Justice is peace

But can we agree on what justice is?

As we wait for the crucial day of August 29th 2013 for the SC to pronounce on the winner of the legal arguments coming out of the 2012 elections , we have had many opinions on justice and peace. Sometimes it is as if the two are mutually exclusive. To my mind the two are co terminus . People have written the aim is for justice and not peace . So what is Justice?

This we can define as fairness or reasonableness, especially in the way people are treated or decisions are made or the

system or application of law: the legal system, or the act of applying or upholding the law. In our petition hearing then one wants to know if the laws governing the election have been applied fairly or reasonably or if the electoral laws have been upheld

This brings are to the next question of what is a law or laws . We see that this relates to a system of rules a society sets to maintain order. Agreeably there are many categories of law, and each set of rules it governs...

What is the need of law or laws. This is to keep order and peace. One can see that absence of laws will lead to chaos. Just imagine you can drive on any side of the road . What will be the result?

So Why do we need laws? Laws are very important for human beings for orderly conduct of people It also drives the sense of security. Laws are made to force people to be good, because individuals are controlled more by their passion and education alone can't make them good, so laws were created to scare people to be 'good'. In the ten commandments we see a set laws to regulate the conduct of people and the sanctions associated with it. African societies as we know them have always had laws and sanctions and all depend on the severity of the offence or the infringement . This starts from the home into the community. A notorious offender can be sent into banishment or as in my place the 5th landing stage (Tokor ator lia)

Our system have always made these laws known to people and also had adjudicators. These adjudicators are the judges and they have always had an elevated position in society and are expected to be up right . Thus they are well respected. Paramount is that they are fair so they dispense justice and justice is seen to have been done. This enables the litigants to be satisfied after the judgment. It is this acceptance of the adjudication by a neutral body or person that leads to peace . You have a misunderstanding with your sibling and you let your parents judge it and both of you accept the ruling.

So what is peace ?This can be said to be freedom from war: or conflict or tranquility: a calm and quiet state, free from disturbances or noise. It is mostly in this state that we can have progress . Development results when one is able to focus on ideas , turn them into plans and then implement them. “ In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God and God said let there be light and there was light” . In the quiet and peace God conceived a universe of which we are a part .That is the reward of peace . It is thus in the quietness of peace that we shall find solutions to our problems. Problems of how to improve our education and make our children more competitive and so socially mobile. Solutions to growing the GDP so all can benefit from it and remove or minimize the inequalities that are there now. Solutions to our poor agriculture and how to produce more for export and stabilize the currency . Solutions to the housing deficit and toilet shortage . Solutions to dumsor , dumsor. Solutions to water resources that will minimize the health issues we have . Solutions to “ galamsey “ and soil degradation and pollution of our lakes and rivers.

For some years now, some of us have made it a point to disparage both the people and the institutions when things do not go our way. The Police Service and law enforcement have not been spared . The retired IGP was called names and insulted on so many occasions it was as if policing was a piece of cake . Then came the Census and again the GSS and its head came under fire .Figures put out that favored the other side were met with disdain and scorn and more insults. In the long run the lady was sent on leave and pushed aside .The attacks were personal when they should have been restricted to the quality of her work just as the one on the IGP. We witnessed the same attacks on the EC and Dr Afari- Gyan after the election results were announced. His competence was questioned and again attacks were personal . It has now gone to the SC and its president Justice Atubuga . It has not been a surprise the attacks on people like Tsatsu Tsikata . The question is why we cannot stick to the issues at stake without being personal. Poor late President Attah Mills was bathed in the venom of insults until he gave up the ghost . I want to ask if all these insults put a seed in the ground for germination or laid a block for foundation for housing or a centimeter of bitumen on the road. Ford, Wright brothers, Steve Job, Simms , Walton and the rest did not succeed by insults, but through positivity. The irony is these people call themselves followers of Christ (Christians), beating their chests and some of us “pagans”, (trokosi) . The Christians , long before Jesus came had the 10 commandments . These represented the rules and regulations to be followed as Christians . They are basic and form a great deal of our common law which has gone into our constitution . Is Christianity all about noise , singing and clapping in the churches or action? Love thy neighbor , from which comes respect and fairness . We await the results but before that let us take the actions that will promote peace . Below are some quotes which we can act on to promote the peace

Mahatma Gandhi says, peace lies , “In the attitude of silence, the soul finds the path in a clearer light, and that ,which is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness”

Other quotes by intelligent souls past and present read as

“Peace has never come from dropping bombs. Real peace comes from enlightenment and educating people to behave more in a divine manner.”

“If you want to make peace, you don't talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies”. Moshe Dayan

“If you want peace, stop fighting. If you want peace of mind, stop fighting with your thoughts”

Finally “Only a peace between equals can last. Only a peace the very principle of which is equality and a common participation in a common benefit. : Woodrow Wilson

The writer Kojo Tamakloe is an Nkrumaist who believes in African Unity lies the solution to Africa’s development

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