Women in Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo appeal for peace

Kambadiak (NR), May 20, GNA - Women in the conflict zones of the Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo district have appealed to the men-folk to consider their children's welfare, education and the negative impact of conflicts and allow peace to prevail in those areas.

The women expressed worry that their men counterparts engaged in conflict without thinking of the plight of children and the suffering that women and the aged undergo during turbulent times. The women made the appeal in separate communities in the district during the visit of Mr Sam Nasamu Asabigi, Deputy Northern Regional Minister, to assess the situation in the affected areas, following the conflict that erupted there a few months ago. The conflict involved six communities where some 368 houses were completely burnt, with 4,048 displaced persons while two lives were lost in the latest conflict, which occurred last April. The initial conflict was between Bufuok and Tobong communities over the rehabilitation of a grinding mill and later spread to the other four communities, namely Gbankoni, Kambatiak, Gbadauk and Nasiabuak and brought untold hardships to the residents, 3,000 of who are now seeking asylum in neighbouring Togo.

The women were initially afraid to speak on the issue for fear of victimization by their husbands until the Deputy Minister assured them of their safety.

"We plead with our husbands to stop the fighting. Even if they don't love us and for that matter they don't care about us, what about their children who cannot attend school and may starve to death since your enemy will not allow you to farm", one woman lamented in Kambatiak community. "Now we don't have places to sleep, no food for us and our children are not attending school. Our roads are not good and instead of you to stand up and develop the community you are rather fighting each other. What future are you building for your children?," another woman said, and appealed to the Minister to help convince the people to accept peace. In all the communities the Deputy Regional Minister visited, the people were playing the blame game and accusing each other for starting the conflict. They said they were prepared to lay down their arms if their enemies were prepared to stop further attacks.

Mr Asabigi advised them to smoke the peace-pipe, lay down their arms and engage in food production.

"You must be worried about your children's future and the vulnerable women. If something happens to the women and the children you would all be answerable so stop teaching the children how to fight and let them go to school," he said.

Mr Asabigi said government was not interested in knowing who was right or wrong but what was important was for peace to prevail in the area so that monies spent on peace-keeping forces would be channelled into development projects. He warned that people who would defy government's warning and disturb peace in the area would be arrested and prosecuted, adding "Let us stop the fighting and till the land to get food to feed our families." Mr Wuni Sugri Issifu, Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo, National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) co-ordinator, told the GNA that all schools in the affected communities remained closed. The GNA spotted some nursing mothers breast-feeding their children under trees while others were still staying in their burnt houses during the Minister's rounds. All roads leading to the communities are not motorable, making it difficult for security personnel to respond swiftly during outbreaks of conflict in the communities.