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-Signs, Portents, and the Weather- |
Congo riot over soccer witchcraft kills 11 |
2008-09-15 |
Cause it's witchcraft Cuckoo witchcraft... KINSHASA (Reuters) - Eleven people were killed in a stadium riot in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo after a soccer player tried to use witchcraft to win a local match, U.N.-backed Radio Okapi reported on Monday. Hey! They can't do that! Nyuki club was losing to local rivals Socozaki on Sunday when Nyuki's goalkeeper advanced up the pitch and tried to use "fetishist" spells to turn the tide of the match, Okapi said, without giving more details. Let's see that again on replay, Biff. Right you are, Hank...right there! That's a "fetishist spell", clear as day. Did ya see it? When a police commander tried to break up an ensuing brawl between rival players, members of the crowd pelted him with rocks, the radio added. Police fired teargas in response, causing a stampede to the exits in which 11 people were killed and several injured, Okapi said. I know soccer's boring, but there's gotta be other ways to liven it up... As elsewhere in Africa, many Congolese hold traditional animist beliefs and use spells, fetishes and charms to practise witchcraft, often combined with other religions like Christianity or Islam. Sounds like a volatile mix... Sunday's riot happened in Butembo, in North Kivu province, where fighting between the army and rebels has raged on despite the official end of a 1998-2003 war that has killed an estimated 5.4 million people through violence, hunger and disease. I wonder if that started over war witchcraft? |
Posted by:tu3031 |
#4 It'd be interesting to know just what kind of spell a witch doctor would use to hex a football match. Politicians in West Africa have been prosecuted for killing children to make magic meant to bring the politicians victory in elections. Then there were militiamen in Liberia's disaster who believed in a magic formula to make them immune to bullets. |
Posted by: mom 2008-09-15 17:42 |
#3 Anyone who watched yesterday's game between the Chargers and the Broncos might be tempted to believe that Mike Shanahan was a witch doctor...or something. |
Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305 2008-09-15 15:01 |
#2 Heck this makes more sense than most of the LLLs complaints about Bush winning elections. |
Posted by: AlanC 2008-09-15 14:12 |
#1 The Nyuki club goaltender: Hey, Moe, I'm a victim of soicumstance! |
Posted by: Spot 2008-09-15 12:11 |