Legal Revolution – Violence free election

The letter you are about to read is a letter I sent first to the UN divisional office in Geneva, Switzerland and later to the Electoral Assistance Division at the UN Head Office in the United States. The purpose of the letter was to solicit for sponsorship in embarking on the project enumerated in the content below. I am glad to share with you this piece because the project is still on my heart and wish anyone of you will be of help. Our country shall continue to lead Africa to a total liberation, never kill the hope too soon.

Dear Mr. Jenness, I am highly delighted to get in contact with you. First of all I have been redirected to your office by the NGO department at the UN office in Geneva, which I have earlier forwarded the mail to you. I am Clifford Owusu-Gyamfi and a Master student at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland.

I am highly impressed and inspired by the peaceful nature of my country Ghana and also proud to be a son of this country. But as a faithful citizen, helping to maintain this peace however becomes a responsibility and from this background that I have planned to help and promote violence free election even as Ghana prepares to vote this year. I do hereby copy to you the same message that I sent to the NGO department in Geneva for you to have an overview of what I am thinking and planning to do and however will need sponsorship to achieve it successfully:

We are all aware of the chaotic revolutions which happened in the Arab communities and neighboring countries which turned up to cost thousands of lives; not forgetting la Cote d'Ivoire and presently Senegal. I have always asked myself, "Can’t certain things be changed without the nature of violence?" I however agree with Mahatma Gandhi when he said, “I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent.”

From last year, we have heard of exchange of insults and aggressive nature of political campaigns which have never been witnessed before in the Ghanaian politics. A typical example is the "All-die-be-die" adage which is being employed as a campaign tool. The media is filled with anger as people try to react to some of these issues. The question is, "Are we to sit down to think that we shall have a peaceful election?" Sure, we hope for a peaceful election but we cannot fold our arms to think that all will be well.

Ghana has been praised by the International communities for its democracy and peaceful transition of powers. Because of this, it places a high challenge and responsibility on us to protect and maintain this good name.

December 2012 is an election year and this, however, calls for each individual in Ghana to recognize that peace is the bedrock to development and this must be impressed in the minds of the people as they decide whom to cast their vote for.

In the event of this, I and some students from my university and other youths from different backgrounds and regions in Ghana are embarking on a (1 month) National Violence Free Election 2012 Campaign. It shall begin with:

1. A Press Conference to address the need for peace and how we can have violence free election.

2. Further we shall have a meeting with the political leaders to help promote violence free election by advising themselves and their supporters as they tour the country for their campaigns. Each one of them can dedicate at least 5minutes on a political platform to promote peaceful election.

3. We shall visit traditional rulers and elders in the traditional areas to help promote this agenda also.

4. We shall go to religious bodies, colleges and universities to give talks about Violence Free Election 2012.

5. Increase publicity on the radios and televisions to send the news afar and near.

6. Shall speak with the government of Ghana to offer security nationwide during and after the election so that the security forces can quickly respond and stop any violence insurrection in the country.

These and many more that we will do to maintain the peace of Ghana's tender democracy.

Thank you very much for the time spent in reading this. I rest at your disposition for further questions and requirements.

Yours faithfully

Clifford Owusu-Gyamfi

University of Lausanne

clifford.owusu-gyamfi@unil.ch

0041786575054

In response:

Dear Mr. Owusu-Gyamfi,

Many thanks for getting in touch with us. My Director informed me that you also called him.

I've read your planned activities below with interest. I appreciate your interest in ensuring peace around election time, and in the idea that peace is the bedrock for development.. The Electoral Assistance Division does not, however, make grants. Our work consists, substantially, in coordinating the UN's work in electoral assistance and ensuring that the proper response is given requests for electoral assistance from member states of the organisation.

You may want to contact the UNDP office in Accra, which might be in a position to help sponsor some of the planned activities. I must add, though, that such funding, where it exists, is usually limited, and preference might be given to well established NGOs based locally.

Best regards,

Akinyemi O. Adegbola

Team Leader, Country Support (Cluster 1)

Electoral Assistance Division, Department of Political Affairs