Courtesy of the New Zealand News
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click...215 &set_id=1
Mourners raped, murdered at funeral
February 13 2003 at 09:03AM
Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea - A gang dressed in ninja-style outfits raided a funeral in Papua New Guinea, murdering two mourners and raping another two as they attempted to prove the man being buried was a victim of sorcery, it was reported.
The attackers believed the family of Tony Briya - who had been their gang leader - murdered him using witchcraft, the National newspaper reported.
Briya collapsed and died on Monday.
The report said armed gang members dressed in ninja-style outfits attacked mourners in the early hours on Wednesday as they paid respects in the traditional "haus krai" (house of crying) in Erima Ridge, a suburb of Port Moresby.
The attack could spark a round of payback violence
The bandits pointed guns at the 30 or so mourners before dragging Briya's sister outside and raping her.
"They kept asking me if we had poisoned Tony," she told the newspaper.
Briya's grandmother was then beaten to death as the gang attempted to extract a confession.
Briya's widow was then beaten and gang-raped, before the bandits grabbed her mother and broke both her arms.
They then beat Briya's mother and threw her into a ditch.
A male relative was also killed in the attack and others had their heads slashed with bush knives the size of swords.
Briya's sister told the newspaper that the brutal attack lasted for two hours until the police arrived.
The wounded were rushed to hospital, where two remain in a serious condition.
Police are holding 14 suspects, but fear the attack could spark a round of payback violence.
The newspaper said in an editorial that beliefs about sorcery were common in PNG.
"Custom should neither be pleaded nor should it be allowed as mitigating circumstance in this case," it said. - Sapa-AFP