Nawuris, Konkombas seek peace

Ho (Volta Region) -- The Volta Regional Minister, Kwasi Owusu-Yeboa on Monday told a delegation of Nawuri Chiefs that the primary concern of the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) was to restore normal life to Kitare and allow the law to deal with the Konkombas, who allegedly killed four Nawuris and a Basare on 26 October this year.

Owusu-Yeboa said this when a 12-member delegation led by Nana Bristian Atorsa of Kpandai in the Northern Region sought audience with the REGSEC to discuss ways of ensuring a safe return of Nawuris, who fled during the disturbances to Kitare.

Owusu-Yeboa assured the delegation that REGSEC would facilitate the return and protection of Nawuris, Konkombas and others to the town after a thorough assessment of the security situation. He said the REGSEC was convinced that only a few Konkombas committed the dastardly act of killing the four Nawuris.

"We are not pampering anybody and there should be no generalisations and sweeping statements", he warned.

He confirmed that the identities of those who carried out the killings have been established and that the assistance of both the Konkombas and Nawuris were needed to apprehend and prosecute them.

Owusu-Yeboa said revenge was not the way to solve the problem since a delegation of Konkombas earlier at a meeting with the REGSEC expressed its embarrassment with what happened.

Nana Atorsa told the REGSEC that there was goodwill currently between the Nawuris and Konkombas, adding that some Konkombas had even agreed to join them to meet the REGSEC but they pulled out at the last minute because they were made to believe that they would be arrested.

Nana Atorsa said since the incident a committee comprising Nawuris, Konkombas and Chokosis had been visiting Kitare to assess the situation on the ground but the impression gathered was that it was still not safe for the Nawuris who fled the area to return.

Nana Oklas Nkpanibake II, Chief of Disane also in the Northern Region, said the Nawuris were not asking that the Konkombas should be flushed out of the area but that "those of us who are weak are protected so that the process of peace building can start."

Nana Nkpanibake expressed reservations about news reports on the incident, suggesting that there was a clash between the Konkombas and the Nawuris that day over a hoe.

He said the Nawuris of Kitare "B" Zongo were the victims of unprovoked attack from the Konkombas over a misunderstanding regarding what was suspected to be an illicit love affair between Kwesi Abalo, a Nawuri youth and a Grace Agbodo, who was the widow of a Konkomba man.