FIYAWENA – Police and Christian missionaries in Papua New Guinea have saved four women accused of witchcraft from persecution and potential death sentences.

The women were accused of practising sorcery – or ‘sanguma’ –after a measles epidemic killed several people in Enga Province last year.

They and their children were in danger of being murdered, but an expedition into a remote area of the province by missionaries and police has led to local people formally renouncing such violence.

Enga Province’s police Deputy Commander Epenes Nili said a so-called “witch-finder”, who had made the allegations against the women, publicly withdrew them.

“She was hired by locals for 6000 kina (approximately A$2,800) to find out who caused the epidemic,” he said.

“The people from that area gathered around and forced her to tell them that the four women they suspected had practised sorcery.

“Because of the money and gifts, she lied to the people of Fiyawena that the four women were possessed with this sanguma spirit.”

They had been keeping the women – and their children – in a guarded area, ready to be murdered, he added.

Deputy Commander Nili said the local people have now released the accused women and formally renounced anti-sorcery violence in a stone-turning ceremony.

“We witnessed a ceremony there. They get a stone and they]have to turn over that stone that is an indication or sign that you will never repeat, or you will never be involved in such activity,” Nili told Pacific Beat.

The “witch-finder” also participated in the ceremony.

“She turned a stone around, informing the authorities, the church, everyone of us that she will not get involved in that kind of thing again – and she accepted the word of God,” Nili said.

Church leaders in PNG have been fighting against the belief in sorcery for years.

Arnold Orowae, the Catholic Bishop of Wabag, went so far as to threaten any Catholic involved in violence against accused witches with excommunication.

“This shouldn’t happen. We’re not in the times before. We shouldn’t be accusing and torturing or even killing people.

“I’m not happy hearing about this torturing of innocent, defenceless people, especially women.”

Local and overseas media coverage of the plight of the accused women in Enga Province was strong, and last week the Enga provincial government allocated funds to pay for a plane to fly missionaries, community leaders and Deputy Commander Nili into the remote area over the weekend.

However, beliefs about sorcery continue to spread and there are increasing reports of violence against women in many remote parts of PNG.

Earlier this month, Ruth Kissam, youth coordinator for the Western Highlands provincial government, described violence against women accused of witchcraft as a national emergency and said it was creating a refugee crisis in some parts of the country.