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Accused Of Sorcery And Murdered In Public: Papua New Guinea Grapples With Violence

NPR | By Durrie Bouscaren
Published May 21, 2018 at 2:14 PM EDT
People crowd into a church in the town of Henganofi in the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea for a meeting to end violence resulting from sorcery accusations. In the Eastern Highlands, the accusation of sorcery is a vigilante's rallying cry. Nationally, it's believed to be responsible for dozens of deaths every year.
Claire Harbage
/
NPR
People crowd into a church in the town of Henganofi in the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea for a meeting to end violence resulting from sorcery accusations. In the Eastern Highlands, the accusation of sorcery is a vigilante's rallying cry. Nationally, it's believed to be responsible for dozens of deaths every year.

The South Pacific nation of Papua New Guinea is grappling with a spate of attacks on people accused of sorcery. The government is trying to deal with the problem. But traditions die hard.

Copyright 2018 NPR
Durrie Bouscaren
Durrie Bouscaren was a general assignment reporter with Iowa Public Radio from March 2013 through July 2014.
See stories by Durrie Bouscaren