Congolese kill teachers accused of Ebola spell

Ishmael

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This is off the Rueters wire.
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Congolese kill teachers accused of Ebola spell

By Christian Tsoumou

BRAZZAVILLE, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Congolese villagers have stoned and beaten to death four teachers accused of casting an evil spell to cause an outbreak of the deadly Ebola disease that has killed nearly 70 people, a local official said Friday.

The outbreak of Ebola in the districts of Kelle and Mbomo near the central African country's northern border with Gabon is thought by scientists to have been caused by the consumption of infected monkey meat.

But many locals believe occult forces are at work.

"In Kelle, people continue to believe that the Ebola disease is a spell that has been cast on them by witches, and four teachers accused of being the cause of the disease have been beaten and stoned to death," said Dieudonne Hossie, a local official. He did not say when the teachers were killed.

"We call on the people of Kelle to be calm. It is the Ebola virus which is raging in the area. It is not an evil spell, it is a scientifically proven virus," Hossie, who was speaking on the official Radio-Congo, said.

On Wednesday, the World Health Organisation confirmed the outbreak of haemorrhagic fever was Ebola, and put the death toll at 64. State radio put the death toll at 68 on Friday.

This is the second Ebola outbreak in little more than a year in Congo's remote northwest. Kelle and Mbomo have been placed in quarantine, schools and churches have been closed and people are banned from entering or leaving the area.

Ebola, which is passed on by infected body fluids, kills 50 percent to 90 percent of its victims through massive internal bleeding, depending on the strain of the disease.

Hossie said those responsible for the deaths of the four teachers would be brought to trial. He also said that in the capital Brazzaville, 700 km (440 miles) from the affected area, people from Kelle had drawn up lists of suspected witches to be killed.

Ebola killed at least 73 people in Congo and Gabon in an outbreak from October 2001 to February 2002. That epidemic was also linked to the consumption of infected primates.

The disease takes its name from a river in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, where Ebola was discovered in 1976. The worst outbreak was in that country in 1995 when more than 250 people died.

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Ishmael
 
The devastating problem of AIDS in Central Africa has been discussed here on the GB ad naseum.

Most all have agreed that a large part of the solution is education. This story is just the tip of the ice berg as to what that really means and how far there is to go.

Can you really educate a culture that believes in witchcraft?

Ishmael
 
Not when being educated by a superior culture that believes in made-up plagues.

If someone dies of Ebola, and they are HIV-positive, it gets tagged statistically as an AIDS related death.
 
ksmybuttons said:
Seems so, since it worked in the USA. Make take 100 years.

Well, the 'Age of Reason' took care of that and that was about 350 years ago.

But your point is well taken. The problem is, in a part of Africa where it's estimated that as many as 1 in 3 people have HIV/AIDS, will there be anyone left to educate in 100 years?

Ishmael
 
There are a great many well educated Haitians that still practice Voodoo, and a great number of well educated Cuba's that are preactioner's of Santeria.

Education is only part of the issue when the beleifs are culturally based.

Ishmael
 
SINthysist said:
If you die of malnutrition, it was complicated by AIDS...

The African name for AIDS is "skinny disease".

Ishmael
 
One of the problems that face the educators and people trying to deal with the ebola outbreak is the nomadic tribes who run from them. It is really a matter of education and will take much patience and thought on the part of the African government. Because they believe it is magic they run from the very people who could help them.

Outsiders are not going to be accepted by these people. They must enlist the aid of the tribal leaders to address the problem. Right now the problem of ebola outbreaks tend to die out quickly but this will not always be the case. The resistance to education and responsible behavior is not unique to just the nomads of Africa. In America we are having a resurgence of HIV due to the lack of responsible sexual behaviors among the certain populations. Here it seems to be the belief that people can just "look" and tell if someone is HIV postive. Magical thinking again I fear...
 
You almost got it right...

People died when they took the cancer drugs that were designed to stop cell division, the theory being if bad cells cannot replicate. Well, the good ones can't either.

That's why Magic Johnson and Tommy Morrison quietly quit taking the drugs. Their health inmproved dramatically and they remain very alive and well to this day. Epidemics should be tougher than the cure dagnabit.

The only people in the US dying were the risky behavior crowd. It was just politically uncorrect to look them in the eyes and tell them they were responsible for what they had done to themselves. Instead the were "victims." And, they got their collective asses victimized in return for accepting that labeling.
 
Ishmael said:


Can you really educate a culture that believes in witchcraft?

Ishmael

This is pretty silly, Ishmael. You're acting like belief in witchcraft is something biologically ingrained. All it takes is one generation of educated children to end the cycle of superstition.
 
Pyper said:
This is pretty silly, Ishmael. You're acting like belief in witchcraft is something biologically ingrained. All it takes is one generation of educated children to end the cycle of superstition.

What in the hell does culture have to do with biology????

Ishmael
 
Ishmael said:
The devastating problem of AIDS in Central Africa has been discussed here on the GB ad naseum.

Most all have agreed that a large part of the solution is education. This story is just the tip of the ice berg as to what that really means and how far there is to go.

Can you really educate a culture that believes in witchcraft?

Ishmael

In America today there are significant numbers (millions) of people who place more faith in herbal remedies and holistic medicine than in science-based medicine. Millions more use a blend of both types of health care.

Millions also believe that the world was created in seven days, just a few tens of thousands of years ago, and that evolution is false.

While most of these non-scientific souls would never use violence to resolve cultural conflicts, there are others here who believe in the natural superiority of one race over another and, in the name of their God, advocate the use of torture, intimidatation and murder of those who threaten their world view.

Lack of acceptance of all things scientific is not limited to the heart of Africa, or other such places "over there". Nor is violence in its name limited to those who advocate stoning for punishment of cultural offenses. Here they use flaming crosses and guns or wait in ambush outside abortion clinics. It's not just an issue of ignorance but one of intransigence as well.
 
Ishmael said:
The devastating problem of AIDS in Central Africa has been discussed here on the GB ad naseum.

Most all have agreed that a large part of the solution is education. This story is just the tip of the ice berg as to what that really means and how far there is to go.

Can you really educate a culture that believes in witchcraft?

Ishmael

Don't we have many witches here on the board? I expected to see some of them post to this thread to say part of our own culture believes in witchcraft, too.
 
Cheyenne said:
Don't we have many witches here on the board? I expected to see some of them post to this thread to say part of our own culture believes in witchcraft, too.

The Wiccan's. Yep.

But they don't necessarily believe that AID's is an evil spell and go around killing the teachers that say it isn't.

Those beliefs take generations to overcome, not years. And as long as the African cultures believe as they do not much will be done about the AID's epidemic there. The impact is going to be disasterous.

Ishmael
 
I read the news story yesterday and the first thought in my mind was, "Yet another culture that blames teachers for everything that's wrong in their world."


Education through schools cannot be the cure all for all of a culture's problems. Changing cultural beliefs has to come from the culture itself or the instruments of change (educators) will always be looked at with suspicion and then wholly blamed for the perceived difficulties.
 
Ishmael said:
...... The outbreak of Ebola in the districts of Kelle and Mbomo near the central African country's northern border with Gabon is thought by scientists to have been caused by the consumption of infected monkey meat. .....


Ishmael




THERMOMETER.jpg



They should have used the one with the monkey indicator.
 
Ishmael said:
What in the hell does culture have to do with biology????

Ishmael

Nothing, of course. I was merely stating that you are acting as if it does, as if culture is unchangeable, like biology.

You said "Can you really educate a culture that believes in witchcraft????"

Of course you can. Anyone can be educated. Why do you seem to think these people cannot?
 
Pyper said:


Of course you can. Anyone can be educated. Why do you seem to think these people cannot?

Anyone who desires an education and has the basic level of intelligence can be educated. Those who either don't desire education or lack the necessary mental capacity and skills to learn truly cannot be educated.


The people in this article obviously do not WANT education for themselves or their children. Until they desire education and knowledge, every effort to force it upon them will be met with abysmal failure.
 
To educate and effect change in behavior takes an open mind and not an attitude. Some of the opinions expressed on this board will impede the acceptance of information. No One likes to be told they are stupid and silly for their beliefs.

The logic that these folks in Africa used to kill the teachers is not unlike the logic used by countless folks in the states to justify not using condoms or engaging in other high risk behaviors. Education is what is needed. Providing the information and proof to help people see that their choices or beliefs have deadly consequences. Calling someone stupid or an idiot doesn't help.
 
heavenly body said:
To educate and effect change in behavior takes an open mind and not an attitude. Some of the opinions expressed on this board will impede the acceptance of information. No One likes to be told they are stupid and silly for their beliefs.

The logic that these folks in Africa used to kill the teachers is not unlike the logic used by countless folks in the states to justify not using condoms or engaging in other high risk behaviors. Education is what is needed. Providing the information and proof to help people see that their choices or beliefs have deadly consequences. Calling someone stupid or an idiot doesn't help.

I don't recall anyone calling anyone stupid or an idiot.

You can tell someone the facts, and if the facts do not match their belief systems engendered by thier cultural heritage you will achieve nothing. MorningGirl is quite right there.

Ishmael
 
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