Security Lecturer at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, Dr Victor Doke, has cautioned that the peace process in Bawku may stall unless trust between the local community and security personnel is urgently restored.
Speaking on the AM Show on JoyNews, Dr Doke stressed that the presence of security forces should serve to protect, not intimidate, residents.
“The main purpose of having security forces is to ensure that people trust them to prevent the other faction from crossing over, attacking, or singling them out,” he said.
He warned that when civilians feel targeted or harassed by security personnel, it undermines the legitimacy and purpose of their deployment.
“If, while going about your business, a security person attacks you instead, it creates the perception that they are not there to protect life and property or maintain law and order,” he added.
Dr Doke also criticized what he described as the disregard of local customs and traditional authority by some security operatives. According to him, ignoring the guidance of chiefs and other local leaders in peace-building efforts only worsens the situation.
“If security forces engage in peace-building activities but then ignore the norms and traditions of the land, or act against directives given by local kings or chiefs, then we are sure to have these kinds of incidents,” he stated.
He emphasized that successful peace-building requires collaboration and mutual respect.
“The people in the area will not trust the security personnel if they insist on doing things their own way. That’s what has happened. It’s as simple as that,” he said.
Dr Doke concluded by urging security forces to rebuild broken trust by respecting local traditions and engaging traditional leaders in the peace process.
“Trust is necessary for cooperation. When trust is broken, people will no longer provide you with vital information, and the situation will escalate,” he warned.