NPP condemns threats against politicians

THE New Patriotic Party (NPP) 2008 Campaign Committee has condemned in the strongest terms the increasing threats to Ghanaians involved in the political process and national affairs.

According to a release signed by the Chairman of the Communications Committee Dr Kobina Arthur Kennedy, some weeks ago, following the conviction of Mr Tsatsu Tsikata by a court of competent jurisdiction, some judges, including the trial judge, received threats from radio callers and through text messages.

"While we wish Mr Tsikata well as he pursues his rights of appeal, we say that these threats are unacceptable and subversive of the rule of law," it stated.

In a press release, the committee said that soon after those incidents, the Managing Editor of the Daily Guide Mrs. Gina Blay also made similar report to the authorities that after she had been threatened.

The release said this week, the 2008 NPP Campaign Operations Committee Chairman Nitch Adi Daku, made a report to the authorities following threats to him and other members of his family relayed through text messages

Those threats it said were under investigations.

"Across the nation we have increasingly received persistent reports of party activists who have been threatened following appearances on radio programmes on behalf of the party," the release said.

It noted that the threats to judges in connection with Mr Tsikata's case were disturbingly reminiscent of those issued by former President Rawlings to the judges involved in reviewing AFRC cases and convictions a few weeks before he deposed the Limann administration through a military coup, adding that within months, three of those judges- Justices Agyapong, Sarkodie and Koranteng -Addo - were abducted from their homes by operatives of the PNDC government and together with Major Acquah (rtd), murdered in cold blood

It said those threats and the subsequent murder of the judges were clearly detailed in the report of the National Reconciliation Commission and were matters of public knowledge.

"These threats are from those in our society who wish to return this nation to the dark days of intimidation and violence. Their behaviour is subversive of the democratic culture we seek to build and must be condemned by all who are committed to our democracy," the release said, and asked civil society to condemn in the strongest terms those anti-democratic tendencies.

The statement urged the relevant authorities to take immediate and positive step to ensure peace during this election year, saying that the NPP was concerned that if such threats were not addressed, they might give rise to vigilante groups who might take the law into their own hands to deter such threats and protect themselves.

It called on NPP supporters to exercise patience while the relevant authorities addressed the issues.

It said while the threats had not been explicitly linked to the NDC, that party had a special responsibility, on account of its origins in the PNDC and its violent history, to clearly dissociate itself from the threats and condemn them in the strongest possible terms.

"Aside from his party, the former President has a duty to his country, his party and his reputation to clearly condemn these threats coming from those who are assumed to take their inspiration from him," the release said.

Source: Daily Graphic