Don't blame security misconduct on Gov't - Ursula Owusu

Ursula Owusu

The Vice President of FIDA International, a non-governmental organization, Ursula Owusu says blaming the misconduct of security agencies on government is irresponsible.

Speaking on Metro TV's Newspaper review programme, Good Morning Ghana on Monday, Owusu made reference to the murder in military custody of Issah Mobila, chairman of the Convention People's Party (CPP) in the Northern Region in December 2004, saying, the NDC, which was then the main opposition party in the country led the crusade to blame the Kufuor government for atrocities committed by the some men in the military.

According to her, the NPP is not chastising the government for recent misconduct of the police and military, which has led to the stripping of two civilians naked in Bawku and the raping of some girls in Nalerigu.

Ursula Owusu was commenting on media reports in Monday's Daily Guide Newspaper which revealed that medical reports had corroborated the allegations that the teenage girls in Nalerigu were indeed raped.

The report contradicts claims by the military hierarchy that the victims were only peddling falsehood about the peacekeepers, to demoralize their men on the ground.

The private legal practitioner also accused the military of bias saying that “once you hear of such an incident and you start by saying that it cannot happen; I know my men and it is not possible they will do such a thing, you have already prejudged the matter,” she said.

Consequently, she noted, that whatever investigations that would be conducted, would be done through the lens of acquiring information to exonerate those involved.

She said the military should have taken a better posture by assuring Ghanaians that investigations would be conducted and those found guilty would be punished.

She, however, cautioned that “we should never say that because our security men are well trained they can never commit such atrocities. It is never true.”

“UN peacekeepers have been found guilty of raping women in conflict situations,” she noted, as well as European and British soldiers, adding that “our soldiers aren't better trained than the UN, American and British soldiers.

By: Dorcas Efe Mensah/myjoyonline.com/Ghana