Leaders challenged to fight against SARV

NCD Governor Powes Parkop held a Press Conference yesterday at the City Hall to address Sorcery Accused Related Violence (SARV) around the country.

This call comes following videos that are currently going viral on social media platforms, of women in Southern Highlands and Enga Province being tortured alive. Governor Parkop showed disgust and sorrow for the victims seeing that bystanders did nothing to stop the perpetrators.

“We have had enough talking. I want to call upon leaders of Enga Province the Southern Highlands to do more. Not only provincial leaders, but also the district, Church, wards, and clan leaders,” added Governor Parkop.

While two of the five women were rescued, no arrests have been made yet.

“The sad part about the operation is no man was arrested. Everybody in the village know who the perpetrators are,” said Governor Parkop. “They absolutely know who was involved in torturing the women. So I call on the leaders of that village and the electorate to cooperate with the police and get these men who perpetrated this inhuman and barbaric violence to be arrested.”

The media conference was attended by United Nations representatives, representatives of Non-Government Organisations, and Women’s Rights groups. Activists were also present to deliver their concerns on innocent women and girls who are facing the danger of SARV, in Papua New Guinea.

“It is just a minority of men in the village who inflict pain on women and girls, and yet we can’t even arrest them and bring them to the police station to be prosecuted,” says Shirley Gabrielle Kaupa, Human Rights Activist and founder of Magna Carter PNG.

“Sorcery Accused Related Violence continues to be a horrific feature of violence in PNG,” she added.

Author: 
Joachim Lolok, UPNG Journalism Student