Fiji Cult Leader: "I’m not a killer. I’m a healer”

Fiji Daily Post - February 26, 2009

CHURCH NOT A ‘CULT’
By IMANUELI TUMOI
A PROMINENT member of the One World Church in Cunningham, Suva rubbished media reports labelling his religious group a “cult”.

Naitasiri chief Ratu Loco Kalokalodrau Qiolevu yesterday said they were “healers not killers”.

This week a newspaper had highlighted that Sivocosi Semanakadavu, 17, allegedly died while under the care of Ratu Loco’s church group.

The newspaper also labelled his church group as a “cult”.

Ratu Loco said people should respect his religion because he gave his land to people from different races and religions to use.

“I’ve allowed everyone to live on my land and I’m not a killer. I’m a healer,” he said.

Referring to himself as the number one, “the boss of the church”, Ratu Loco made it clear to the media that no one was to talk to anyone within the church without consulting him first.

When asked on whether he or members of his church have been in contact with the parents of the dead teenager he said: “The parents brought the boy to this church and they applied everything.”

“We prayed for this kid and the parents know that we are not a hospital. The hospital was right there, but they brought the kid to us on their own free will,” Ratu Loco said.

“We never asked them to bring their son here, but we gave all our best and spent our money on the boy.”

He added that his sect healed all sorts of sickness through prayer. “Our main medicine is prayer,” he said.

Meanwhile, Senior Methodist Church pastor, Reverend Viliame Daunabuna, in a radio interview said people should be aware of the kinds of teaching and healing organised by some church denominations.

Rev Daunabuna said there were two forms of healings which people should be careful of when dealing with some church groups.

He urged people to go to the hospital if they are sick. He alleged that four people from his community in Colo-i-Suva were told by the same church group not to go to hospital, but drink coconut oil prepared by the church healer and spiritual guru known as the Marama Vada.

The Marama Vada, when asked why they never took the teenager to hospital said they believed divine intervention would be the best cure.

Ratu Loco, who is also a claimant of the Qaranivalu title, said they were not doing anything wrong.

This article was found at:

http://fijidailypost.com/news.php?section=1&fijidailynews=22231

Sect silent over teen's death

Fiji Times - February 24, 2009

by By MONIKA SINGH

POLICE are investigating the death of a 17-year old boy in the premises of the One World Church at Tacirua.

Police spokeswoman Ema Mua said they believe the boy was suffering from epilepsy but was not taken to hospital when he was under attack from the ailment.

Ms Mua said the matter was reported to the Valelevu Police Station yesterday after the boy died at the church.

She said police were treating the case as serious because they had received information that the members of the church had been against their members being taken to the hospital if they were sick.

"We are trying to talk to the other members who were at the church on the day of the boy's death and investigations are continuing," said Ms Mua.

One of the sect's belief is that members with a sickness are not allowed to go to the hospital but instead, rely on help from above to recover or be cured from the sickness.

They say they would rather die with a sickness or ailment rather than go against their sect's belief.

Meanwhile, yesterday none of the members of the church were willing to give any information pertaining to the boy's death or the whereabouts of the boy's parents.

The leader of the One World Church, Safaira Kua, was not available for any comment yesterday afternoon.

This article was found at:

http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=115127