FOSDA's position on recent spate of armed violence

The tragic outcomes from recent outbreaks of violence in Ghana have dangerous consequences for all Ghanaians, no matter where they live, according to a leading civil society organisation working for the promotion of peace and reduction of armed violence in West Africa.

The use of arms in Upper East, West and the Northern Regions in the past week gives ample proof to recent official reports and news of increased trafficking and proliferation of small arms in Ghana,” says Ms. Afi Yakubu, Executive Director of the Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA).

“People died over disputes that might have been solved by negotiations if lethal weapons were not so easy to obtain throughout the country,” she said. The bigger picture has to reflect the effects of armed conflicts on the country's growing democratic credentials and the desire of all of us for peaceful elections in December 2012.

“FOSDA is calling for a swifter response by law enforcement agencies to stem these conflicts by ensuring that such dangerous weapons do not fall into wrong hands. They should be proactive and ensure that the use of small arms in our society is drastically brought under control.

FOSDA has since 2000 led the campaign on action against the misuse of small arms and light weapons in West Africa. Ghana is signatory to the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms, Light Weapons, Their Ammunitions and other associated Materials which came into force in November 2009. The objectives of the convention among others seek to prevent and combat the excessive and destabilising accumulation of small arms and light weapons within the sub-region. Ghana ratified it on 5th March 2010.

In the past two weeks, at least five regions have witnessed deadly clashes erupt over chieftaincy, or land disputes or ethnic rivalries. They include the ethno-religious clashes at Hohoe in the Volta Region, the Fante-Ewe clashes at Ekumfi Narkwa in the Central Region, the Wa chieftaincy dispute which resulted in the death of two in the Upper West Region, the ethnic conflict between the Tindogo and Namolog in the Talensi Nabdam District in the Upper East Region and the land dispute between the Kokombas and Bimobas in the Northern Region. In all these conflicts, small arms were weapons of choice resulting in the deaths of at least 11 people and several others severely inured.

Fatal conflicts according to Afi, have multiplying consequences on the communities where they occur. Women and children invariably bear the brunt in a disproportionate way. Their properties are destroyed and livelihoods distressed. Ghana has better priorities to develop as a democratic nation instead of resorting to violence in the resolution of communal disputes. The government should therefore encourage Ghanaians to regard community and state security as a collective responsibility.

Afi noted that “election years are highly agitated moments when any unrest could ignite violence and called on all stakeholders to be circumspect in their utterances. We need national leadership to get to the root of these disputes in order to resolve them. Our government should put inter-communal conflicts top of the list and address them immediately.

The statement also reminded Ghanaians of the celebration of this year's Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence which is currently underway from 11 to 17 June 2012. The Week of Action highlights the international campaign to stop the proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons.