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Promote culture of tolerance and non-violence - Bombande
Accra, Nov. 6, Ghanadot/GNA -
Mr Emmanuel Bombande, Executive Director of West Africa
Network for Peace building (WANEP), on Thursday said the
promotion of the culture of tolerance and non-violence in
society would make it easier to prevent conflicts.
"We live in an environment where Ghanaians are becoming
increasingly intolerant of one another. Over the last decade
political and ethnic polarizations have divided us but when
we live in an environment where there is peace and respect
for each other's views, it becomes easier to handle wars and
conflicts," he said.
Mr Bombande was speaking at a forum organized by Hero
Productions and NuWorldAfrica.com as part of activities to
mark the United Nations International Day for Preventing the
Exploitation of the Environment in Armed Conflict, which
falls on November 6.
It was on the theme; "Safeguarding the Environment is one of
the Foundations for Peace and Security."
He said failure to exhibit good behaviour and attitudes
towards each other was likely to generate conflicts.
"When we look at our environment, we can see the causes of
violence but we have not done enough to correct the wrongs
in society in order to promote peace. You can pray for peace
but if your prayer contradicts your behaviour, it would not
bring peace because peace is not necessarily what we say but
what we live."
Mr Bombande said compatriots who should be seeking the
welfare, peace and development in the country normally
generated the conflicts.
"Conflicts do not fall from the sky but they are things that
we generate ourselves so we need to pay attention to the
underlining root causes of conflicts."
Mr Bombande urged the youth to take the mantle of leadership
now and contribute their quota towards peace building and
socio-economic development.
He called for unity among Ghanaians to ensure peaceful and
successful elections in December.
Mr Amoh Antwi-Boasiako, Programme Officer at Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), called for the sustenance of the
environment in order to preserve livelihoods.
GNA
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