Violence Begets Violence

In July 1992, the Department of Political Science of the University of Ghana organised a seminar on “Political Parties and Democracy in the Fourth Republic”.

Among those who presented papers was Prof. K. G. Folson, who submitted, among other things, that to deepen and strengthen democracy under the Fourth Republic, “the political parties will have a heavy responsibility to ensure that the democratic machinery works”.

He noted that in the 1950's and 60's, it “was not uncommon for political parties engaged in competitive bidding for support among the electorate to carry out this particular function to the accompaniment of violence.

Over the years this penchant for violence has decreased, though there are recurring situations which are always in danger of regression into violence…….”

Prof. Folson submitted that “in the Fourth Republic, it will be the duty of the regional and national officers of the parties to keep the temperature of political debate low and to restrain their supporters so that the temptation to violence can be held in check and democratic stability encouraged.”

The recent developments in Tamale and Gushiegu, where supporters of the New Patriotic Party and the National Democratic Congress resorted to violence, including arson and bloodshed, to state the claims of their parties, clearly establish failure on the part of the political parties to reach out to the people democratically.

The leadership of the two parties must accept responsibility, condemn the violence and take steps to eliminate violence completely from our political process.

Where the parties have appealing and functional programmes and policies, they would not have to resort to coercion to win votes.

As was noted by Ralph Waldo Emersion in 1871, “If a man can write a better book, or preach a better sermon, or make a better mouse trap than his neighbour, even if he builds his house in the woods, the world will make a beaten path to his door.”

The only avenue open to the political parties to secure the consent and support of our people is through transparency, openness and their track records, rather than chaos and mayhem.

That is why when we are jostled by violence, we should not vacillate or take partisan position but condemn all such acts unequivocally and unconditionally.

We must never allow the political parties to abuse our sensibilities and sensitivities in the name of election campaigns.

And it must be pointed out to the people of the Northern Region, particularly Dagombas, that they do not have any monopoly over the resort to violence in the pursuit of political power.

The Dagombas are behaving like the Asantes in the pre-independence and immediate post-independence days of 'mate-meho'.

Even then, there was an agenda of federalism. But whether in the National Liberation Movement (NLM) - Convention People's Party (CPP) days of 'mate-meho' or today's NPP-NDC mayhem in Dagbon, one strand is that the architects of the mayhem are let loose.

The NLM-CPP violence persisted for as long as the government did not do anything against criminals who were perceived to be its supporters and as long as that happened, those on the other side were emboldened to act in all manner of ways to suggest that they were not afraid of the government or could not be cowed.

The flippant resort to guns in Tamale in the name of politics has continued throughout all these years of the Fourth Republic because the state has not acted decisively against the perpetrators.

In the days of the NDC, the alibi was always that supporters of the party were either defending themselves or were provoked to act.

The same refrain is being sung, except that the victims and perpetrators are never established. We acquiesce because we find favour or solace in such violent conduct.

The major casualty in these political clowning and glorification of violence is personnel of the Ghana Police Service, who are not only rendered impotent and powerless, but also untrustworthy and useless.

For unless it is arrogance, infatuation and irrational delusive misplaced self-confidence, empty boastfulness and show of power, how come that the Central Region, which hosted three presidential aspirants at the same time did not boil, but the Northern Region was set on fire because of the presence of a running mate.

The people of Tamale and Dagombas in particular must do an internal analysis of their psyche and predisposition to violence to spur other people's political agenda.

It must not be lost on anyone that after misleading thousands of Kenyans to slaughter themselves, today, President Kibaki and Prime Minister Odinga sit down together and are pursuing common policies.

Odinga has got what he wanted. Kibaki has maintained what he said he had won. But those innocent lives that were terminated cannot be resurrected.

Those they left behind may never make it in life or recover from the losses.

If Morgan Tsvangirai had not reasoned, innocent Zimbabweans would have continued to be slaughtered.

Today, even if there has not been an agreement, they are talking. Those MPs who were elected have taken their seats in parliament.

Indeed, in the case of Kenya, the wives of the key protagonists, on whose behalf or behest slaughters were carried out, are to be put on public salary, despite the cries of the people. Qui bono?

In whatever we do, we must realise that beyond the tag as Asantes, Gas, Dagombas, Fantes, Akyems, Gonjas or Frafras, and whether we belong to the NPP, NDC, Convention People's Party, Democratic Freedom Party, People's National Convention or whatever, we are foremost Ghanaians and human.

We must agree with the poet when he says,

“Fleecy looks and black complexion;

Cannot forfeit nature's claims;

Skin may differ, but affection;

Dwells in black and white the same;

And were I so tall as to reach the pole;

Or to grasp the ocean at a span;

I must be measured by my soul;

The mind is the standard of the man.

Yes, we need to campaign or protest against any illegality or manipulation whether from the governing or opposition parties, but we must remember that all these must be aimed at strengthening and deepening democracy, but not to scuttle or undermine constitutionalism.

In reference to Dr Martin Luther King, these must be “means to awaken a sense of shame within the oppressor and challenge his false sense of superiority.

But, the end is reconciliation; the end is redemption; the end is the creation of the beloved community.

“It is this type of spirit and this type of love that can transform opposers into friends. It is this type of understanding goodwill that will transform the deep gloom of the old age into the exuberant gladness of the new age.

It is this love which will bring about miracles in the hearts of men.”

The challenge then is to our political leaders, Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo Addo, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills and particularly our Tamale MPs, Haruna Iddrisu and Fuseini Inusa, as well as the Metropolitan Chief Executive, Amin Anta, to demonstrate that they are not in love with power but democracy, constitutionalism, the rule of law and humanity.

To paraphrase the poet Holland,

God, give us Leaders!

A time like this demands strong minds, great hearts;

True faith and ready hands;

Leaders whom the lust of office does not kill;

Leaders whom the spoils of life cannot buy;

Leaders who possess opinions and a will;

Leaders who have honour;

Leaders who will not lie;

Leaders who can stand before a demagogue and damn his treacherous flatteries without winking!

Tall leaders, sun crowned, who live above the fog,

In public duty and private thinking.”