The Anufus (Chokosis) Community in Tamale has called on the defence minister, Mr. Dominic Nitwul to resign if he cannot play a neutral role in the ongoing renewed communal violence between the Chokosis and the Konkombas.
According to officials, violence erupted in remote communities in the Chereponi district for days over a small parcel of land.
Saying that they can no longer trust the neutrality of the defence minister, the Chokosis pointed out that their houses have been burnt down and several of them injured as a result of attacks by the Konkombas.
According to the Chokosis, the presence of about 30 armed military personnel in the troubled area is not helping the situation and they suspect the defence minister is siding with the Konkombas to perpetrate violence against them.
About six settlements according to the Chokosis have been burnt down by the Konkombas who are said to be advancing towards Chereponi Township.
They therefore called on the northern regional Security Council to intervene immediately to stop the Konkombas from unleashing violence on the Chokosis.
The leadership of the Anufus called on the member of parliament for Chereponi, Mr. Samuel Abdulai Jabanyitey, the former northern regional minister. Mr. Moses Mabengba, and Mr. Charles Bintim to call their people to order, because they the Anufus believe that once the Konkomba elite speak up, those engaged in the violence in the communities will stop.
Spokesperson for the Anufus, Dr Solomon Gumanga led the Chokosi community to present their concerns to the regional minister.
The renewed violence, Dr Gumanga said, started as a rumour that the Konkombas were preparing to attack the Chekosis but they did not take it seriously because they had not anticipated any trouble after they smoked the peace pipe a few months ago.
According to Dr Gumanga, measures put in place by REGSEC to prevent further attacks after the Chokosis complained failed because of fresh attacks on them.
Dr Gumanga told journalists in Tamale that, the Chokosis find it very difficult to understand what has led to the recent problem because the community where the controversial land in question is situated has been burnt down.
The Chokosis, Dr Gumanga said, have never prepared for conflicts and are powerless in what is happening now. The chiefs in the area, the Chokosi spokesperson said, can only mediate if the security agencies act professionally.
“Konkombas fought with Dagombas because they believe the land was for them. They fought the Nanumbas because they think any place they live the land belongs to them. Their elites must educate them once international boundaries are demarcated, ethnic claims to land become mute, Dr Gumanga stated.
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