Fighting Fear
This is a story of darkness, a barely believable story of witch trials and scapegoat killings, of superstition and terror of the unknown. Although it reads like something from the dark ages, it’s a real story, and it’s happening. Today.
Hiding out
It is late 2014 and four women, along with their children, slip unseen into the jungle of the Enga Province in the Highlands of PNG. They fear the presence of evil spirits around them, especially when darkness falls. Only the existence of an even greater fear keeps them away from their home village of Fiyawena.
They run not from the unseen, but the seen, not from strangers, but from those closest to them: brothers, cousins, husbands, fathers. They run from the people trying to kill them.
These women are tortured until they either agree with the accusations or pass the blame. Often they are killed. Not even children are spared as they fear generational inheritance of the “host” status.
A powerful combination of misinformation, superstition, and corruption is at the root of the practice. This creates fear and in turn the fear leads to the violent purging.
It is in fact a measles outbreak that kills villagers in Fiyawena in this story. But when an ‘imported’ witch- identifier names four women as being carriers of evil spirits, they are deemed responsible and so become both scapegoat and target.
What choice have they then but to take their children and run?
A rescue mission in Fiyawena
Time was running out for the women and children hiding in the jungle in Fiyawena. Nes, a local Christian woman from this region, contacted Anton, a Lutheran missionary and long-time partner of MAF, to devise a plan aimed at saving them.
Soon after, MAF fly in a team consisting of the Deputy Commander of the Enga Police, missionaries, a women’s leader, and local Christians from the nearby village of Yifki – two days walk from Fiyawena. Together they undertook what was called “the intervention” not just to try and save lives but focus light into the darkness of suspicion and misinformation.
What happens next is a miracle.
The villagers watch on as the witch identifier via video footage, renounces her accusations, admitting she was bribed. Further, three men representing ‘witch killers’ are shown snapping their people-killing arrows, a sign of their collective intention is to stop this practice there. At Fiyawena, the identified women and children are able to finally come out once more in the open.
The horrific outcome is averted for the moment.
What about tomorrow?
We celebrate these victories, but long-term change is not quick. Two or three villages may have ‘grasped’ the strands of hope but others in the Hewa have since killed and so started other retributive violence.
With every take-off and landing
If you’ve ever spent time in PNG you’d know that this oppressive fear of evil spirits is deeply entrenched in the animist belief structure.
2016 marks the 65th anniversary of the first MAF flight in PNG. Since the very beginning we have been partnering with others on combating this fear. Our regular flights have been offering three strands of hope in this fight.
- As a Christian organisation, we believe that the good news of Jesus is the ultimate remedy to fear. MAF is regularly – almost daily – involved in flying local church workers, missionaries and the translated Scriptures into isolated places.
- The second strand of hope is ‘education’, with a focus on rational thinking, medical knowledge and health/hygiene practices. With the help of generous donations, we are able to fly in doctors, nurses, teachers, health workers, medical educators, and many others to help demystify illness.
- The third strand of hope is a brave collective action in fighting superstition and fear and the violence they lead to.
The young woman in this photo is Nes. Here she is taking a public stand against the evil of Sanguma related violence – a dangerous endeavour.
It is slow and methodical work that requires patience and long-term commitment.
But it is bearing incredible fruit! Thanks to faithful partnership, we have witnessed incredible transformation throughout PNG. We have seen many experience the joy that comes from being freed from fear.
Click Here to learn more or to partner with us as together we are able to play a significant role in transforming these communities by breaking the heavy chains of fear and dread.