Papua New Guinea's Lutheran Church against witch killing

Papua New Guinea's Lutheran Church says it is still gathering information about four women in a remote part of the country who are in danger because they have been accused of being witches.

The women are from the Hewa area in Enga province, a part of the country where there are no police and only a few missionaries from the New Tribes Mission are anywhere near it, plus some Lutherans.


Rueben Mete, national youth director for the Evangelical Lutheran Church of PNG, says his church is also taking a very strong stand against people attacking and even killing people accused of witchcraft.

Meanwhile, the Catholics Church has also threatened its members with excommunication if they are involved in sorcery related killings.

The threat comes from Arnold Orowae, the Catholic Bishop of Wabag, in PNG's Enga province.

It follows news that four women and their children in the remote Hewa area are facing possible death after being identified as witches.

Bishop Orowae says allegations of witchcraft and the subsequent murder of those accused of it is a phenomenon plaguing the country, and he warns that Christians cannot do such things.