Former President Rawlings is endorsing violence – Kwesi Annin

Head of Research at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, Dr. Kwesi Annin has accused former President Rawlings of endorsing violence in the North.

Dr Annin says the former president’s comments over the weekend when he visited the chiefs and people of Dagbon endorsed the violent acts carried out by the youth of the area.

Last Tuesday, March 29, the youth made up of predominantly Andanis, burnt down NDC offices in Tamale among other acts which left one person dead in protest against a Fast Track High Court ruling which acquitted 14 people accused of murdering the late Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II.

In his remarks during his visit to the area, Former President Jerry Rawlings said the quest to seek justice for the Andanis will remain elusive so long as the courts remain packed with what he describes as corrupt cronies of former President J.A. Kufuor.

“The Supreme Court and a lot of these court houses are loaded and packed with corrupt cronies of Kufuor, how do you expect to get justice from some of these corrupt elements.

He said the people of Dagbon were not interested in the money that had blinded the people in power and that what they rather yearned for was justice which the government should give them. 
H
e further warned the repercussions could be grave if President Mills does not ensure a just and free society.

But Dr. Annin says the former president should have advised the youth to eschew violence instead of accusing the judiciary because it endorses the violence that was carried out by the Andani youth.

He told Adom News that it is appalling that six days after the heinous event nobody has been arrested stating that  if care is not taken people will be made to think that they can commit violent activities without been punished.

He stated that the people who threatened the president not to go to the Northern Region or he would regret it if he did so should be arrested because no one has the authority to threaten the President and also called for the heads of the Andani youth who burned down the Northern Regional Headquarters of NDC to serve as a deterrent to others.

Story: Kwaku Adu Kumi/Adom News/Ghana