Tamale, Sept. 17, GNA - Professor Na John Nabila, Paramount Chief of the Wulugu Traditional Area, has said chiefs in the Northern Region might be compelled to ban political parties that incite violence during their campaigns in the region.

He said it was the right of political parties to campaign and solicit for votes but in view of the recurrence of violence in some parts of the Northern Region during rallies it was the moral and social responsibility of chiefs to protect their people.

Na Prof Nabila, a member of the Council of State, was speaking at a one day forum organized by the Northern Region House of Chiefs with support from Sustainable Peace Initiative for chiefs, political party leaders and other stakeholders in Tamale on Monday.

He said the outbreak of violence could be traced to the culture of impunity whereby people take the law into their own hands and attack their perceived "enemies" who are only political opponents. "The issue of impunity must be addressed for peace to prevail. Some have violated the law but they have not been punished and this leads to further impunity", Naa Prof Nabila said.

Na Prof Nabila appealed to religious leaders to go beyond preaching peace in their churches and mosques by openly condemning activities that threaten the peace and stability of the nation.

Na Prof Nabila called on all stakeholders involved in the election to stand firm and ensure that the rule of law and order prevailed. "If mobs try to forceful release a culprit from police custody then there is no discipline."

He expressed concern over the activities of some FM Stations that use their airwaves to insult and cast insinuations and generally make unsubstantiated allegations against well meaning people in society, including chiefs.

Na Bohugu Mahami Abdulai Sheriga, President of the Northern Regional House of Chiefs and King of Mamprugu, also expressed dismay about the frequent violence in the north and urged people from the north to set their priorities right by fighting poverty, illiteracy and disease. "I urge all residents of the region and beyond to convert their energies into ventures that would enable them provide education for kids, health care for their families and development for our communities rather than stock pilling arms," Na Sheriga said.

The Mamprugu King called on the leadership of all political parties to openly condemn violence of all forms and instead advocate dialogue to their supporters.

Na Sheriga called on the security agencies, especially the police to be proactive, decisive and objective and above all to be non-partisan in the discharge of their duties during the election.

He urged the Electoral Commission, the National Commission for Civic Education and the District Security Committees to stick to their constitutional mandates to ensure free, fair and transparent elections. Mrs Afi Yakubu, a Programmes Officer of the Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA), warned about the dangers associated with the proliferation of small arms and drew attention to the civil wars that occurred in countries such as Rwanda and Liberia and the horrors that afflicted the civil population. She said all the signs that led to such wars were manifesting themselves in Ghana and cautioned that if care was not taken it could spell doom for the country.

Mrs Yakubu said ethnicity, chieftaincy and religion had dire consequences for the country's democracy.

"The line between politics, ethnicity, chieftaincy and religion has become so thin that these conflicts cannot be distinguished", she said.

She said Ghana's new democratic era had added another twist to it with the Northern Region becoming the cannon fodder for political violence and mentioned areas such as Yendi, Bunkrugu/Yunyoo, Gushiegu and Bawku in the Upper East Region as examples. She said in Tamale for instance the Dagbon chieftaincy issue had become so entrenched that even non Dagombas were taking sides. Mrs. Yakubu appealed to people from the north to unite and let their focus cut across the political divide and set up the agenda for their own development or remain divided and continue to be used as political cannon fodder.