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16.11.2015 Feature Article

Rising Intolerance In Ghana

Rising Intolerance In Ghana
16.11.2015 LISTEN

Today is the International Day for Tolerance.
Tolerance, according to the UN, is both a moral duty and a legal requirement. That is as it should be.

Unfortunately, intolerance is rife around the world and this has been so since antiquity. It has led to genocide, war, political persecution and misery. Across time, the Armenian massacre, the Jewish holocaust, the Rwandan massacre and the slave trade stand as perhaps the most egregious examples o f intolerance carried to extremes.

In Ghana, since the founding of our nation, intolerance has existed in many forms and still does.

It was intolerance that led to the Declaration of one-party state and preventive detention.

It was intolerance that led to the “culture of silence” under the Rawlings dictatorship.

In addition to its most blatant forms, it exists in more subtle forms.

Here are a some occurrences that may help our reflection on the intolerance in our midst.

Does it amount to marginalization and discrimination of Ghanaians from the North if Ghanaians decide that since John Mahama, a northerner, has failed as a President, other northerners do NOT deserve to be president? If indeed, Northerners can be held accountable for Mr. Mahama’s failings as President, can others deny Ewes and Ashantis thee presidency for the perceived failings of Rawlings and Kufuor?

When President Mahama urges Northerners to, in effect vote for him because he is one of them and President Mills told Central region audiences that President Kufuor was “ a HABAN ADZE YI” who did not understand the problems of fisher-folk, were they fuelling intolerance?

When President Rawlings criticized Central region folks, was he stigmatizing them and thus fuelling intolerance against them?

Does the way the NPP handles the Afoko problem measure its tolerance? Was the party discriminating when it investigated rumours of his involvement with drugs when it has failed to investigate other for such rumours/claims before and since?

When NPP vigilantes attack other party members physically, call me “an enemy combatant” and a traitor while celebrating those who spew ethnic bigotry, is that intolerance?

While the world celebrates this important day, in our own corner, we must light a candle for tolerance—except for the kind that tolerates intolerance!

When Martin Amidu suggests that others might not vote for other Northerners for President because Mahama has failed and Mahama urges the North not to vote for others because they are not Northerners and Mills urges Central Region folks not to vote for a “HABANADZE YI” ---they are all-- despite being good men, profoundly wrong. It should be possible for Ghanaians in the future to elect Bawumia, Bagbin or Martin Amidu as president, despite the failings of President Mahama.

It should be possible for a region, contrary to President Mahama’s pleas, to vote for a candidate who hails from another region, as CENTRAL REGION did in 2004.

When the party of Danquah and Busia desires to punish Afoko for the supposed sins of his brother when it did not—rightly—punish Ala Adjetey for his son’s membership of NDC or punish J.B. Danquah for Aaron Ofori Atta’s membership of the CPP, it is wrong.

When vigilantes in the NPP call me “enemy combatant” and a traitor, suspends Chairman Afoko for trivial reasons in violation of its own constitution and suspends members for dissenting, it is wrong. Why have those who attempted to lynch Tarzan, Bugri Naabu, Osafo Marfo and Kennedy Agyapong not attracted sanctions for their more serious transgressions if there is no discrimination in the party’s disciplinary processes?

The party of Danquah and Busia must never DISHONOUR its proud history and tradition by introducing a new “CULTURE OF SILENCE”.

Good men in good times must NEVER set bad examples for bad men in bad times.

On this day, I urge you to join the effort against intolerance in our society wherever you find it—in our parties – in our government—in our politics and in our churches.

We must pass and enforce good laws, educate the public and condemn intolerance—regardless of who is practicing it.

Let us, together, make our motto, “FREEDOM AND JUSTICE” real.

May God bless Ghana.
Arthur Kobina Kennedy

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