(Papua New Guinea) - Reports from Papua New Guinea indicate evidence that AIDS victims were being buried alive by relatives who feared the infection passing to them. A health worker identified as Margaret Marabe, reportedly said she had seen five people buried alive. One was calling out "Mama, Mama'' as the soil was shovelled over his head, said Ms Marabe, employed with a volunteer organisation “Igat Hope.” Villagers explained to her that burying people with AIDS were a common practice. Ms Marabe urged the Government and aid organizations to ensure the HIV/AIDS awareness program in cities and towns was extended to the countryside, where many people are ignorant about the disease.
Public officials and researchers report that alleged witches have been tortured and murdered by villagers accusing them of being responsible for the AIDS-related deaths of young people.
According to a report recently issued by United Nations, Papua New Guinea accounts for 90 % of all HIV infections in the Oceania region, thus facing an AIDS catastrophe. The number of HIV diagnoses experienced a 30 % rise since 1997.
