Maputo, 28 Apr (AIM) – The belief that mysterious sorcerers are stealing or shrinking men’s penises has now reached the northern Mozambican province of Nampula, according to a report in Tuesday’s issue of the independent newssheet “Carta de Mocambique”.
The claim is that the malicious sorcerers use handshakes or a mere tap on the shoulder to make their victims’ genitalia shrink or disappear. Although such tales are obviously false, the rumours have spread and become lethal as lynch mobs are formed to hunt down the alleged “witches”.
The rumours, reminiscent of medieval European witch-hunts, appear to have reached Mozambique from Tanzania. The first Mozambican cases were reported in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, and subsequently spread to Zambezia and Nampula.
According to the head of public relations in the Nampula Provincial Police Command, Dercio Samuel, mobs hunting down sorcerers killed two people on 23 April, in Erati and Monapo districts.
There had been less serious riots in the provincial capital, Nampula city, and in four other districts (Nacala, Moma, Meconta and Angoche). These resulted in the destruction or property, but no deaths were reported.
Samuel said the police had arrested 10 people in Nampula city in connection with the rioting, and 14 in the other districts. Eight people were injured and sent to Nampula Central Hospital for observation.
A clinical psychologist, Ibraimo Colabo, told reporters that eight men had gone to the hospital complaining that their genitals had shrunk. But medical examination showed that there was nothing physically wrong with them. However, two of them were in a state of panic, resulting from their belief in the rumour.
Colabo warned that the spread of disinformation could increase the vulnerability of frightened people, leading to excessive stress, trauma, mental disturbances, anxiety and panic.
(AIM)
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