dpkg returns 'uninitialized values' in debconf perl5 modules

[mi <wwm@gmx.ch>]

Hello,

(please cc to me, i'm not on the list)

I can't remove the dictionary 'wamerican' nor can i reinstall or upgrade it.
Two examples:

/ r: dpkg -r  wamerican
(Reading database ... 50317 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing wamerican ...
Can't call method choices on an undefined value at
/usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Question.pm line 85, <GEN0> line 4. Use of
uninitialized value in scalar chomp at
/usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Client/ConfModule.pm line 125, <STDIN> line 3. Use of
uninitialized value in split at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Client/ConfModule.pm
line 126, <STDIN> line 3. Use of uninitialized value in split at
/usr/sbin/remove-default-wordlist line 21, <STDIN> line 3. dpkg: error
processing wamerican (--remove): subprocess post-removal script returned error
exit status 9 Errors were encountered while processing:
 wamerican

/ r: dpkg -r  --force-all wamerican  
(Reading database ... 50317 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing wamerican ...
Can't call method choices on an undefined value at
/usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Question.pm line 85, <GEN0> line 4. dpkg: error
processing wamerican (--remove): subprocess post-removal script returned error
exit status 9 Errors were encountered while processing:
 wamerican

It's a recent debian sarge, with:
rH  wamerican      5-4            
ii  dpkg           1.10.22        
ii  debconf        1.4.25         
ii  perl           5.8.3-3        

It seems to happen only with doing sth. on wamerican, anything other seem to
work as usual. Possibly be some additional install is required to remove this
package? What can i try next ?


tia

michael.