A Society of the Divine Word (SVD) brother has called on the Papua New Guinea government to immediately fund and implement its national action plan against sorcery accusation-related violence.
Brother Martin Tnines, SVD, executive director of the Melanesian Institute in Goroka, made the appeal after a nationwide survey found overwhelming public demand for stronger government action.
He said the government should publish, fund and implement the revised Sorcery Accusation-Related Violence National Action Plan, or SNAP.
“SARV kills hundreds every year. Our people want the Government to act now and immediately publish, fund and implement its revised SARV National Action Plan,” Tnines said at the survey’s launch on Aug. 7.
The Melanesian Institute surveyed 2,000 people across all provinces of Papua New Guinea, according to an article published by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference PNG & The Solomon Islands
It found that 95% believe the government is not doing enough to prevent sorcery accusation-related violence, or SARV.
Another 96% said the government is failing survivors and justice, while 99% want the national action plan funded immediately.
The government framework to address the violence remains unpublished, unfunded and unimplemented, according to the material released with the survey.
The findings also showed that SARV is widely reported at the community level, with 90% of respondents saying it occurs in their own communities.
While 68% said they personally believe sorcery exists, 89% said responding with violence is “morally wrong.”
The survey also pointed to calls for more awareness efforts in villages, rapid-response police teams in hotspot provinces and free medical care for survivors.
Eighty-six percent supported banning the sharing of graphic SARV videos on social media.
The material also included a pastoral call urging churches and parishes to confront the violence and accompany survivors.
“If 90% of communities witness this violence, then 90% of our parishes do too. Every life is made in the image of God. As a Church we must accompany survivors and form consciences: to believe is one thing, to kill is a grave sin,” it said.
The survey said hundreds of men, women and children are killed, tortured and displaced every year after being branded as sorcerers.
