By Muyid Deen Suleman, GNA
Kumasi, Dec. 11, GNA – The leadership of Tabital Pulaaku International, has called on the government and the security agencies to investigate and sanction people who commit atrocities against the ‘Fulbes’, (Fulani people), as done for other ethnic groups.
Tabital Pulaaku is an international association founded in 2002, to unite people of Fulani descent around the world.
Fulani people are an African tribe believed to have come from northern Africa, although there is some debate they may have originated in the Middle East and settled in countries including Ghana.
Alhaji Yakubu Musah Barry, General Secretary of the Ghana chapter of Tabital Pulaaku, speaking on the 11th annual ‘Dua’ and forum in Kumasi to deliberate on Fulbe issues said, the fulbe ethnic group in Ghana had come under serious attack, this year and this, should have been declared a threat to national security.
Alhaji Barry indicated that many Fulanis had lost their lives, cattle and many others had had their homes burnt down to ashes and most of the perpetrators of these heinous crimes were still walking unpunished.
Recently, he noted, there was attack on the entire Fulani’s residing in Bongo Soiby, who were chased away by residents, forcing them to seek refuge at the Bolga Sports stadium.
At Binaaba, a town in Zebila District, both in Upper East Region some miscreants, ganged-raped one fulbe girl and stripped another one naked, he added.
Another sad incident, he explained, happened at Zackoli, a small community near Yendi in the Northern Region where nine Fulanis’ were burnt to death.
Other five Fulanis were reported killed at Obuasi and Tarkwa and one fulbe man beheaded at Maame Krobo near Tiase in the Afram Plains.
According to him, the Fulani leadership in Ghana were unhappy about this overlooked injustice to the Fulani people and there was the need for the authorities to take discrimination against Fulanis seriously.
He said, another critical concern that gave the leadership sleepless night was the issue of Fulbe access to national documents such as the Ghana Card and passport.
Alhaji Barry noted that, the Fulanis’ were often denied the two important documents on the basis that they were not Ghanaians, which is worrying.
He added that the Fulani leadership was solidly behind justice and would not shield any Fulani found to be criminal.
They would rather give information to the security forces for them to be arrested and dealt with according to the laws of the country.
“No doubt, the dry season has set in, very soon we will have our Fulani counterparts from the neighboring countries migrating into Ghana to seek grazing pastures.
For this reason, we want to extend a special appeal to all the traditional leaders within the entry zones to liaise with the National Executives of Tabital pulaaku, Fulani Chiefs and the Security forces to regulate their entry into the country to prevent security threats that their entry may pose to the nation”, he stated
Alhaji Barry said the leadership of the Tabital Pulaaku International, National Council of Fulani Chiefs and Ullamahs were committed to collaborating with traditional rulers, government, the security agencies and all those who matters in peace and security of this nation to a dialogue towards, building crime free societies, transforming the cattle rearing practice in Ghana and adopting sustainable interventions that would discourage farmer-herder conflict in the country.
He also appealed to the media and the security agencies to stop mentioning the tribe and call the perpetrators by their names.
GNA