"Sieme Preko" demo to be crushed?

Plans to turn the planned "sieme preko" march in Kumasi into a violent affair has been reported in the "Ghana Palaver", a pro-government private newspaper.

In its May 16-18, 1995 edition, the paper quotes an "authoritative" source as saying that the "demonstrators, "who were treated with kids gloves last Thursday in Accra are to be matched violence for violence by various groups of patriots who are fed up with the political antics of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and its so-called political allies". "In the name of peace and security, the authoritative GHANA PALAVER wishes to call off their demonstration in Kumasi or bear the full responsibility for whatever happens on the 18th. Unlike what happened in Accra, the organisers of the demonstrations may not be lucky this time around", the paper concluded.

Coming from a paper which has the Minister of Information as one of its "advisers", the warnings above have to be taken seriously. We hope that the rights of Ghanaians to take part in demonstrations as enshrined in the fourth republican constitution will be protected, defended and very importantly, exercised responsibly to avoid the degeneration of our society into chaos and anarchy.