The National Union of Tunisian Journalists (SNJT) on Thursday condemned the arrest of Al Jazeera Tunis bureau journalist Samir Sassi during a raid on his home by the National Guard's Terrorist Crimes Investigation Unit in Ettadhamon district. The SNJT denounced in a statement the journalist's "abusive detention" for more than 12 hours and the fact that he was taken to an unknown destination without informing his family. According to the union, this is a violation of the right to defence guaranteed by Law No. 2016-5 of February 16, 2016 amending and supplementing certain provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The union said a National Guard unit searched the journalist's home before confiscating his computer, telephone and the mobile phones of all his family members and taking him to an unknown destination. It was only Thursday, that his place of detention was revealed. The SNJT added that Samir Sassi's lawyer stated that the unit in question had received an order prohibiting the presence of a lawy er for 48 hours. Suspicions of terrorism could be linked to this case, according to him. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse The Bonoman Institute, a Sunyani-based civil society organisation, has advocated for urgent measures to tackle intra-chieftaincy discords drawing back development in the Bono and Bono East Regions. Describing chieftaincy disputes and conflicts as 'traitors of our progress in the regions,' the Institute regretted many of the unresolved disputes within some traditional areas 'are some major factors pushing our development far behind.' In a statement issued and jointly signed by Messrs. Atta Akoto Snr, the Executive Director responsible for Operations and Ansu Gyabaah, the Executive Director in charge of Public Director of Affairs of the Institute and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) said 'suspicious environment lacks the right energy to have the needed cohesion for development as a group of people.' Bonoman Institute is a registered organisation that has the mission to be a resource hub that works to ensure the absolute development of the Bono people through documentation, preservation and promotion of their culture, history, and heritage as well as highlight and enhance their potential to contribute to local, regional, national, and global economic development. In pursuit of its vision, the institute delves into issues of concern that could influence the development of the Bono and Bono East regions. The statement indicated promotion of peace and unity amongst Bono and Bono East Chiefs was an irreplaceable mission 'that we pray our chiefs and elders, and political elites should address as a matter of urgency.' To ensure economic development, the statement underlined the importance of actions that promoted enterprise and business development. This would surely position the regions for trade and other economic activities in order to bring about the development of the people. 'We pray our chiefs to lead in this regard by liaising with politicians and most importantly their natives who have risen in business to achieve this important feat,' it stated. 'Revisiting the Bonokyempem Council is another means that we believe can be used to ensure coordination in our growth and development. The Bonokyempem council should not be replaced by the Regional House of Chiefs but rather further modified to meet our contemporary developmental needs.' The statement further entreated the people in the two regions 'to come out of their shells to defy all odds to make a difference,' saying 'There are examples of several others that have evolved from the two regions to make huge strides.' It stressed 'development of the Bono Twi dialect is yet another important element that is required to bring about the needed development and identity of the people,' stressing the Bonoman Institute through the Bono Twi Project was going to implement to enhance the development of the regions. 'Protection of our natural resources from unscrupulous people who selfishly steal or find ways to own them should be a matter of grave concern to us too.' The statement added cross regional conflicts with other chiefs in the country were an emerging is sue that ought to be addressed for the sake of peace in the country. There should, therefore, be conscious efforts led by the chiefs of the Bono and Bono East to industrialize the regions. This would certainly enhance employment promotion as well as harness the region's agricultural capacity through an enhanced value chain to improve the economic values of the people, particularly farmers and the youths, it said. The statement concluded armed robbery on the highways and cattle herdsmen attacks on farmers as well as the use of their cattle to destroy others' farms must be dealt with as emergency issues. Source: Ghana News Agency