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President Rawlings' June 4 Speech

Mon, 6 Jun 2011 Source: --

ADDRESS BY FLT LT JERRY JOHN RAWLINGS, FORMER PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN OF THE

ERSTWHILE ARMED FORCES REVOLUTIONARY COUNCIL AT THE 32ND ANNIVERSARY

CELEBRATION OF THE JUNE 4TH UPRISING ­ JUBILEE PARK, KUMASI

June 4th 1979 was the day of very few words. It was a very liberating day.

It was another moment of truth in the history of our nation. It was about

the fourth moment of truth since our independence. Come July 8th we will

have to face another moment of truth.

June 4th was a day the human spirit decided enough was enough. It was a

period the spirit of the nation came alive and decided enough was enough. No

man was born to slave for another. Leadership did not give the right to rule

with impunity. Corruption was taught a lesson. The misuse and abuses of the

cohesive machinery of the state was turned against the abusers.

As corrupt as the Kufuor administration was, so also has this leadership

been unmatched in crass behaviour.

June 4th is a day we take inspiration from. June 4th demonstrated to all of

us the need to respect human values.

We have strayed away from those cherished human values. Too many things are

going wrong. Too many things that went wrong during the Kufuor regime have

still not been rectified.

The human rights violations and ethnic persecutions that should have been

investigated and dealt with. The assassinations, plots and plans that should

also have been investigated have all been left unattended to.

This government¹s refusal to undo the injustices of the past will only lead

to perpetuation of socio-economic injustice in Ghana.

Ladies and gentlemen: There are times when people find it easier and more

comfortable living with a misconception than facing the uncomfortable truth.

A good number of people in this government and the leadership of the party

would rather lose the 2012 national election to the NPP than for the NDC to

remain in power with a new leadership that will demand socio-economic

justice, probity and accountability right to the letter.

The timid and sometimes cowardly behaviour of some of the NDC leadership was

evident throughout the NPP regime but we find it convenient to make

ourselves believe that timid behaviour never existed.

That pattern of behaviour has become even more visible since the NDC came

back into office. And yet after almost two and half years some of us still

cannot open our eyes to the reality of what is going on. Are we not drifting

aimlessly free with the NPP still pretty much in control?

Our nervousness about the future is still blinding us to the decay that may

rather cost us the 2012 elections. Certain personalities in the leadership

of this government who were spared from NPP¹s persecution and have jumped

into the driving seat of the government have also not only decided to leave

all the injustices intact, but have gone beyond it to dip their hands and

feet into resources that would make them financial creators and breakers of

the political will and power of the people. And this is all happening at the

expense of stable, noble, human values.

Ladies and gentlemen: There are too many mean spirited things going on that

I don¹t want to waste time talking about now. The indecent distortions that

have been sown into our party are alien to us. The PNDC/NDC believed and

showed respect and trust for one another. Today it is not only appointees

who are being held to ransom; our people are also being held to ransom;

their economic and social insecurity is being taken advantage of while

intimidating with threats and money. We are a party that used to believe in

the rights and convictions of the individual. What has happened to our

values?

If we truly believe that my sincere and justified criticism of a man I have

stood by through the most politically trying and turbulent times was simply

because I wanted Nana Konadu Agyeman in power, then the principled political

public service for the past twenty years or so has been lost on you. Then

fellow countrymen and women and I suggest you tell your delegates to defy

their conscience.

That day those of us who truly love the NDC may step out hopefully free of

our burdens and certainly with our God blessed principles and dignity

intact.

We are fighting first and foremost for the sanctity of principles without

which a President is nothing.

Ladies and gentlemen, Nana Konadu Agyeman will win. But assuming she were to

lose the 76% rating as some elements in government are claiming, she would

have stood up to be counted amongst those who accepted the call to stop the

ship from sinking.

Some are calling for our silence in order to preserve a legacy. Where is the

value of preserving such a legacy, knowing very well you¹re on a sinking

ship?

Arabs are today fighting in their countries for their June 4th whilst others

are engaged in a 31st December.

We have had the privilege of our own June 4th and 31st December a few

decades ago. Let us not squander it. Freedom and justice can be very costly.

We nearly lost it under the NPP had the determined spirit of this country

not rescued it in 2008.

Ladies and gentlemen: Any form of socio-economic injustice that is not

rectified ends up perpetuating itself.

I assure you that a new leadership borne out of the conscience of the people

on that July 8th will bring back the spirit of reconciliation, cooperation

and unity, as we have always attempted to do in order to bring the nation

and government back on course.

If the presidency however remains adamant and refuses to recognise the new

will and spirit of the party and possibly even goes to further undermine the

future leadership then the inevitable will surely happen.

Ladies and gentlemen: The next opportunity I get I would want to demonstrate

to you how persistently blind we have been to the perversion of justice and

why this country will remain under the bondage of a parasitic group of

people.

Have we had the opportunity to change this situation since we came into

office? Yes we have, but we have almost squandered it and are on the verge

of perpetuating the violation of justice by leaving its sanctity in the

hands of conniving human beings instead of the constitution. Our lack of

faith in the judicial consciousness of our people has made this government a

clear failure in our fight to stop the manipulation of justice by a handful

of self-seeking individuals.

The sanctity of justice should be preserved and protected with all of us

being subject to the practice of what is just. Hear me out when the time

comes. Dangerous times are ahead of us because we failed to do what we

needed to do when you gave us back the power in 2008.

I cannot end this address without saying a big thank you to the armed forces

and the security services and the great people of Ghana for the gift of June

4th and 31st December.

Thank you.

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