Women were however the greater victims. Now some of them, calling themselves the Concerned Women of Dagbon, have come together to fight for their rights. Last week they petitioned the Kuga Na, the acting Ya Na and copied it to President Kufuor. Their appeal is presented below in full.

"This appeal to Tiyaba Kuga Na and His Majesty Otumfuo, surviving fathers of Dagbon, is on behalf of the over 1,500 silent and suffering women whose marriages have been unilaterally terminated by their husbands, to whom they have been married between 10-30 years with children, following events of March 25-27 2002 at Yendi in which Na Yakubu and about 40 others lost their lives.

We begin with the expression of our profound appreciation of the efforts of Otumfuo, Na Yiri , Yogbun Wura, Catholic Church, International NGOs led by UN Secretary General's Representative and some Dagbon local NGOs.

We salute all of them, and humbly wish to bring to the notice of your Excellencies and the world at large, one of the ugliest faces of the Dagbon Crisis:

That is the termination of the marriages of about 300 women across Southern Ghana and over 1200 spread over the rest of Dagbon heartland itself with the negative social and economic hardship imposed on the women with toddlers and little children whose upkeep rests entirely on these unfortunate mothers, are largely illiterates without professions or skills or training to embark on income generation ventures to look after their children.

We therefore humbly appeal to Tiyaba Kuga Na to intervene. Before this unilateral break of marriages, even Ya Na's widows themselves have since March 26, 2002 been cramped and confined in an 8-room compound house in Tamale.

Yes, some philanthropists and well wishers are offering help, but we dare say that the current state of NO PEACE NO WAR virtually leaves everyone in a quandary

That is why we are happy to learn that Tiyaba Kuga Na has started the process to ensure the completion of the Otumfuo funded temporary palace, which was halted at the height of the 2004 political campaign.

Let us remember that all too soon, on March 27 our overlord would still be [has been] lying for 3 solid years without a fixed date for burial.

Finally we wish to reassure Tiyaba Kuga Na and Otumfuo that we are action oriented and not mere talkatives. We therefore pledge not merely to help financially, but even offer manual labour and catering services to workers at the site.

To this end, we are mobilizing 30 million cedis to compliment Otunfuo's efforts and also help Kuga Na to look after the widows of the Ya Na from next month as well as reconstruct Gbazalin Duu (Inner Palace of the Senior wife of the Ya Na) fitted with modern facilities.

We shall also raise additional 20 million cedis to help other women whose husbands refuse to reunite with them, by June so that such women can engage in income generating ventures to look after themselves and" their children.

Petitioners:

Suweiba Lansah
Fusena Lulo
Sharatu
Awabu Mahama
Sister Maami
Sadia Alhassan
Alia Adam
Afishata
Zenabu A Wolu
Meimunatu