Emeute à Mansa : trois morts – 20 avril 2011

Deadly riots “send a bad signal”

irinnews.org

MANSA, 20 April 2011 (IRIN) – Three people were burned to death in vicious riots earlier this week in Mansa, provincial capital of northern Zambia’s Luapula Province.

Two Zambians and a Congolese national had car tyres and plastic bags hung around their bodies before being set ablaze by irate Mansa residents after a local radio station, Yangeni, broadcast rumours that local business people had hired ritual killers to abduct children and use their body parts to make charms that would boost their wealth.

Police refuted the reports but residents started a manhunt targeting local businesses, some of which were broken into, looted and burned.

« These rich people here have been getting rich because of the blood of our children, » said an irate youth wielding a machete. « We don’t want them here… We are going to kill all of them and get back all their riches because they are making us poor. »

The Congolese man who was burnt to death had owned a number of businesses in Mansa, including one offering high-interest loans, while the Zambians were accused of capturing people and committing the ritual murders for him.

Sanaula Ibrahim, the only Indian businessman in Mansa, was also implicated in the ritual murders and targeted, but managed to escape before protesters broke into and looted his chain of five shops, and set his house on fire. Read more…