AFRC, PNDC Victims Want Immunity Clause Out

A group calling itself Association of Victims of Armed Forces Revolutionary Council and National Democratic Congress (AFRC/NDC) has indicated its intention to contest the indemnity clause in the 1992 Constitution at the International Criminal Court.

The group said: "We are, therefore, calling on the President, members of Parliament and the Judiciary to take urgent steps to expunge the indemnity clauses from the Transitional Provisions of the 1992 Constitution, failing which we would be left with no option but to take the matter to the International Criminal Court to seek redress".

The group is made up of Ex-Military and Ex-Police Officers and civilians.

They group told a press conference in Accra that, "we strongly feel that the indemnity clauses in the Transitional Provisions, which in any case were not authored by the Constituent Assembly, should be set aside for the trial of Ex-President Jerry John Rawlings for his crimes against Ghana and humanity".

But for the prevalence of democracy in January 2001, most of them would still have been in exile and it was in that context that they had decided to react to Ex-President Rawlings' recent effusions in Kumasi, which were capable of undermining national security.

The members said they suffered long detentions without trial and were subjected to all forms of unjustified persecution as victims of injustice under the two regimes.

The group called on the government to take a firm, decisive and deterrent action against Ex-President Rawlings for rabble-rousing and for calling on the citizenry to ignore the law and embark on positive defiance, which they said, was nothing short of calling for anarchy and break down of law and order.

Having gone through these horrific experiences, it was only natural for them to be bitter, angry and aggrieved and have every right, good reason and justification to seek vengeance against Ex-President Rawlings and his unrepentant accomplices now that there was a level playing field where Rawlings is no longer the prosecutor, judge and the witness in his own court, the group told the well-attended press conference.

The group says, it wants to remind the present administration that it is not only in government, but it is also in power and that power must be used to protect the interests of the country and its citizens.

If on the other hand Ex-President Rawlings and his cronies should persist in misbehaving arrogantly as if they had not committed any heinous crimes against innocent citizens of Ghana, "then we, as direct victims, would crave the indulgence and understanding of Ghanaians in the event of our direct confrontation with them".

Present at the press conference were Lieutenant-Colonel Lucas Abito, former Commanding Officer Sixth Battalion of Infantry, Major Felix Asare (Rtd) formerly of the Mortar Regiment, Major Antwi Boateng (Rtd) formerly of Second Infantry Brigade, Captain Ben Edmund Duah formerly of Field Engineers Regiment, Major Mahama Awudu formerly of Mortar Regiment and Mr. Jebuni Yidana formerly of the Ghana Police Service.