Rawlings Interview With PeaceFM

Peace FM (PFM): Good afternoon, Sir.

Jerry John Rawlings (JJR): Yes, good afternoon.

PFM: Sir, can you tell us what you really meant by the rhetorical question, 'Must we wait for another four years?' because some people are of the view that the statement was inflammatory.

JJR: No, no, no I did not mean to incite any ill-feeling. All I meant to say was that I want justice to prevail. How can we get President Kufuor and his government to ensure that justice is done? That is all I am asking for; that is all we are all asking for.

PFM: I want to find out which avenues or channels you think Ghanaians could use to make justice prevail?

JJR: Well, the judiciary, civil society, various institutions, organisations and commanders are there to do so. I am simply asking that all of us ensure it since we have a divine responsibility to protect justice. If there is injustice we can prevent it by raising our voices and by embarking on civil actions.

PFM: Mr Rawlings, are you saying that it would be okay for the NDC supporters and probably Ghanaians in general to embark on another "Kume Preko," considering the implications of the first "Kume Preko' at this point?

JJR: NDC supporters would not embark on a "Kume Preko.' The organisers of it did what they did because they knew what the political motives behind it were. They were the ones who were armed with missiles. We have engaged in demonstrations before and they turned out to be peaceful. We had one in Accra and the other one in Kumasi, I do not know where else; because we go about these things in a very civilised manner without any ill motivations to do havoc or to throw stones and missiles at people. I am only trying to make Ghanaians wake up to the fact that embarking on demonstrations is a constitutional right. It is better for us to do that than to sit down for the atrocities to continue and allow something worse to happen; something that we do not want because we want to stay within the confines of the democratic culture; we must protect the constitution and the government.

PFM: Sir, most political analysts are of the view that you should take a cue from perhaps former US President Bill Clinton, by cutting down on your constant criticism of the NPP government and allow President Kufuor to serve the nation in his own style. What is your take on that?

JJR: If you leave out President Clinton, how many other personalities; congressmen and women, institutions in that country, priests, bishops, and whatnots, professors and people of substance in that country and lay people are able to raise their voices? Their media are full of questions and criticisms and so President Clinton does not even have to talk, Okay? How many, how many of the media houses and institutions and personalities in this country are able to question President Kufuor and his government on things that they are doing? How many people have raised their voices on the Ya-Na thing? How many people have questioned Kufuor about the death of the recent one, right after the electoral process? If nobody is going to say it, I am afraid, you would not stop hearing the last of me. I will continue to say it because it is wrong. And if nobody is going to say it that will not stop me from doing so. I would wish that I did not have to say it; hoping that the Council of State members and several others, civil society would be raising these issues but they have all kept mute, or most of them, not all.

PFM: What is the way forward for your party, the NDC?

JJR: I believe you may be asking this because of what you have heard. Quite frankly as far as I am concerned every party, every human organisation, every institution have problems of that kind. However, I do know that our people are making the necessary preparations towards the congress. I know all are looking forward to it very anxiously and I hope that we can use that occasion to thank those who have done a good job and to retain especially the very dynamic ones who have made it possible for us to retain the integrity of our party and to make room for some of the other dynamic ones, let us say some of the retired MPs as well as other men and women of substance to join the leadership at the various levels all the way up to the national. I believe we would be hearing a lot more; very proactive things when the time comes. But now discussions are going on and there are few things that are in the pipeline I do not particularly want to talk about.

PFM: Alright Sir, thank you very much for talking to us. It has really been a real pleasure talking to you.

JJR: Before you go off, did I clarify the issue of, "I cannot wait, I cannot wait?"

PFM: I am sure you did.

JJR: Thank you very much.