Rawlings: Kufour Deserves The Hague

We Ghanaians ought to pat ourselves on the shoulder for electing Atta mills to serve us. Indeed, Atta Mills has proven to both friend, and foe that he has the capacity to serve us wholeheartedly. Atta mills is a man of character and dignity, who also happens to have a very unique style of doing politics. I call his style of conducting politics reconciliatory. Meaning, he prefers forgiveness to political witch-hunt, and a common dialogue to achieve a collective means. I must say that I do respect his noble approach to politics. This said, Atta Mills should bear in mind that politics cannot be conducted from the church pulpit, but rather from the streets. We all know and vividly remember the bureaucratic misconducts, which transpired during former president Kufour's tenure. And we all do know that those shameful deeds cannot be swept under carpet just like that.

Therefore, the president must put his reconciliatory political approach aside, and let justice prevail by all means necessary. Rawlings has been trying to remind Atta mills that the people of Ghana are expecting him to act with immediate effect. The people are not only looking to him to be a father to all, but also to be a true leader. Then again, why not? After all, the NDC party was solely elected by the people of Ghana to come clean house, and also to offer the people a different style of leadership. A leadership of the people, by the people and for the people. Let us not forget to remember that former president Kufour was responsible for one of the most corrupt governments in our nation's history. A government which traded responsibility, accountability and transparency to the people for lies, deceit and complete discard for the rule of law, order and justice. The sad thing is, after eight futile years of NPP misrule, the people of Ghana were left with nothing to show for. Regrettably, Atta Mills had to go and beg in order to put bread and water on the table. Apart from the gross mismanagement of our nation's economy by Kufour's government, several hideous crimes were committed by personnels employed by his government as well. We cannot forget the gruesome killings of Ya-Na Andani Yakubu II, the overlord of Dagbon and 40 of his elders. There are some of you out there, who would say that former president Kufour is innocent. But is he really and what makes you all so sure? This is a former president, who has chosen silence as his defense. However, what Kufour doesn't seem to understand is that the maintenance of silence could mean the admittance of guilt. He was the president of this country, when these crimes against humanity were committed. He was fully in charge of the nation's affairs. He could have deployed people to conduct a thorough investigation into these killings. But the question is; did he?

I must deeply confess that I totally agree with Rawlings, when he said that former president Kufour deserves to be tried in The Hague for crimes against humanity. The absurd notion that life is cheap, and therefore could be taken by anyone shouldn't be entertained. I wonder what president Kufour would've done had these killings happened in Kumasi with Asantehene and his elders being the victims. Would Kufour have remained silent or would he have acted? Mind you, I don't mean to spark any tribal sentiment, or even encourage tribalism. However, the truth needs to be spoken and the right questions asked. Is the blood of a non-Akan overlord, and his elders inferior to the blood of an Akan king/chief? The blood of Ya-Na Andani Yakubu II, and 40 of his slained elders is still crying out for justice. May these slained men find justice in the courtroom of The Hague.