Steven Tari

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Steven Garasai Tari (born 1971), also known as Black Jesus, is a Papua New Guinean religious figure, leader of a Christian-influenced cargo cult, who claims to be the Messiah or the Christ, and is notorious for alleged human sacrifices, rape, murder and cannibalism.

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[edit] Early life

Tari was born on Manus Island.

Tari studied to become a Lutheran minister at Amron Bible College in Madang. He left the school prematurely after rejecting the teachings of the Bible, left behind his clothing and belongings, and retreated into the mountains of Matepi where he began to form a personality cult around himself as the Messiah, "Black Jesus".[1] According to some reports, he was expelled from the school for theft.[2]

[edit] Cult leader

Tari's cult, which is estimated to have numbered as many as 6,000, became notorious for its alleged use of "flower girls" who serve as concubines and possibly human sacrifices for Tari. The girls dress in scant clothing. The Lutheran Church, very prominent in Papua New Guinea, declared Tari an "enemy of the church".[3]

Tari was pursued by PNG police in 2005 as a result of his teachings, which included promises of material goods and well-being for the villagers' worship. Under recent law, intended to combat the widespread occurrence of cults in the country, it is illegal to make such promises.[1]

The first rape/murder accusation against Tari involves the fate of Rita Herman, who joined the cult at age 13 as a personal "flower girl" of the self-styled messiah. According to accusations, in October 2006, Tari and a select circle of his ex-Lutheran aides, along with Barmarhal Herman, the girl's mother and reported "queen" of the flower girls, took 14-year old Rita into a private tent where she was raped by Tari. Barmarhal instructed her daughter to submit, as she and her family would be blessed by Tari and would receive great gifts of material goods and wealth as reward for the ritual[4]. After the rape, Tari killed the girl with multiple knife stabs. Versions of the story allege that Tari and the other attendees then removed and ate skin from the girl's body and drank her blood. Barmarhal's other daughter had been previously jailed for being one of Tari's flower girls. Barmarhal has denied being present at the event.[5] Remaining members of the family, who have pursued an investigation in Rita's death, have said no signs of cannibalism are on her body.[6]

Tari was initially captured in 2005, but escaped prior to his trial with the help of a Lutheran pastor, Logan Sapus[3], who had been assigned to counsel him but became converted to Tari's cult instead. Back in the jungle, Tari cultivated an honour guard and recruited a new crop of flower girls from the remote villages, promising them blessings of wealth in exchange. Tari enlisted only virgins, reportedly some as young as 8 years old[5]. Tari ordered the destruction of rival Lutheran churches and terrorized nearby villages who would not submit to him. [1] He is also accused of orchestrating the murders of rival Lutheran ministers.

About 50 of Tari's followers, including about 30 flower girls, were rounded up in an operation in June 2006. Those followers publicly renounced Tari and reconciled with their churches.[7]

[edit] Capture

In 2007, Tari was captured after rival villagers traveled into his mountain stronghold at Matepi village, in the Transgogol area of Madang Province, and attacked and captured him. One of the villagers climbed into a tree to gain cellphone signal and called the authorities.[8]

Tari's appearance in court was delayed due to the injuries he suffered in that assault.[9] He appeared in court in October 2007 charged with sexual offences. He argued in his defence that “Those women were flower-girls and this was the work of the minister and permitted by the religion. And I don’t know if the charges laid against me are wrong or right.” Because he had no legal representation the trial was ajourned until December. He is being held in Madang’s Beon Prison.[10]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c The murdering Messiah | the Daily Mail
  2. ^ Police manhunt for cult leader who 'eats girls' | the Daily Mail
  3. ^ a b Islands Business - Politics/PNG: MADANG CULT WORRIES CHURCH AUTHORITIES
  4. ^ Girl cannibalised
  5. ^ a b 'Black Jesus' who terrorised jungle villages is captured - Asia, World - Independent.co.uk
  6. ^ Family denies girl was cannibalised
  7. ^ Viewpoint
  8. ^ PNG villagers wash hands of 'Black Jesus' - World - General - The Canberra Times
  9. ^ BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | PNG cult head faces murder charge
  10. ^ Islands Business - Pacific Update