Battle lines drawn between Rawlings, Govt

The Speech: Audio

Tension seems to be mounting between former President Jerry John Rawlings and the government following his (Rawlings's) outburst during a lecture on June 4.

Rawlings lashed at President John Kufuor and some members of his government, for not giving him the courtesies due a former president and also called the Foreign Minister a liar, a development some members of the Kufuor administration have strongly reacted to and even threatened to take the former leader to court if they feel defamed by his utterances.

Rawlings speaking the commemoration of the June 4 Revolution that brought the AFRC to power in 1979, sums up the relationship between the NDC and the NPP when he said, "we are divertically opposed. For them to reverse June 4 should not surprise you. They don't seem to understand the strength and the spirit from which June comes from."

"Nkrumah cannot undo June 4, Rawlings cannot undo it, Limann could not undo it, you Kufuor cannot outdo it," the former President said to the chagrin of most people who listened to the lecture.

Rawlings told a cheering crowd at the Art Centre in Accra where the event was observed that Foreign Minister, Hackman Owusu-Agyeman lied when he said he (Rawlings) has been speaking evil about the country when he goes outside. He said Hackman lied but because the government did not want to show that he is a liar, it refused to publish the speech he made in Washington adding the government has a copy.

He accused the government of denying him courtesies due him as former president and asked that the President listens to the advice President Obasanjo of Nigeria gave him obviously on how to treat former presidents. "He Kufuor must listen to the advice Obasanjo gave him about how to treat former heads of state."

Rawlings also accused the government of driving away all the good brains in the civil service with "go on leave" and sending wrong signals to the international community which he said has accused the government of "petty-mindedness".

Speaking to a large crowd including heavy weights in the NDC, the former president admonished the government to leave above petty-mindedness and hatred and use some integrity in dealing with the problems of the country, saying, "the exercise of power must enjoy some sense of nationalism."

In what many see as a threat due to his background as a three-time coup maker, Rawlings said in no uncertain terms that the government of President Kufuor is enjoying what he called "fan fool respect" saying both civilians and the army are pretending to be respecting the government, "but if only they knew what is in the minds of these people...if they think they are secure, then they could be surprised because one day there could be a boom."

Some members of the government have seen these words as a threat to the nation and the government and have vowed to deal ruthlessly with the former President if he tries to disrupt the democratic process.

Government spokesperson, Elizabeth Ohene has however denied that his government does not give the ex-president the courtesies due him saying Rawlings's outburst should be treated with the contempt it deserves. Ohene who was angry about the utterances of Rawlings said "Rawlings wants to bring the politics of infamy and incitement, but we have gone past that. We'll not descend into the gutter with him."

Some members of the government have declared their readiness to deal with the former president if he does not change his stance and not meddling in the politics of the nation and live as a statesman.

Former deputy Minister for Defence, Dr. Tony Aidoo in his speech called the NPP government a "Fascist government" and also accused the President of nepotism. He said most of the appointments made by the President since he took over office, has been to his relatives.

The debate is on in the country as to how to deal with the former president in the aftermath of his outburst. It is not immediately known what steps the government will take under the circumstances but President Kufuor who is in South Africa has indicated his readiness to continue to treat his predecessor as due him. The President has also called on members of his government to exercise restraint.