LET GUNS REMAIN SILENT IN BAWKU (SEPT 9, 2009)

THE recent acts of lawlessness on the part of some faceless criminals who killed five of our countrymen in Bawku cannot be condoned by law-abiding citizens.
The DAILY GRAPHIC condemns in no uncertain terms the brutal murder of these people, including public servants who are serving the public good in Bawku.
Swift action needs to be taken to deal with these criminal deeds, if peace-loving citizens are to be given space to contribute to nation-building.
The DAILY GRAPHIC finds it extremely difficult to appreciate the recent security lapses in the Bawku area, especially when the area has been under curfew for sometime now.
It is scary that armed men, on their own, can mount roadblocks and shoot to kill innocent citizens without the law catching up with them.
The DAILY GRAPHIC is happy that the Minister of the Interior, Mr Cletus Avoka, has directed personnel of the various security agencies to effect the prompt arrest of all troublemakers in the volatile areas of Bawku.
The culture of impunity can only end in that area, if criminals are dealt with according to the law but not left off the hook because of their connections in society.
Bawku used to be a very vibrant town because of its proximity to the borders of Burkina Faso and Togo and also served as a market area for many people, especially our women in northern Ghana.
However, the increasing acts of lawlessness with political and ethnic under-tones have reduced the town to a pale shadow of the once vibrant town of Bawku.
We have observed that ethnic politics has eaten deep into the social fabric to such an extent that we are prepared to sacrifice the national interest for political or ethnic expediency.
The DAILY GRAPHIC urges the Upper East Security Council (REGSEC) and the national security apparatus to help resolve the Bawku conflict immediately and punish all offenders to send a clear signal to others who have such diabolical intentions.
These criminals do not have a place in our peaceful country because they can destabilise our society and push us down the road of a failed state.
We also call on the media to watch their reportage on the conflict, especially live radio reports, which can inflame passions.
The DAILY GRAPHIC reminds the media fraternity of what happened during Rwanda and Burundi, the genocide that almost cleansed an entire ethnic group, in order that we can learn useful lessons from that experience.
The people of Bawku are brothers and sisters and the time has come for them to resolve to maintain the peace.
We urge the chiefs and their elders in dispute to smoke the peace pipe now.
The DAILY GRAPHIC also appeals to the youth of the area to hold their leaders accountable and commit them to abide by the road map to peace.
The resources being spent by the government to maintain peace in Bawku can be channelled into projects that can improve the lot of the people.
The DAILY GRAPHIC, therefore, makes a passionate appeal to the people of Bawku to look at their deteriorating conditions and resolve to let the guns drop silent immediately in the area.