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'Witch' Murders Rattle New Guinea

By Mary Papenfuss,  Newser Staff

Posted May 8, 2009 3:05 AM CDT
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(Newser) – An increasing number of women are being tortured and murdered in a series of witch hunts in Papua New Guinea, reports the Independent. The problem is so severe that the government has launched a new commission to address it. Women are often blamed for any untimely death in a tribe. "They used their powers to bewitch a man to death," said a community leader after a woman and her daughter were killed. "We had to get rid of them."

Many of the witch hunts are occurring in isolated areas difficult to patrol by the nation's police.
More than 50 of the deaths were discovered in only two provinces last year. But the deadly witch hunts, once exclusively rural, are now spreading to urban areas. "It's getting out of hand," said a government official.

Baby in Papua New Guinea, which is experiencing a wave of witch hunts.
Baby in Papua New Guinea, which is experiencing a wave of witch hunts.   (©tarotastic)
A witch doctor in Papua New Guinea.
A witch doctor in Papua New Guinea.   (deepchi1)
Many of the witch killings are taking place in remote areas of Papua New Guinea.
Many of the "witch" killings are taking place in remote areas of Papua New Guinea.   (AP Photo/University of Papua New Guinea, HO)
A Papuanese tribal man casts his ballot into a traditional bag made of woven tree bark called Noken in an election last month.
A Papuanese tribal man casts his ballot into a traditional bag made of woven tree bark called "Noken" in an election last month.   (AP Photo/ANTARA, Prasetyo Utomo)
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COMMENTS
Showing 2 of 2 comments
Rob
May 8, 2009 1:52 AM CDT
Someone hide Pelosi. No wait; don't.
Vanilla
May 8, 2009 1:01 AM CDT
The Crucible embodied

 
torture • crime • Papua New Guinea • murder • witches • Stop Snitching • witch doctors • witch hunt

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