Breaking news from Papua New Guinea by artist Cavelo.
PRESS RELEASE: New Guinea
by Cavelo
(KW:AM - NEW GUINEA - ESCAPE) (A0489 - 24 - AUG - 1990)
(GN-LINE WIRE WZG:A0599;ARBX) (WB) Aussie Escapes New
Guinea Torture
PORT MORESBY - Australian Roderick McCulloch walked out of the Papua-New Guinea jungle with just a pair of trousers and many horror stories. McCulloch, spent the last year documenting the destruction of the virgin rain forest in Papua New Guinea, his work now lost. He also witnessed a friend and co-worker tortured by native tribesmen. The 33-year old Rockhampton man was held captive for 3 days about 190 miles northwest of Lae before he escaped.
"Since I escaped, I've attempted to keep the loss of my friend and our work out of my mind," he said Thursday by telephone from his home.
"I am so happy to still be alive."
Two weeks ago while on a documenting expedition, McCulloch and his close friend, Michael Campbell, 31, of Prosperine, were captured by native tribesmen and taken to a remote village in the highlands northwest of Lae. On the second day of their capture "Mike was dragged out of the hut, stripped, and tied to upright stakes. The damn natives tortured him for hours and beat him with sticks. Mike was poked with spears and burned all over his body." "It was during this torture frenzy that I made my escape, unnoticed" he said. "I can still hear Mike's screams in my head. It was bloody awful!" McCulloch said. "I don't see how he could possibly survive what they were doing to him." All McCulloch's work is lost including videotaped secret tribal societies and scenes of native life. He had accumulated $20,000 in grants from the Australian agencies for his rain forest project, and worries he will have to pay it back because he now has nothing to show for it. Much of the rain forest will continue to be destroyed, McCulloch said. "In 25 to 30 years, the rest of the forest will be completely destroyed." He added, "I'm afraid the slow torture of my colleague and close, personal friend will have been for nothing."
AP-DS-24-AUG-90 1220 EOT/L