There is still a very great need for the people in Papua New Guinea to hear God's liberating word. Especially in the remote villages the fear of spirits is still controlling a lot of everyday life. What secular anthropologists see as tradition and culture to be preserved (and not tainted with Christian believes), is the major cause of constant fear, suffering, and meaningless killing. Where the burning of a woman in Mt Hagen, who was accused of witchcraft, caused quite a bit of media attention in Switzerland, most similar executions regularly happening in PNG are not reported. Below is a story from MAF PNG showing what unfortunately is still wide spread practice in PNG:
"Several months ago, a MAF charter took the Enga Deputy Police Commander, several missionaries and pastors to Wanakipa and then on to Fiyawena. The purpose of the weekend was to bring awareness to the two communities of the same language group, that the killing of innocent women and their children because ‘someone’ called them witches under the ‘Pisai Sanguma’ [evil spirit] label, was wrong, illegal and against God’s word.
That weekend, all the talks, testimonies and the witness of a so-called "Glas-meri", who confessed that she “made all the accusations up to save her own life”, saved 17 lives (four women and their 13 children who had been identified for death). The outcome looked promising as the Wanakipa community broke their arrows in an oath that they would stop the practice, and the Fiyawena people sat in a prayer circle and collectively prayed to God to help them break the cycle of these “spirit” killings.
However, last month we heard that one of the four women, Mifila, was killed by men from another village over the river in Paiela who came to her Fiyawena home. They had guns, axes and machetes and held back the Fiyawena men with threats on their lives, while accusing Mifila of causing the deaths of several people in Paiela including two young children. When they finished what they came to do they ran off back to their clan over five hours away.
They intended to kill two more of the women and a girl whom they had captured and imprisoned in a small bush hut on their trek to Fiyawena in the morning, but fortunately these three were released when some passing men heard their cries.
Mifila’s family and the Community leaders of Fiyawena have chosen not to retaliate with the usual “payback” killing. Instead they are trying to follow the direction that was given to them in the January meetings, and hoping that the Government and Police will ensure that justice is done when those responsible are captured."
Mifila during the talks in January
