Dialogue is needed between government, separatist group – Security analyst

A security analyst and consultant, David Agbe wants government to stop hounding members of the separatist group and dialogue with its leaders.

To him, the dialogue will give government the opportunity to understand the concerns of the Homeland Study Group Foundation and find amicable ways of calming them down and resolving any outstanding issue.

David Agbe who is the Executive Director for Institute for Ghana Institute of Governance and Security (GIGS), believes that such move is better than arresting members of the group which he insists will amount to nothing in the long run.

He further described the arrest of the members of the group as a knee jerk approach.

The security analyst made the remark on Behind the News on Radio Ghana on Monday.

“Separatist groups are all over the world. But what we are seeing now is just a basic issue that government needs to meet with those people and dialogue with them. Government needs to engage these people and ask them– what can we do for you? What is your problem?”

Arrest of separatists 

Mr. Agbe made the suggestion on the back of the arrest of  some 21 suspected members of the separatists group by the Ghana Armed Forces.

The suspects comprising 20 males and a female were rounded up at their alleged training camp in a forest in Kpevedui in the Volta Region during the early hours of Monday by soldiers of the 66 Artillery Regiment.

Over 40 members of the group had earlier been arrested in various parts of the country and put before court.

Stop arrests

But according to Mr. Agbe, the arrests will not in any way end the revolt.

“I’m speaking from my understanding of international systems and security point of view. Government needs to pay attention to these people. It is not going to stop today; it is not going to stop tomorrow. What they are looking for in international law is called self-determination. Many people are looking for self-determination. You cannot deny them self-determination. What you need to do is to try as much as possible to negotiate to be able to bring them to a consensus telling them that whatever you are seeking for, government is ever ready to address their concerns so they should tone down. But if you keep using police and military force, it will get a point in time that you will not be able to control it,” he noted.