Gen Erskine was undisciplined - Boakye Djan

GENERAL (Rtd) EMMANUEL Erskine, a member of the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) was yesterday caught up in a web he set for a witness, who appeared before the commission.

The witness, Osaahene Major (Rtd) Kojo Boakye-Djan, spokesman for the erstwhile Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) threw a bombshell at the commission, when he accused General Erskine of introducing indiscipline into the armed forces.

Testifying at the commission, Boakye Djan, together with three of the 13 surviving members of the AFRC regime, pointed out in accepting the position of army commander in the National Liberation Council (NLC) regime, General Erskine went against the dictates and spirit of the military set-up and for that matter, his action amounted to a gross indiscipline.

“This is where the indiscipline began,” Boakye-Djan bluntly told the commission.

“Indiscipline is not only done when it is done by a corporal. It is equally wrong when it is done by a General”, witness added.

General Erskine had this response when he noted that witness owes Ghanaians apologies for bequeathing to the country the legacies of gross indiscipline in the armed forces as well as legacies of brutalities and pain to the people of the country.

Boakye-Djan, who at numerous instances continued to justify the AFRC regime, told the commission that General Erskine had to suffer for his decision of accepting the position in the NLC regime.

He indicated that for General Erskine’s punishment, his name was featured prominently on a list of 400 people, who were due for execution during the AFRC military junta.

The former AFRC spokesman, who said he attained the title, Osaahene from his colleagues as a war leader, also described as ridiculous the position expressed by one of the commissioners that the overthrow of the Supreme Military Council II (SMC II) by the AFRC was an illegality.

According to witness, the AFRC overthrew an anti-constitutional regime and therefore was legitimate.

Boakye-Djan noted that the then SMC II were operating an unconstitutional regime and therefore should be made to account for their actions.

As a result, witness said a people’s court was set up with Squadron Leader Dagbey as its chairman to try the operatives of the SMC II and SMC I.

Witness, flanked by his colleagues, L/C Peter Tasiri Azongo, Fred Ansah Atiemo and John Newton Gatsiku proposed that the assessment of the human rights record of the AFRC must be seen from the fact that the regime operated as an insurgent counter coup pursuing the ends of existing justice in the country, adding that any miscarriage of justice must be seen as being done in good faith.

This, he observed, would put an end to cycle of politically motivated violence to gain power in the country, saying “the AFRC may be recommended for it nationalist commitment in pursuit of clear objectives with professionalism….”

According to the AFRC hatchet man, the 1992 constitution endorses the action of his regime as a counter coup to restore the constitution, when it was abrogated.

Witness further recommended that the formation of a national coalition government be looked at after the 2004 or 2008 elections to sustain the moves towards security and development and parliament to take steps to decriminalize all acts in the past that contributed to straightening a sitting anti-constitutional coup.

The former AFRC spokesman noted that serious misrepresentation was initiated against the regime in connection with the AFRC monies supposedly looted by members of the regime.

According to him the process of arriving at the truth was initiated through the parliament of the Limann administration until it was disrupted by the 31st December 1981 coup and their retirement benefits agreed by the Limann administration were cut off.

Following the 1981 coup, Boakye-Djan said ex-AFRC members were exiled and victimized for their roles as members of the regime.

Witness described as a major cause of human rights abuses and violation in the country when the PNDC regime used political terrorism to acquire and maintain power in 1981.

On the issue of compensation, the ex-spokesman had this to say: “We request that all members and functionaries of the AFRC dead or alive may be publicly honoured for their example for carrying out the only counter coup to have succeeded in the history of the country.”

He also proposed the renaming of the Revolutionary Square as National Constitution Square in honor of heroes of the country who died as a result of preserving the constitution of Ghana.

He denied heroism of the AFRC saying it was in attempt to prevent further military coup and hand over peacefully to the civilian rule.