Panel discussion on Sorcery Accusation Violence
Wednesday 5th August, 2020
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There was a discussion penal in Triniti FM 98.1 Catholic Radio Service for the Archdiocese of Mt. Hagen, Western Highland Province. It was organized and hosted by Fr. Victor Roche, SVD. He invited Mr. Anton Lutz; a Lutheran Lay Missionary who is from Germany, grew up in PNG and living in Wapenamanda, Enga Province. He also invited Mr. Simon Mokot, Triniti FM Journalist, who is from Madang, working and living in Mt. Hagen.
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The discussion was on Socery Accusation Related Violence (SARV)in line with the First International Day Against Socery Accusation Violence, the initiative of MISSIO and the Catholic Bishop PNG-SI,which will be observed on August 10th2020.
The main purpose of this penal discussion was to inform our people that, the whole idea and chain of activities of accusing people and causing them harm is BAD, it’s INHUMAN, and it MUST STOPcompletely here in Papua New Guinea.
The entire act of accusing others of sorcery and inflicting physical harm on them is senseless and immoral. These accusations are all imaginations and fallacies, lacking material evidences.
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Papua New Guinea must do away with this belief in ‘Sanguma’ or Sorcery. Let’s not believe in this anymore. As people of this industrial and digital age, we should embrace modern developmental ideologies and beliefs moving forward in advance social life. We should be fully and truly Christians embracing Biblical teachings and living as Sons and Daughters of God. We should be living the principle ofLOVE; Caringand Respectingone another, living in Peaceand Harmony, not with violence, fear and grief.
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It’s about time, PNG should change. The Churches and Civil Societies must stand united in the fight against this evil that is destroying our society here in Papua New Guinea. Let us all work together in the fight to eradicate this evil from this society now; today, not tomorrow.
The Church has dedicated August 10, 2020, as the First International Day against Sorcery Accusation Violence
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What we all must do on this day are all being stated in bullet points on the poster above. These activities should not be only for that day, but should be ongoing in our individual life, family, community, organizations and society as a whole. Until such time this belief and all its related evil acts is gone.
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If it is not achievable today in our days and era, we hope and pray that our work done does not go unrecognized, it will be achieved one day, at the time God wants it. It is appropriate that we give it a head start now than never.
### SAVE PNG NOW…!!!