The Interior Minister, Alhaji Malik Alhassan Yakubu Tuesday briefed Parliament on the conflict at Bawku in the Northern Region of Ghana and assured that the security agencies are on top of the situation.

Below is the full text of his statement to the House:

Mr. Speaker, I am here in this august House this morning to make a statement on matters that are rather unpleasant and unfortunate. This is about the communal violence that erupted in Bawku in the Upper East Region a couple of days ago, which has resulted in substantial loss of lives and property.

The immediate causes of the fighting in the Bawku area are reported to be that a kiosk said to belong to a Mamprusi situated near the Blue-Cross Guest House on the Bawku-Missiga Road was burnt down, allegedly by some Kussasis on Friday, 30th November 2001.

Subsequently, a suspect was arrested but later released on bail. Then on Sunday, 2nd December 2001 another kiosk also said to belong to a Kussasi was burnt down as a retaliatory action, allegedly by some Maprusis. This other kiosk was located at Sabon Geri on the Bawku-Missiga road. These actions created a tensed situation in Bawku.

Again, the windscreen of a Nissan Pick-Up was smashed by some unidentified persons. At about 12 noon on Sunday, 2nd December 2001 a group of young men aged between 14 and 27 years mounted a barrier near Missiga on the Bawku-Pusiga road. 18 of these young men were arrested and placed in Police custody in Bawku.

Following all these, actual fighting erupted and by the end of Sunday, 2nd December 2001, three people were killed. The security personnel on the ground were able to bring the situation under control on the same Sunday and stepped-up vigilance.

However, during the early hours of Monday, 3rd December 2001 sporadic firing was heard coming from the skirts of Bawku specifically from Zabgu, Zawsi and Mognori areas.

The firing soon grew in intensity and brought the tension to a snapping point.

A seven-toner DAF truck loaded with oranges and driving to Bawku from Bolgatanga was ambushed after the Benguri barrier near Bawku. The driver and one other were killed and the vehicle burnt down. It is also reported that another car was burnt down in Bawku. So far, property destroyed include a number of kiosks and stores and over thirty houses as at the end of yesterday Monday 3rd December 2001. Eighteen people were reported killed and twenty-one wounded. Forty-eight persons have so far been arrested and detained in Bawku.

The first eighteen people who ere arrested on Sunday, 2nd December 2001 are presently in detention at Bolgatanga.

Following the deterioration of the situation, the Upper East Regional Security Council requested for reinforcement of military and police personnel and immediate action was taken to provide the required reinforcement by the military and police authorities.

As at now, there are a total of one hundred and thirty military personnel comprising six officers and one hundred and twenty-four other ranks. The military have also three armoured vehicles and a helicopter at the conflict area. The police so far have one hundred and seven police personnel deployed in Bawku and more reinforcements are expected from Wa to supplement their number.

In addition the police have also dispatched two mowags and one MPV manned by 18 police personnel. This will bring the police number to 125. the situation is now firmly under control.

Upon the outbreak of violence the security authorities on the ground in the Upper East Region required a controlled atmosphere to confront the situation and they therefore found a curfew necessary. I have accordingly issued an Executive Instrument to that effect.

Steps are being taken to address the effects of the fighting in terms medical relief and food and shelter requirements. As the situation is brought to normalcy strategies are being put in place to make it difficult for people to embark on further actions of violence.

It is said that the immediate causes of the current violence in the Bawku area are the incidents referred to earlier in the statement. It is obvious however, that strong underlying currents will have pushed this incidents into actual war. It is well known that for over 50 years the area has been gripped in boiling chieftaincy conflict, essentially between Mamprusis and Kussasis, and previous governments have taken various steps to deal with the conflict. Obviously, a lasting and permanent solution has thus far not been achieved. The NPP government believes that the most efficacious approach should be the employment of preventive diplomacy which involves getting the feuding parties to dialogue constantly on their differences so that agreements genuinely and freely arrived at by themselves will be the potent panacea to their problems.

His Excellency President JA Kufuor on assuming office has placed the Bawku issue on top priority and has held meetings with both sides to the conflict a number of times, urging and encouraging them to live in peace and in harmony. Government was quite delighted when the feuding parties met some months ago in Damongo in the Northern Region to settle their differences.

That peace forum in Damongo produced an amicable agreement and government had hoped that this would see the end of the conflict between the parties in Bawku.

The unfortunate violence that erupted in Bawku a couple of days ago shows that whilst the overwhelming majority of the different tribes in Bawku and its surrounding towns and villages cherish peace, there are some elements who prefer violence. Government will want to reiterate its belief in the amicable solution to differences but government will also want to make it clear that in so far as the overwhelming majority of Ghanaians cherish peace and orderly social life, government will give no chance at all to trouble makers and I will like to assure the nation that the Security Agencies of the State are capable, able, willing and ready to secure the country firmly against all trouble makers.

His Excellency the Vice-President has also been in regular contact and mediation with the opposing sides. Even this morning, he met with the Bawku Maba and re-assured him of the government concern and support to reach a state of peace in Bawku.

The prompt and efficient manner the security forces have responded to the Bawku situation should leave nobody in any doubt as to their readiness and ability to deal with such situations. It should be borne in mind by all that wars are expensive and hamper development. With just the two days fighting enormous resources are going to be required to bring people to normal life.

For instance, apart from logistics for victims of the conflict the immediate requirements of the security personnel in terms of food and accommodation already runs to some 200 million cedis. So the state is always the loser and all the people of Ghana are the losers when people embark on violent actions.

Government will like to appeal to our Traditional Authorities throughout the country to take bold steps to settle chieftaincy and land disputes amicably. Our chiefs should remember that the honour and glory of our chieftaincy institutions is enhanced when the people live in peace. On the other hand, the honour and glory of our revered chieftaincy institutions is severely undermined by conflicts.

Our honourable Members of Parliament have a vital role to play in the search for peace throughout the country. Our honourable MPs could effectively include preventive diplomacy in their interaction with their Constituents.

Mr. Speaker, our Media Houses can also play a vital role in the employment of preventive diplomacy to stem conflicts and I earnestly appeal to them to give a lending hand by educating our people on the dangers of wars and the value of dialogue to address differences.

Indeed all Ghanaians have a role to play to foster peaceful co-existences within the Ghanaian society.

Mr. Speaker, let me take this opportunity to commend the Upper East Regional Security Council, the Ghana Armed Forces, the Police Service and the Intelligence Services for the efficient and responsible way they have so far handled the Bawku situation and I urge them to continue serving their country in such dedicated manner.

Mr. Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to address the House.