<<Print>>

A Tema-based Human Rights Activist, Camillus Maalneriba-Tia Sakzeesi, has rolled out his TEARS on paper decrying the conflicts up North. Below is the full statement. �Tears Of A Northern Patriot: These Conflicts Up North Must Stop, And It Is Northerners Who Must Stop Them� A Tema-based Human Rights Activist has rolled out his TEARS on paper decrying the conflicts up North. In a Press Statement titled above, and released on Monday September 14, 2009 the activist, Camillus Maalneriba-Tia Sakzeesi, said it is heart-stabbing that sometimes; �I see my fellow brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers killed in such UNREASONABLE BATTLES. When I see children orphaned due to the arrogation of MIGHT of the GUN, MATCHETE or BOW & ARROW used by the �human-being� who controls these BRAINLESS tools of ANARCHY, I get frozen to the marrow�, he lamented. According to the activist, the most disappointing aspect of it is that, the elite in ACADEMIA, the economically and financially well-to-do groupings are the promoters of these conflicts. He said evidence abound in this assertion, because since the DAGBON and KUSASI-MAMPRUSI conflicts, it has always been those who are academically well baked who show themselves up as spokesmen for the various groups. If they don�t support the conflicts, what are they SPOKESPERSONS for? �Fortunately,�he said, �all those who talk on radio for the various sides are considered Role-Models in their communities. If these personalities tell their kinsmen that it is time for them to jaw-jaw, no gun would be fired again. But why have these people refused to do this HONOURABLE ACT that is capable of stopping the guns from being fired?� he ask. He said �when the influential people of these conflict origins refuse to talk PEACE, but clandestinely urge their kinsmen to fight on, how do they feel when they see their children�s age-mates doing menial jobs because they dropped out of school as a result of these wars? When they see them around the Tudu area with head-pans looking for loads to carry, have they ever had their eyes welling upon TEARS? I guess not! For if these AIR-CRARY spokespersons had emotional VESSELS in their anatomical systems, these things would not have happened. Indeed they would have served as STOP-GAPS since our unfortunate illiterate brothers are always ready to listen to them� he bemoaned. According to Camillus M.T. Sakzeesi, almost all the spokesmen are �Men of LETTERS� signifying that they are well educated. �If EDUCATION is a LEBERATING� tool, as we are made to understand, then what kind of liberation have these Professors, Doctors, Lawyers and Engineers gone through if they CANNOT help the children of their unfortunate brothers to acquire some education to compensate for their parents inability to get it?�, he again quizzed. Quoting from the renowned Buddhist Philosopher and President of Soka Gakkai International, Dr. Daisaku Ikeda who said in his �THOUGHTS ON PEACE� that �I also hold that an inner change in the depths of people�s lives can transform EGOISM and replace it with a LOVING humanism that seeks PEACE and CO-EXISTENCE among all people;� he said in the same vein the EGO-centered northern elite should re-think their positions in all the conflicts up there. He continued and quoted the Philosopher further that �No matter what JUSTIFICATIONS may be offered, in my view, there is absolutely no such thing as a JUST and CORRECT WAR. WAR treats human life as a means to an end; it brings only terrible suffering and unhappiness to ordinary men and women on both sides.� He said �these are thought-provoking-�thoughts� of this Peace-initiator that all northerners must seek his literary materials on the urgent need for this �cannibalistic� initiative to stop,� he implored. He urged the promoters of these wars to normally tune-in to the various radio stations and listen to the insults we are made to HARVEST from our southern brothers and sisters. �Yes all northerners have the right to be annoyed upon hearing these insults, but the question is who caused the insults to be hipped on us?� he asked. One disturbing factor, according to the activist, is the hypocrisy of the Christian/Islamic religions that have firm foundations in both Dagbon and the Bawku environs. To the best of his knowledge, none of these religious encourage violence, let alone the taking of human lives. He therefore, called on the National Chief Imam, since these two areas are predominantly Moslems, to convene a �convention� of all regional Chief Imams and Islamic Clerics throughout the country to educate our brothers and sisters to give PEACE a chance. �The fact is that no matter the circumstances that lead to the TAKING OF A LIFE, no amount of revenge can bring that life back. We would eventually wipe ourselves out of this earth,� he said �Dialogue in CONSTRUCTIVE ENGAGEMENT is the way out�, he said. �I am also urging all PROMINENT northerners in the three regions to begin engaging ourselves and engaging directly, the participants in these conflicts towards an acceptable and everlasting resolution,� Sakzeesi appealed. The statement appealed especially through Kweku Sintim Misah (KSM) to the Agona Duakwa Brass Band and the young �Anansewaas� who appeared in his programme recently �Thank God It�s Friday�, to be part of �Youth Ambassadors for Peace� to educate the young up-coming ones in the north to distance themselves from violence. Concluding his statement, the activist went back to the Buddhist Philosopher who said; �Natural disasters such as floods or earth-quakes cannot be prevented by human reason or wisdom. But problems that are caused by human beings themselves can be resolved by HUMAN BEINGS.� The statement, therefore is calling especially on Moslems everywhere, that now that �we are left with a week to end the Ramadan month, we should use the tongues and lips that we use in praying for PEACE and good health, to use same to appeal to ALLAH to help us drop-our-limps-in-action, and rather the Lips and Tongues to talk PEACE�, it concluded. Issued in Tema, September 14, 2009. By: Camillus Maalneriba-Tia Sakzeesi Tel: 0249 488120 E-mail: [email protected]