The murder of a father and son in Ban village, a few kilometers from Mount Hagen last Sunday was the latest sorcery-related killing in PNG.
“When dozens of people have been killed after literal witch hunts, it’s clear that the government is not doing enough to protect its own citizens and maintain the rule of law,” said Apolosi Bose, Amnesty International’s Pacific Islands researcher.
“The police and judicial authorities have to step in immediately before another person faces this kind of vigilante violence.”
Amnesty International pointed out that the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary is often unable to enforce the law.
For instance, after the killings PNG police reported they wanted to visit the crime scene and confirm the men’s deaths, but heavily armed locals prevented them from removing the bodies to hospital for autopsies.
“People often don’t trust the police or the judiciary and instead blame events on supernatural causes and punish suspected sorcerers,” Bose said
“The Constabulary, the Public Prosecution Office and other relevant authorities should step up efforts to curb vigilante violence and raise awareness in communities about ways in which people can legitimately seek justice.”
Amnesty International has called on the RPNGC to vigorously pursue investigations of all cases and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.
Last month Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch sent joint letters to PNG’s Minister for Justice Alan Marat and Police Commissioner Gari Baki expressing concern at ongoing reports of sorcery related killings, particularly of women, and called for greater action from the authorities to curb the violence and murders.
