Govt urged to seek external assistance

Accra, June 25, GNA - Amnesty International (Ghana Section) on Wednesday urged the Government to seek external assistance to resolve the protracted Bawku conflict.

"The Bawku situation is worse than the drug menace that Government has sought international assistance to combat as the situation ridicules the nation's pride as a peaceful country in a turbulent Sub-Region," Mr Michael Brigandi, Amnesty (Ghana Section) Director, said in a statement issued in Accra.

He said a quick and effective resolution of the Bawku crisis would allow the nation to continue to pride itself of being an island of peace in the Sub-Region and affirmed its position as a contributor to global peace at the United Nations.

Mr Brigandi urged the Government to do more than it was doing now to resolve the conflict, stressing that the present situation in Bawku was serious and needed much more pragmatic measures to contain it. He called on Parliament to hold a special session on the Bawku crisis to give it the importance that it deserved. He also appealed to the two ethnic groups involved - Mamprusis and Kusasis - to unconditionally end the conflict for the sake of peace and the innocent victims.

President John Agyekum Kufuor has invited the Bawku Naba, Asigiri Abugrago Azoka II, for another round of talks on Thursday at the Castle Osu, following the eruption of fresh violence that has killed 13 people. A press release Mr Andrew Awuni, Press Secretary to the President and Presidential Spokesman signed said the meeting was part of a consultative process that had been going on for some time now towards finding lasting solution to the ethnic disturbances in Bawku and its environs.

President Kufuor met with the Bawku Naba and Elders of the Mamprusis last month after which the tension appeared to have subsided. The President has, ahead of Thursday's meeting, appealed to the feuding factions to exercise restraint and give peace a chance while their Leaders continued with efforts to resolve the age-long dispute.