign.
    Satan is the Father of all Lies (John 8:44) and he loves to trick people into believing the lies, and he is using death as his tool to hold everyone in captivity and bring them under his subjection (Hebrews 2:14-15).

    However, through the RESSURECTION of our Savior, He had defeated the power of death (SIN) and the Devil.
    To be honest, I fear NO ONE, because Greater is He, who is in me than who is in the world.

    The reasons why the victims are brutally tortured and FALSELY accused;

    1) comes back to the reality that the Practice of Spiritism and the beliefs that comes with it is still in existence amongst many cultural groups and is commonly (strongly) practiced, eventhough we claim to be a Christian Country, the cultural beliefs system is strongly rooted. Thus, it creates suspicion when someone dies, and people are quick to assume that this individual is the culprit even without any hard evidence.

    2) comes about as a result of jealousy. The fact that, the man cannot marry the woman he desires, he will bite his tongue and wait for someone to die within the community whether through life-long illnesses, accidental deaths and etc, and then he springs up and falsely accused the victim of practicing sorcery. Poor person, she cannot defend herself when you have 99% of the community coming out to get you. Defenseless.

    3) The mediums (psychics), soothsayers or witch doctors are the cause of innocent lives lost. Due to their reputation, it doesn’t matter if they lie, because the people will still tend to believe them. As we all know, that the Devil is the Father of All Lies, and his agents (these demon possessed individuals) are working for him to bring fear, chaos and anxiety to the people around them.

    4) Sad to say that even so called Church Prayer Warriors are coming out and stating that God reveals to them who the sorcerers are and who is working for the devil.
    Even the devil is using the so called Church Prayer warriors to cause inconvenience and havoc amongst the people. Many people in PNG are so religious and they will tend to believe whatever false that is cleverly camouflaged (disguised) by the devil. Devil’s Advocate.

    I have a 7 year old daughter, and it breaks my heart to see this innocent young girl being tortured by her aunt (who I believe must be demon possessed), how could you do such a horrendous crime to an innocent defenseless girl. She should be investigated and charged for her crimes.

    To sum it up, SIN (Cause) and the Effect (evilness/wickedness of mankind is what Satan is vying for.

    Only Jesus is the Answer for ALL our Problems.

    To those who are saved, we need to tell the Lost world about Jesus.

    Have Your Say

    Thank You

  • SORCERY:
    Sorcery Related cases is a growing concern here in PNG.
    Pretty much, most of the victims are innocent and had fallen prey to their accusers and torturers.
    Of course we cannot undermine the power of the devil, he is a created being and has supernatural powers, however he is limited COMPARED to our Creator God. Our God is All-Powerful and is Sovereign.
    Satan is the Father of all Lies (John 8:44) and he loves to trick people into believing the lies, and he is using death as his tool to hold everyone in captivity and bring them under his subjection (Hebrews 2:14-15).

    However, through the RESSURECTION of our Savior, He had defeated the power of death (SIN) and the Devil.
    To be honest, I fear NO ONE, because Greater is He, who is in me than who is in the world.

    The reasons why the victims are brutally tortured and FALSELY accused;

    1) comes back to the reality that the Practice of Spiritism and the beliefs that comes with it is still in existence amongst many cultural groups and is commonly (strongly) practiced, eventhough we claim to be a Christian Country, the cultural beliefs system is strongly rooted. Thus, it creates suspicion when someone dies, and people are quick to assume that this individual is the culprit even without any hard evidence.

    2) comes about as a result of jealousy. The fact that, the man cannot marry the woman he desires, he will bite his tongue and wait for someone to die within the community whether through life-long illnesses, accidental deaths and etc, and then he springs up and falsely accused the victim of practicing sorcery. Poor person, she cannot defend herself when you have 99% of the community coming out to get you. Defenseless.

    3) The mediums (psychics), soothsayers or witch doctors are the cause of innocent lives lost. Due to their reputation, it doesn’t matter if they lie, because the people will still tend to believe them. As we all know, that the Devil is the Father of All Lies, and his agents (these demon possessed individuals) are working for him to bring fear, chaos and anxiety to the people around them.

    4) Sad to say that even so called Church Prayer Warriors are coming out and stating that God reveals to them who the sorcerers are and who is working for the devil.
    Even the devil is using the so called Church Prayer warriors to cause inconvenience and havoc amongst the people. Many people in PNG are so religious and they will tend to believe whatever false that is cleverly camouflaged (disguised) by the devil. Devil’s Advocate.

    I have a 7 year old daughter, and it breaks my heart to see this innocent young girl being tortured by her aunt (who I believe must be demon possessed), how could you do such a horrendous crime to an innocent defenseless girl. She should be investigated and charged for her crimes.

    To sum it up, SIN (Cause) and the Effect (evilness/wickedness of mankind is what Satan is vying for.

    Only Jesus is the Answer for ALL our Problems.

    To those who are saved, we need to tell the Lost world about Jesus.

    Have Your Say

    Thank You

  • Innocent child accused of practicing sorcery is beyond common understanding of a human being. Those female relatives arrested and charged must be dealt with appropriately for the crimes against this innocent child.

    Who in a right state of mind would cause grievous bodily harm to this child who was unable to defend herself from these evil minded idiots for the last two years she has endured pain. Please God help this innocent child to recover fast!

  • This inhuman treatment to a child must be condemned and those must face the full force of the law. The so called glaman/meri must be arrested and face the law as well.

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