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Opinions of Tuesday, 29 November 2011

Columnist: Quaye, Stephen A.

Violence Has No Place In Ghana. Misstatement Number [1]

From: Stephen A.Quaye, Toronto-Canada.

At the recently held Town Hall Meeting at Ottawa-Canada by president John Evans Atta Mills, he made series of statements as he was addressing Ghanaians who came to listen to him.
Through his twenty minutes improvised speech, he made certain statements that after several days this reporter has been searching for the truth to present to the good people to offer them the opportunity to judge by themselves.
To begin with, president John Evans Atta Mills, after having been touched so much by the gospel song “ADEKESE A WAYE” sang by the entire people gathered before a prayer was said, made it clear to all that he despises violence and blood shed as the two does not have a place in the country.
“Well said Mr. President” as someone tried to praise him for such admonition to his people as head of state. But let us ask, is the president really putting his foot down to ensure that what he said becomes a reality or he was just making statement to receive applause?
Was the president able to point out few violent scenes or better still acts which are causing violence and bloodshed in the country and what he is doing to ensure justice?
Or in a prophet looking manner new as he tries to pose to Ghanaians, could foresee a possible violence and bloodshed ahead and want to caution? Unless someone tells me I can not tell.
But let us ask ourselves this simple question. What causes violence and bloodshed? Can you get that?
The president is saying that violence and bloodshed does not have a place in Ghana failing to tell us what exactly causes violence and bloodshed in a country for all of us to know and guard against.
However, from layman’s view or understanding, it is very clear that violence and bloodshed can easily be caused by issuing of threatening speeches or unacceptable statements or an insult which causes fear and panic that incites people to go after one another.
A typical example is the Rwandan Genocide which was started by issuance of a threatening statement in the media calling on one tribe to kill members of another tribe describing members of that tribe as “cockroaches”.
Just sit back and look at how insulting statements keep flying in the air just like particles being carried around by air. Politics of insults everyday heard on our airwaves is so shocking that many of us currently living in diaspora even listens to them via the internet radio or read them on newspapers websites via the internet.
No but how can we be able to know that the president’s belly dancer has threatened members of the opposition party NPP that they should not dare force themselves into power and should they attempt they will be the first people to visit their graves?
After the rebuttal given him Ghanaians and particularly my respected religious leader, Ameer and Missionary in charge of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission Mualvi Wahab Adam, the belly dancer could not hide in his shell but come out to apologize telling all who made him to make that threatening statement.
Thank God religious leaders as well as other high powered personalities have come out to condemn the statement which can incite people to cause violence and bloodshed.
But before we go, who are those causing the violence in the system? A whole district chief executive punching people least he is angry and switch off his phone for days to even avoid the president from reaching out to him and no one can say anything?
Two NDC aspiring parliamentary candidates in Koforidua caught in free for all street fight even before getting elected by delegates and president Atta Mills still tells Ghanaians that violence and bloodshed does not have a place in Ghana and you believe that?
Ghanaians are very discerning and do believe that they will not be carried away by statements but criticize issues and make inform choices so far as the 2012 election fast approaches.
End.