Thought for today

Crime and bad lives are the measure of a State's failure, all crime in the end is the crime of the community.

H.G. Wells (1866-1946)

PS: The thought is very much applicable to the current situation in Papua New Guinea.

 

Vital to conduct sorcery awareness

By PS TOKO, Madang

 

Sorcery-related killings are on the rise, especially in the Highlands provinces, and I believe that is just the beginning.

Since the turn of this century, many great people have died.

Somehow, their deaths were linked to sorcery.

People are fed up with sorcery and were now taking a bold stand to torture and kill sorcerers.

Such unjustified killings must be condemned.

The Government is taking the right approach to stop sorcery-related killings.

But, what if such claims are true?

We must be aware that sorcery is related to spiritualism.

How can you prove that the sorcerer is the murderer and is responsible for the killing?

Sorcery is associated with supernatural powers and spiritual things cannot be discerned with physical things.

Even doctors cannot explain the cause of it medically and scientifically.

On the other hand, steps must be taken to eradicate glasman as they are bogus.

These people are responsible for the deaths of many innocent people.

The law must be tough on these people.

Papua New Guineans must understand that sorcery was part of our culture.

It was there before our forefathers came into contact with the Western culture.

It was only used when needed, especially on their enemies.

But as the Western culture made its presence felt, so did wealth and transport system, leading to a widespread practice of sorcery because it was one of the fastest and easiest ways to make a fortune.

Unfortunately, many people were now taking the opportunity to kill others under the guise of sorcery.

As such, apart from the judicial system, the Government must also use education and religion to break down sorcery.

Awareness programmes must be conducted immediately in the Highlands provinces.

As sorcery is ingrained in our culture, it will take time to change the people’s beliefs, but I believe it can be done.

'Witches' put to death in Papua New Guinea as mob rule takes hold

By RICHARD LLOYD PARRY, Asia Editor, Times Online

 

They are burnt, stoned, slashed, poisoned or hanged. They range from the young to the elderly and more often than not they are women. Often they are killed by mobs of men but sometimes they face kangaroo courts. They are the “sorcerers” of Papua New Guinea — victims of a literal witch-hunt in one the world's poorest and most isolated countries.

There have been more than 50 murders in recent months of people accused of practising black magic, according to human rights organisations. Authorities appear helpless to intervene although the Government has ordered a parliamentary commission to spend a year investigating ways to prevent witch-hunts, which arise from a tragic combination of tribalism, underdevelopment and superstition.

“When dozens of people have been killed, it's clear that the Government is not doing enough to protect its own citizens and maintain the rule of law,” said Apolosi Bose, of Amnesty International.

The persecution of the practitioners of black magic has a long history here in the eastern half of the vast tropical island of New Guinea, north of Australia. Media reports suggest, however, that in the past year it has become an epidemic, especially in the Highlands region, parts of which had their first contact with Westerners only as recently as 70 years ago.

Last Sunday a father and son were burnt alive close to Mount Hagen, the capital of Western Highlands province, after neighbours accused the older man of causing the death of a local leader by sorcery. In January a young woman was burnt alive on a pyre of rubber tyres after being accused of witchcraft and of passing on HIV/Aids to men with whom she had extramarital affairs. One married couple escaped a lynch mob when the pregnant wife began to give birth as she was being hanged from a tree.

Last Friday a court in the town of Lae sentenced Wilson Okore, 29, to 50 years in jail after he hacked to death a forest warden for allegedly using spells to give a woman colleague headaches.

Accusations of witchcraft sometimes seem to be the pretext for the settling of local scores, and tend to be made by families who have lost a loved one to a disease without an obvious cause. Often this is cancer or, increasingly, Aids-related illnesses, which are spread by prostitution, scant use of condoms and high rates of rape and sexual violence against women. Victims of witch-hunts are often women who have married into a community from another tribe and who lack kinsmen of their own to defend or avenge them.

The objective existence of black magic is enshrined in Papua New Guinea's 1976 Sorcery Act, which permits white magic but punishes the black variety with up to two years in jail. The country's police force is poorly trained, poorly resourced and riddled with corruption, so witch-hunters have a good chance of escaping punishment.

“People often don't trust the police or the judiciary and instead blame events on supernatural causes and punish suspected sorcerers,” said Mr Bose.

 

 

MP calls for ban on beer in Tari

By ANDREW ALPHONSE

KOMO-Margarima MP Francis Potape will petition the Southern Highlands provincial executive council (PEC) this week to impose a total liquor ban in Tari and the Hela region, The National reports.

Mr Potape made the call after a drunken youth assaulted and attacked medical officers from the international medical organisation, Medecine Sans Frontiers (MSF) or Doctors Without Borders, at the Tari Hospital last Saturday evening.

Mr Potape, who was in Tari last weekend, was angered by the manner in which the drunken youth, who is a casual employee with the MSF at the hospital, attacked the female and male expatriate MSF officers before damaging the windshield of their vehicle. Mr Potape said the action of one person had tarnished the good name of all Tari and Hela people.

The MP fronted up at the Tari police station on Sunday afternoon demanding the policemen to have the culprit arrested and charged immediately.

Mr Potape said the MSF officers had been offering their services free of charge to the Hela population since mid-last year and the manner in which they were assaulted by a drunkard had brought shame and humiliation to the Hela people and their leaders.

Mr Potape met with Tari Hospital chief executive officer Dr Bravy Koensong on Sunday and tried in vain to stop the MSF officers leaving for Port Moresby.

He said the action of one man had made thousands of Hela people suffer.

Police in Tari said the suspect was arrested and locked up at the police cells on Monday.

Mr Potape said he would petition the PEC meeting this week to immediately impose a liquor ban in Tari and Hela.

He also called for security measures at the hospital to be improved.

Meanwhile, Dr Koensong said the MSF staff were evacuated upon advice from their boss in Port Moresby while their representatives would travel to Tari today to meet with the hospital management and local leaders, including police, to see how best they could address the problem.

Dr Koensong said the delivery of health services to Tari and Hela had greatly improved with the presence of the MSF doctors at the hospital

 

Zibe: Work with health volunteers

By WALLACE KIALA

 

HEALTH and HIV/AIDS Minister Sasa Zibe has condemned attacks on two Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) volunteers working at the Tari Hospital in Southern Highlands province last weekend, The National reports.

Mr Zibe called on the community in Tari to respect the work of MSF volunteers and other development partners and local workers striving to bring much-needed health services to the area.

“I will not hesitate to close the hospital if such unethical behaviours against our health workers continue,” Mr Zibe warned.

He also called on community leaders to deal with law and order problems and “educate their people to cooperate, respect and work with development partners and our national doctors and nurses”.

Earlier yesterday, Mr Zibe met with MFS head of mission Marc Galinier to convey his apologies on behalf of the Government and people of PNG for the senseless behaviour of a drunkard.

Tari hospital chief executive officer Dr Bravy Koensong confirmed yesterday that the community was contributing money to fix the damaged MFS vehicle,

He said the people would also slaughter pigs and say sorry to the doctors.

Tari police said the offender had been arrested and charged.

Mr Galinier would travel to Tari today to meet with a reconciliation party.

He said while MSF appreciated the gesture as a step forward to have the volunteers back in the district hospital, he would also inform the community that the volunteers would not accept any cash or material goods.

“We do not want to promote stigmatisation and discrimination from this incident, although it is sad for all of us that this happened.

“Whatever is given as gifts to us, we will tell the community that they could instead donate them to unfortunate members of the community,” Mr Galinier said.

He said the team was prepared to go back to Tari, but he would advise them on when to do so when he returned to Port Moresby.

700 homeless

Waghi River bursts its banks in Dei

 

By SENT TIMBI

 

MORE than 700 people in the Dei area of Western Highlands province are homeless after the Waghi River burst its banks in the early hours of yesterday, The National reports.

The flooding was caused by heavy rain in the area, but villagers were also pointing fingers at road construction work being carried out in the area.

Mothers and their children grabbed whatever they could and scrambled to safety as the water level rose, partially submerging their homes.

It was estimated that about 25ha of land was under water, including food gardens and cash crops. Domesticated animals like pigs and other livestock were lost as the mighty river burst its banks, and began flooding the area around 2am while people were still asleep.

In the area visited by The National, 26 houses including a building belonging to the Catholic church were partially under water.

The flood hit the village near the Waghi Bridge at the Kondopina area at the border of Dei and Anglimp-South Waghi districts.

Most people living there are originally from the Simbu province. They have lived in the area for the last 42 years.

They told The National that this was one of the worst natural disasters they had ever encountered.

Community leader Gabriel Nolai wanted two construction companies working in the area and the Works Department to accept some of the blame for the flooding in the area, saying they had failed to provide a culvert to drain out excess water.

Mr Nolai said with the food gardens gone, people were likely to face starvation. They would also be exposed to waterborne diseases.

He appealed for outside help.

Ward councillor Yer Bom also said the disaster was the worst ever experienced by his people.

Frustrated villagers yesterday morning stopped eight trucks and machinery owned by a construction company from moving through the area.

Heavy rain in the Highlands was causing flooding in parts of the region, destroying food gardens and tree crops, and leaving people homeless.

It is understood the heavy rain and tidal surges in the coastal areas are associated with the La Nina weather pattern.

 

Lowering heart disease rates

IN this continuous awareness campaign to mark National Heart Month, we take a look at some risk factors that causes heart diseases.

Quit smoking: Smoking is the largest preventative cause of heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, chronic lung disease, chronic bronchitis, emphysema and a major cause of mouth and throat cancer. Heart disease rates are 70% higher for smokers that non-smokers.

Control diabetes: Diabetes is considered a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. People with diabetes can reduce their health risk by modifying their other risk for cardiovascular disease, such as smoking, lack of physical activity, high blood pressure, excess weight and high blood cholesterol levels.

Maintain a healthy body weight: People who are overweight or obese are at risk of developing high blood pressure, high blood lipids and diabetes-all of which put them at high risk of cardiovascular or heart disease. Working to reach and maintain a healthy weight is a good way to prevent heart disease. You can achieve a healthy weight through healthy eating and active living, including exercising regularly.

Keep blood pressure at healthy levels: Losing excess weight, exercising, eating healthy, reducing salt intake and taking time to relax and manage stress levels will all help to influence blood pressure. You should have your blood pressure checked regularly; you can to your doctor’s office or even to your local drug store.

Keep cholesterol at healthy levels: Several major studies have shown that lowering blood cholesterol levels reduces the risk of coronary heart disease. Some research suggests that atherosclerosis (the build up of fatty materials, calcium and scar tissue in the arteries) may be stopped and even reversed if cholesterol levels are sharply lowered. The first step in lowering cholesterol is modifying your diet to reduce total fat consumption. There is evidence that increasing the amount of fiber is also beneficial. Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight, being physically active and smoke free are also very important in controlling blood cholesterol.

Learn to manage stress: Stress is often associated with unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking, overeating, excessive drinking and worrying. Practice some stress management techniques such as meditation or deep breathing to reduce stress. Exercise is also great for relieving stress. Also laughter has been shown to reduce the risk of suffering a second heart attack. A recent study supports the old saying that laughter is the best medicine. It found that hearty laughs helped heart patients prevent another attack. Only 10% of those in the study who laughed 30minutes each day suffered another attack while 30% of those in the study who did not laugh had another attack.