A security consultant, Prof Kwesi Aning says the notion that the violence being orchestrated on the sidelines of the Bawku conflict is perpetrated by extremists is being overstretched.
According to him, it is largely the doing of criminal networks seeking to expand their territory.
During a discussion on the AM Show, the expert added that these networks are challenging and undermining the authority of the state and that it is important to understand the root causes of the violence to address it effectively.
“The fortunate people caught between this violence is not because of extremists but because of criminal network seeking to challenge, undermine, expand their territory. We can put all this into the mix and come up with some solution. This tunnel vision of ethnic conflict of chieftaincy struggle about land … that would not take us anywhere,” he said on JoyNews on Monday, January 22, 2024.
On Wednesday, January 17, 2024, unidentified gunmen attacked and killed two persons in the Upper East Regional town.
The shooting occurred around noon when unknown gunmen opened fire at tricycle operators near the Bawku Community Centre.
As of January 18, three more people were killed, bringing the death toll to 5 within 48 hours.
They were shot by some soldiers who claimed they found firearms on them.
The Ghana Armed Forces defended its move insisting that “directly engaging the military is a development that could result in fatal consequences; as troops will spare no opportunity to defend themselves as well as protect.”
Mr. Aning argued that the commonly held belief that the conflict in Bawku is solely due to ethnic tensions and chieftaincy struggles over land is a narrow-minded view.
He stressed that there are other factors that need to be considered in order to understand the conflict and find a lasting solution.
Mr. Aning, called for a commission of inquiry to investigate reports of alleged killings in Bawku.
He noted that the allegations made by MP, Mahama Ayariga, about the military killing unarmed civilians, are very serious and should be thoroughly investigated as they can have serious consequences for the military and the country as a whole.
The security expert pointed out that various sources have provided conflicting reports of the events, which creates a disturbing picture and further calls for an investigation.
“My assessment right now is that there are way too many stories and too many interest groups interpreting what has taken place for particular ends, so we would need a step back very quickly. I think we have the institutional framework for this, especially the national peace counsel, to quickly meet all the parties and ensure the truth is put out in the public domain.”.
Mr. Aning, highlighted that the reputation of a critical state institution has been tarnished without any concrete evidence to back up the claims.
He stressed that while the military is bound by the laws of war and proportionate use of force, it is important that they are not engaged in a manner that is provocative, as everyone has the right to life.
The security consultant added that the conflicting reports from various institutions emphasize the need for a thorough investigation to get to the truth.
“So, because the MP is saying something, the MCE has said one other thing, the military itself has said another thing, the youth are saying another thing, and there are these WhatsApp documents going around. We need to get to the truth, and I think tinkering with the path of the truth and story as a whole will create more trouble, and that has been the bane of the Bawku crisis.”
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