VILLAGES IN KUTUBU UP IN FLAMES OVER SORCERY ACCUSATIONS
BY SAMUEL RAITANO
A number of villages on Wasami Island on Lake Kutubu and surrounding villages of Moro, Santos Camp in Southern Highlands Province have been burnt and destroyed by angry villagers over the death of Kutubu Special Purposes Authority Chairman Moses Meiwayo.
According to sources on ground, Meiwayo had attended his biological sister’s funeral at Kei Point village, Wasami Island on Friday night.
After funeral he went to his home Kaimari village and fell ill that night, so
so was rushed to Moro Company Clinic but unfortunately passed away at about 1.00am on Saturday morning.
His relatives and settlers in Moro mobilized and travelled by boats to Kei Point village and burnt down the whole village to ashes except the Primary School buildings.
They also burnt down Seraga village and other villages on Wasami Island.
They blamed these people for sorcery resulting in the unexpected death of Kutubu Special Purposes Authority Chairman Moses Meiwayo.
Villagers, including women and children have fled and living in the jungles in fear if their lives.
The administration of Kei Point Primary School is now recommending to the Southern Highlands Provincial Education Board, suspension of classes for this year, as the school is empty though properties were untouched by the attackers.
Meanwhile, Principal of Lake Kutubu Secondary School, Bai Irabo says his students from the island were affected.
He also points out that in their rage, the attackers destroyed three villages belonging to the deceased, describing the behavior as absurd and illogical.
It is said that hundreds of people including settlers who resided on the deceased person’s land took part in the attack that has destroyed properties worth millions of kina.
