Lynchings in Congo as penis theft panic hits capital

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

KINSHASA (Reuters) - Police in Congo have arrested 13 suspected sorcerers accused of using black magic to steal or shrink men's penises after a wave of panic and attempted lynchings triggered by the alleged witchcraft.
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Reports of so-called penis snatching are not uncommon in West Africa, where belief in traditional religions and witchcraft remains widespread, and where ritual killings to obtain blood or body parts still occur.

Rumours of penis theft began circulating last week in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo's sprawling capital of some 8 million inhabitants. They quickly dominated radio call-in shows, with listeners advised to beware of fellow passengers in communal taxis wearing gold rings.

Purported victims, 14 of whom were also detained by police, claimed that sorcerers simply touched them to make their genitals shrink or disappear, in what some residents said was an attempt to extort cash with the promise of a cure.

"You just have to be accused of that, and people come after you. We've had a number of attempted lynchings. ... You see them covered in marks after being beaten," Kinshasa's police chief, Jean-Dieudonne Oleko, told Reuters on Tuesday.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080422/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_congo_democratic_witchcraft

[Lil Missy]

1. Oh for gawd sakes ....

:eyes:

[Marrah_G]

2. Viagra needs to start marketing there!

[Deja Q]

13. Or stop marketing there, maybe they think viagra makes it bigger forever?

[mainegreen]

3. "it was much bigger, I swear! A witch shrank it!"

Sure a witch did.

Sure.

[Jamastiene]

6. ...

:spray:

Now, THAT is a DUzy!

[peekaloo]

4. penis snatching leads to lynching?

I'm guessing "How's It Hanging?" is NOT an acceptable greeting in W. Africa.

[Jamastiene]

5. INVASION OF THE PENIS SNATCHERS!!!

You can't make this shit up.

:rofl:

[Deep13]

7. For such a smart species...

...we can be pretty fucking stupid at times.

[DarkTirade]

18. ... at times?

[Deep13]

21. Yeah, I know. nt

[FloridaJudy]

8. "She turned it into a Newt!"

Boy, talk about being newtered...

There's no magic there. Any woman can shrink that. The magic words are "My Mom's coming to stay for a month".

[texas1928]

9. What a knob gobbling, witch!

I swear.

[Javaman]

10. solution: detachable penis. lock up that snake! nt

[VenusRising]

12. Thanks!

Had to go watch that video. Haven't heard that song in years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byDiILrNbM4

[Pushed To The Left]

19. Here's a video of that solution!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byDiILrNbM4

[Ellen Forradalom]

11. No stranger than the "sorcery"

that convinces women here that they're fat and ugly :shrug:

The mind, it is a powerful thing.

[underpants]

14. Rumors?

Rumors? there is no way to confirm is someone's penis is no longer there???

[quip]

15. "Is that a banana in your pocket, or are you..." "No, it's a penis; I'm on the lamb"

[otherlander]

16. Holy shit

[Benfea]

17. Superstition is bad, mmmkay?

When one gets in the habit of accepting conclusions without evidence, how much of a stretch is it to believe in witchcraft and magic spells?

http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/?p=844

[Frank Cannon]

20. Believe it or not, this happens quite a bit

It really is not a laughing matter. There have been waves of mass hysteria about this going back decades, at least. I remember first hearing about this about 20 years or so ago.

I've heard that some guys will actually choke the blood supply out of their penises and/or rip them off as they grip their junk in fear and desperation.

[madeline_con]

22. When rape didn't raise any eyebrows...

protect the sacred penis! What a bunch of putzes!