Military swoop at Ashaiman act of cowardice and incompetence – FixTheCountry

Pressure Group, FixTheCountry has condemned “the actions of terror, brutality, illegality, and inhumanity of the Ghana Armed Forces,” meted to some residents of Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region.

Personnel from the Ghana Armed Forces in a swoop on Tuesday dawn, 7 March 2023, rounded up some 184 residents suspected to be criminals behind the killing of a young soldier who had gone to Ashaiman to visit his parents over the weekend.

The soldiers in the course of their operation brutalized the residents forcing most of them to remain indoors in what appeared to be a non-official curfew.

Reacting to the action of the personnel from the GAF, FixTheCountry in a statement said “nothing justifies rounding up and unleashing terror on ordinary and innocent civilians.”

“This was an act of cowardice and incompetence,” the group noted.

FixTheCountry stated that no one, including the military, is entitled to take the law into their own hands, particularly if it is to brutalise communities, rather than draw civic conscience to the “injustices of our society and of the system of oppression that Ghanaians are subjected to on a daily basis.”

While commiserating with the family of the deceased soldier and calling on authorities to take such steps to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book, the group also said it is important that the conduct of the GAF, as trained professionals, is reviewed independently for the impunity and disregard “for our democracy that it is.”

Meanwhile, GAF said the operation was sanctioned by the Military High Command.

The Armed Forces, however, clarified that the operation was not to avenge the killing of a soldier, Trooper Imoro Sherrif, but rather, to fish out the perpetrators of the crime.

Read below details of the statement by FixTheCountry:

CONDEMNATION OF INCIDENTS OF TERROR AND MILITARY BRUTALITY IN ASHAIMAN

FixTheCountry has confirmed reports that earlier today 7 March 2023, a contingent of several military personnel armed with armoured cars and aerial helicopter support were unlawfully deployed into civilian communities in areas of Ashaiman where they unleashed untold violence and brutal attacks on unarmed citizens and passers-by.

As we understand, the military personnel descended on the communities of Ashaiman in order to avenge the alleged killing of a military officer over the weekend, through brutal force and terror.

We, by this statement, condemn the actions of terror, brutality, illegality, and inhumanity of the Ghana Armed Forces. Nothing justifies rounding up and unleashing terror on ordinary and innocent civilians. This was an act of cowardice and incompetence. We reiterate that no one, including the military, is entitled to take the law into their own hands, particularly if it is to brutalize communities, rather than draw civic conscience to the injustices of our society and of the system of oppression that Ghanaians are subjected to on a daily basis.

While we commiserate with the family of the deceased soldier, and call on authorities to take such steps to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book, we think that it is important that the conduct of the Ghana Armed Forces, as trained professionals, is reviewed independently for the impunity and disregard for our democracy that it is.

The stomach-churning images from Ashaiman emphasize the increasing tolerance of military impunity and the normalization of extra-judicial violence by the political class in this Country. On a routine basis, our elected officials have deployed military personnel into our communities to murder and to maim civilians. From Ejura, to Wa, through Techiman and Somanya, we continue to see these repetitive acts of extra-judicial violence and killings being meted on civilians while our Government looks the other way and refuses to hold the Ghana Armed Forces accountable for its violence.

Impunity has been made to fester; and if the Ghana Armed Forces is not brought to heel immediately; we are certain that our Republic will pay the ultimate price.

We demand the resignation of the Military High Command and call on the civilized, moderate and democratic elements of the Ghana Armed Forces to take over and enforce change and discipline in the Ghana Armed Forces. We are certain that there are many in the Ghana Armed Forces, who condemn these actions and agree that Military High Command, including its Commander in Chief, are continuing to bring the prestige and respect of the Army into disrepute by these sanctioned acts of impunity and violence. Reform must come from within the Military first and as such, we call on moderate elements within the Armed Forces to lead the needed process for change and reform in the institution.

We also call on the institutions of justice and all voices of conscience in this country to speak up; to protest and fight for the return of rule of law in this Country.

We further call for justice for affected individuals and demand accountability and punishment for those involved in these atrocities.

FixTheCountry invites all affected victims to reach out to us by WhatsApp on +233303959661 so that they can be directed to the due legal, medical and psychological support.

Signed

FixTheCountry