Drum Wars News 1
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Drum Wars News 1 Drum Wars News News accounts of the Ghana Drum Wars, 1998-2003 Compiled by Ter Ellingson Non-Christians condemn attacks on them by Christians http://allafrica.com/stories/199807140153.html Ghana Focus July 14, 1998 Posted to the web July 14, 1998 Accra Believers in African Traditional Religion Tuesday condemned verbal attacks on them by Christians and said such attacks do not urgur well for freedom of worship. A statement signed by Osofo Kofi Ameve of the African Renaissance Mission "abhorred the use of radio and other mass media by Christian to insult believers of African religion". "Some Pentecostal Churches are the main perpetrators of the act. It is disheartening to hear open insults, abuses and brazen misinterpretation of facts and downright untruths being told about our African religious heritage", it said, adding that such behaviour could disturb religious peace. Believers in African Traditional Region said in the statement that as an adjunct to the abusive preaching on the airwaves is the use of gospel songs heavily "imbued with insults and derogatory remarks about African religion". "We cannot see why the gospel preachers cannot propagate their gospel in a more peaceful manner without insulting or singing songs that seek to ridicule other religions". It accused the radio stations of only interested in money they collect from customers and did not seem to care about injuries the gospel preachers cause to others. The statement appealed to the government to ensure that a guideline is worked out to regulate preaching on the radio to ensure an atmosphere of peace. Traditionalists have in recent times clashed with Christians, accusing the Christians of not respecting traditional practises. Last month a group of youngmen broke into a church during Sunday service, injured several people, broke down walls and damaged cars. They accused the worshippers of not observing a ban on drumming imposed by fetish priests of the area as part of the celebration of a traditional festival. Copyright © 2002 Ghana Focus. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). Drum Wars News 2 The Controversial Ban On Drumming http://allafrica.com/stories/199905120234.html The Independent (Accra) May 12, 1999 Posted to the web May 12, 1999 Accra A week ago, the Secretaries General of the National Catholic Secretariat, the Christian Council of Ghana and the President of the Ghana Pentecostal Council issued a statement in reaction to a letter issued by the Ga Traditional Council on drumming and noise-making in Accra. We the Catholic Bishops, the Heads of Member Churches of the Christian Council and the President of the Ghana Pentecostal Council have noted that the prohibition on drumming is not new, and is not peculiar to the Ga Traditional Area. It is a prohibition enforced in other parts of the country for social, cultural and religious motives. This, and other cultural and religious practices have been with us for many years and have until recently not been the cause for conflict for anyone. There has always been an understanding between us and our traditional leaders and we have always lived together in peace and tranquility. We wonder why this sudden call for prohibition on drumming and noise-making. Is it probably urged by the fact that there is indeed an increase in undue noise-making and drumming which go on in certain places till well in the night, if not starting too early in the morning? Or could they also be due to the insults and abuses which some newly founded Churches hurl on traditional authorities? We, the Catholic Bishops of Ghana, the Heads of Member Churches of the Christian Council and the President of the Ghana Pentecostal Council deeply denounce these unfortunate behaviours which we deem to be unChristian. Sometimes, we ourselves are victims of this behaviour from groups which claim to be Christian. We love our culture and respect our traditional leaders, but we strongly believe that the statement from the Ga Traditional Council infringes on our basic human and constitutional rights. We are being asked to involve ourselves in traditional religious practices which we do not believe in. We are being forced to avoid something which our religion expects us to do, namely to sing drum and praise our God. Our traditional leaders should not force us to do something against our conscience. Such an action is against our human rights. It will not be in the interest of our traditional leaders and will cause disaffection and lead to violence which will not augur well for our country. Because of our Christian call to be peace-loving, we have tried to deal with this problem. We have sought and obtained an audience with the National House of Chiefs and a joint committee is discussing the issue. Therefore while we ask all Christian churches to restrict the use of drums to their churches and avoid unnecessary noise during the period of the ban in the interest of peace and reconciliation, we hope that the Ga Traditional Council would respond to our gesture by respecting our way of worship. Copyright © 2002 The Independent. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). Click here to contact the copyright holder directly for corrections -- or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material. Drum Wars News 3 Further directive on the Ban on Drumming/Noise Making http://allafrica.com/stories/199905180248.html The Independent (Accra) May 18, 1999 Posted to the web May 18, 1999 Accra On the 5th of May 1999 the Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference, Heads of Churches of the Christian Council of Ghana and the Ghana Pentecoastal Council issued a statement in reaction to the release of the Ga Traditional Council on drumming and noise-making our respect for our culture and our traditional leaders, and admitted that there have been abuses by some Christian groups in the past. The Bishops and Heads of Churches however, in the interest of peace and reconciliation asked all Christians to restrict their drumming to their respective places of worship and avoid unnecessary noise making. It was stated clearly that the statement of the Ga Traditional Council was an infringement on our basic human and constitutional rights and that we were being asked to involve ourselves in traditional religious practices we do not believe in. We note with deep regret that our peace stance notwithstanding certain Churches in Accra were at the weekend vandalised. Church Leaders and members were beaten and some Churches were looted by people who claimed to have been sent by the Traditional Council. This state of affairs creates tensions, disharmony and lawlessness which is not in the interest of the Churches, the Traditional Council and the country as a whole. Therefore we are asking the law enforcement agencies to take note of this alarming situation and act expeditiously before the situation gets out of hand. We shall be very grateful if the Ga Traditional Council publicly disassociates itself with the unfortunate behaviour of those who claim to be acting on its behalf. We ask all Christians to restrain themselves from the provocations, restrict their drumming to their Churches and avoid unnecessary noise making as previously directed. Furthermore, we ask all Christian Leaders to avoid making unauthorised statements without regard to the official statements already made. Copyright © 2002 The Independent. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). Click here to contact the copyright holder directly for corrections -- or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material. Drum Wars News 4 Thugs Vandalising Churches in Accra http://allafrica.com/stories/199905180171.html The Independent (Accra) May 18, 1999 Posted to the web May 18, 1999 Thomas Fosu, JR. Accra A group of gangsters numbering about 12 went on the rampage attacking a number of churches in the Accra Metropolis last Sunday. This is the latest of such attacks believed to be the handiwork of the chiefs of the Ga Traditional Council and to be perpetrated by hired thugs as a way of ensuring the compliance with the ban on drumming by these "recalcitrant" churches. One of such churches which suffered the planned brutalities at the weekend was the Living Light Ministry at Darkuman-Nyamekye in Accra. According to sources, the thugs arrived there in a Benz mini bus at about 11:30am when the second service was in session. The heavily drunk well-built thugs wielding bottles and sticks entered the church room and held the congregation to ransom, demanding the immediate stoppage of church service because, according to the thugs, the congregation was disturbing with their musical instruments. The thugs then seized all the loudspeakers and the musical instruments and packed them into their waiting vehicle. According to the sources, some men amongst the congregation who were taken aback started challenging the action of the mob and tried to restrain them from carrying the musical instruments away but the thugs, however, threatened to kill anyone who would come their way. The head pastor of the church, Rev. Gideon Somuah-Dapaah, promptly ordered his men to be calm for the thugs to take whatever they wanted. After they had taken everything and were about to go, some church members who happened to know some of the gangsters consulted them. And after a lengthy consultation, the seized items were released to the church. There was no casualty. Later in an interview with The Independent, head pastor Rev. Somuah-Dapaah advised leaders of churches and Christians in general to exhibit a high sense of maturity in resolving the differences between the churches and traditionalists because, according to him, the situation was becoming increasingly volatile.