TAFO UNREST-PEACE COUNCIL IDENTIFIES UNDER CURRENT ISSUES
The Ashanti Regional Peace Council has
observed that even though there appears to be some visible signs of peace
within the Tafo township in the Kumasi metropolis a week after eruption of
violence in the town, there is still prevailing under current issues that must be tackled
comprehensively to address the problem.
Speaking to Ashanti Today in Kumasi,
the Regional Chairman of the Peace Council, Professor Seth Opuni Asiamah said
the Council has been able to identify some under currents that require
attention to forestall recurring of the deadly violence.
Professor Asiamah
explained that after separately meeting the two sides involved in the incident, the Peace Council has
realized that the youth of Tafo still feel unfairly treated after the Zongo
youth allegedly physically assaulted the chief of Tafo, Nana Agyen Frimpong
without any punitive measure taken against the culprits.
Again, the Tafo youth
are aggrieved about speculations that suspected culprits of the violence released
unconditionally from Police custody are bragging that nothing happened to them.
These indicators, according to him, suggest that more work need to be done to calm
tempers for the restoration of total peace in the township.
Professor Asiamah
disclosed that even though the Regional Peace Council has been working very
hard behind the scenes since its inauguration and has been able to stop some
conflicts from degenerating into full scale violence, the Tafo incident took
them by surprise.
Nonetheless, the Council will continue with its peace talks
to ensure that all the parties in that violence no longer habour ill feelings
about the other.
The Regional Peace Council Chairman stressed that last week’s
violence eruption between the Muslim youth and the traditional authority of
Tafo should send clear signals to everyone that peace and security cannot be
taken for granted.
He warned again that the incident should be considered on
its face value with linking it to either party politics, religion or sectarian.
This is because any such tendency could be dangerous for the peace and security
of the country especially this year when elections are to be held.
Professor
Asiamah therefore asked the media to help educate the public on the need for
peaceful co-existence.
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