Executive Director of the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), Emmanuel Bombande has identified the strained and antagonistic relationship between Konkombas and Bimobas as the fundamental cause of the protracted violence between the two parties.
According to Mr. Bombande, the dispute over the land is being used as an excuse to perpetrate violence in the area.
“Between Bimobas and Konkombas, there is a relationship problem and that problem is one of antagonism and suspicion. The land becomes the convenient excuse for violence such that when one faction tries to engage in any activity involving the land, it sparks controversy between the two communities.”
Speaking on Citi FM in Accra, Mr. Bombande said the relevant authorities should divert their focus from the parcel of land and rather work to mend the broken relationship between the two parties.
“We should stop talking about the land and ask the critical question of ‘how do we restore the relationship between Bimobas and Konkombas so they see how to work together to solve the issue of the land which is the source of dispute.”
“We encourage the Police to keep doing their work…Nobody be allowed to take up arms and try to violate the rights of others so the security must deal with that squarely while we talk about how to promote dialogue and peace,” Mr Bombande added.
