Yearbook 2007
Papua New Guinea. According to
CountryAAH, Papua New Guinea's severe HIV epidemic
received tragic attention during the year when it was
reported that people with HIV and AIDS were buried alive in
remote villages. The relatives must have explained their
actions because they were afraid of being infected by the
disease themselves. According to the government's National
AIDS Council, many people believe that HIV and AIDS are
caused by magic and witchcraft. Hundreds of women have been
tortured to force confessions, according to an Australian
report. A radio reporter described how he saw HIV-infected
people being banned from home and forced to spend his
remaining days outdoors or in a pigsty.
According to a UN report, Papua New Guinea is facing an
AIDS disaster. The spread of infection is exacerbated, among
other things. through polygamy, rape and sexual violence
against women. Official figures say that 2 percent of the
population has been infected, but according to relief
organizations, the proportion is much higher.
In June, the country's parliamentary elections started,
which lasted for several weeks because some regions are very
difficult to access. The election was a victory for
incumbent Prime Minister Michael Somare, who could re-form
government, now with the support of 86 of the 109 members of
Parliament. Somare's party The National Alliance won only 27
seats, but Somare managed to form a coalition with a number
of other parties and partyless members.
A reconciliation ceremony was held in August on the
island of New Britain when cannibal descendants prayed for
their ancestors to have killed and eaten four Methodist
missionaries in 1878. It was not reported that the mission's
representatives made revenge for its leaders to avenge the
murders by burning several villages and killing one. part of
the residents.
A climate-friendly report came during the year from the
island of Bougainville, where it succeeded in replacing
diesel with coconut oil as a vehicle fuel. Small home
refineries have grown up producing both fuel and cooking oil
and coconut soap.
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