http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=571&ncid=571&e=2&u=/nm/20030221/hl_nm/congo_ebola_dc_1

Congolese Kill Teachers Accused of Ebola Spell
Fri Feb 21, 1:52 PM ET  Reuters



BRAZZAVILLE (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.










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