By MOZTIMES
Pemba (MOZTIMES) – At least five people have been murdered in mass lynchings since 18 April in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, due to rumours circulating in almost the entire province that there are people with supernatural powers who can make the male genitalia disappear or shrink with a touch on the shoulder or a handshake with the victim.
The first reports came in the coastal town of Mocímboa da Praia, in the north of the province, and rapidly spread southwards, reaching the provincial capital, Pemba. In the suburban neighbourhoods, crowds accused individuals of resorting to superstition to cause the male genital organs to shrink or disappear. Those accused were tortured and sometimes lynched.
After several days of silence, the health authorities and the police went public to explain the case, at a press conference held in Pemba last Friday (24 April).
The provincial police commander, Assane Nyito, told the press conference that five people had been killed, one in Mocímboa da Praia, two in Ancuabe District, one in Chiúre District and one in Metuge District. The police say they have detained 25 people in connection with these murders.
For his part the Director of the Cabo Delgado Health Services, Edson Fernando, said the multi-disciplinary teams set up to study the cases reported of the shrinking of male genitalia ascertained that there were no anomalies in the victims analysed. “These are cases of collective social panic”, declared Fernando.
The teams formed to study the case included general and forensic doctors, psychologists and psychiatrists.
Cases of rumours that culminate in violence are frequent in Cabo Delgado. The rural population accuses the health authorities of spreading cholera in order to kill them, and this results in the lynching of local leaders and/or health workers. (MT)
