00:00In the northern Ghanaian community of Ngangwa Burug, Olivia Dude shifts through the charred
00:05remains of her belongings.
00:07Her home was burned during a violent attack in January, triggered by a chieftain's dispute.
00:13Olivia and her family fled to Napanduri, seeking shelter with relatives.
00:19I and the children and my husband, we were in the house.
00:24So we heard a gunshot and we saw a house burning.
00:30So we have to run for our lives.
00:33The conflict, sparked by the installation of rival chiefts, has claimed lives, destroyed
00:38homes and displaced over 500 people.
00:42Just months ago, Olivia sold bread and fish to support her family.
00:48Now her property has been looted by scrap dealers.
00:52I don't even want to talk about it because the money I used in investing is too much
01:03because I don't think I can even get that money again to start again.
01:09But amid the devastation, women in the community are demanding peace.
01:14In a powerful traditional ritual, women march to the Bimbabwechi Palace, denouncing the violence
01:20and calling for unity.
01:22A procession, led by members of the Yenutunok Foundation, symbolizes a deep cultural plea
01:28for reconciliation.
01:30We are urging patients from everyone.
01:34That is why we are using the leaves to plead for peace, so we can return to our homes with
01:40our children.
01:41We are tired of running with the children to the mountains to hide.
01:46It is the reason why we are marching today.
01:48At the palace, their message was received with respect.
01:53A local elder acknowledged their call and expressed willingness to work toward peace.
02:00We are ready for peace and we have accepted, but we are not the only people to make peace.
02:07We need to come together to make peace.
02:09So this is to bring all actors on board.
02:10So that we see our best we can move to forge peace together.
02:13While Ghana provides sanctuary to refugees from the Sahel, many of its citizens, especially
02:20in the north, continue to live in fear.
02:23Overall, Ghana is grappling with over 500 active conflicts, mostly rooted in ethnic and land
02:30disputes.
02:31The entire state machinery has actually run out of ideas, their actual ideas with ends.
02:38That's why they have had to run back to the time-tested influence and authority of our
02:46traditional rulers.
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