Public Agenda (Accra)
Basiru Adam
14 March 2008
opinion
It might take a long time even if the Gambian government was to pay for its suspected involvement in the murder of young Ghanaians who were transiting through that country to Spain in July 2005.
While the missing young men are believed to be 44 in number, it is not certain the number of them who were killed, though some have pegged it at eight.
But the families of the murdered and those believed to be alive but in captivity are both calling for justice.
"It is true as you have on some of your placards, that justice delayed is justice denied. But it is also true that the wheel of justice grinds slowly. The matter has to be handled diplomatically. It is not a matter of war."
This was the response of Ambassador Yaw Adjei, Supervising Director/Administration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) to family members of 25 out of the 44 missing Ghanaians. The families, after waiting for close to three years without a proper response from government, had embarked on a demonstration after which they went to present a petition to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Prominent among them was now 28-year old Martin Kyere, the survivor of the brutalities who has since been recounting their ordeal to much awe.
The demonstration, it appeared, would not have been necessary if there had been collaboration and free flow of information between government and the families. The families traveled from remote corners of the country to Accra with the help of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) and other NGOs. Their petition said in part, "We still do not know the whereabouts of the remains of our relatives who have been reported dead and those still missing. Developments in the investigation have not been reported to us and our requests for information have fallen on deaf ears, leaving us in a state of perpetual limbo."
They were peeved at what they described as feet dragging and lack of commitment by the Ghanaian government in pursuing the matter and making sure that Yahya Jameh, the Gambian president paid for the murders.
Perhaps, the families would now receive recognition and proper attention after they were lead to the Ministry by Nana Oye Lithur of the CHRI and Prof. Kwame Karikari of the Media Foundation for West Africa. Indeed, Ambassador Adjei mentioned that they would now put measures in place to ensure regular flow of information between the two parties.
Ambassador Adjei assured them that government is not resting on its ores at all, and that president Kufuor is himself committed to making sure that the matter is pursued to its logical end.
He said, for its uncooperative attitude, the Gambian government is in a tight corner now that the matter has been put before the UN, ECOWAS, the AU and the International Red Cross.
He also mentioned that an investigative committee has been put in place and is working around the clock to speed up the process. "The wheel of justice, unfortunately, grinds slowly."
What he could not assure the families was when they should come back for a feedback. In that regard, it was agreed, that Nana Oye Lithur, being their benefactor, would act on their behalf and ensure that they received the necessary information as and when necessary.
Another thing the Ambassador could not assure them of was the security and safety of the key witness in the matter, Martin Kyere, who survived to tell the story. He has narrated severally of how he watched while his friends were being slashed with machetes when they were loaded unto a double-decker pick-up truck by Gambian soldiers.
When asked about Martin's security, Mr. Zed K. Grant-Esilfie of the ministry said, "There are no indications that his life is in danger" and that they would take immediate action once there is an indication to that effect.
Until justice is done the families and the necessary compensations awarded them, some of them would continue to count their losses, especially those to into whose care children of the missing have been entrusted.
Hannah Ampadu, among many of the other families, came from Brekum in the Brong Ahafo Region together with her 12-year old son, Isaac Ampadu. The boy sobbed uncontrollably as journalists tried to ask him questions. He is the second of the four children Hannah had with Kwadwo Ampadu, one of the victims of the murders.
Justice Amo, 38 is from Kwamebi Krom in the Western Region. His younger brother, Victor Kwesi, was 33 and in his final year at the University of Cape Coast when he left the country. He is believed to be among the murdered. Justice Amo could not control his tears saying his family has lost a potential breadwinner.
It appeared that most of the families were coming from Brekum, an indication that a good number of the missing men were indigenes of the area. In Brekum, this reporter learned, families would normally go for loans, using their Cocoa farms as collateral, just to support the young men to travel abroad. When they go and become successful, then the young men offset the loans.
It was therefore not of sheer coincidence that most of the victims happened to be coming from that part of the country.
Indeed, those who took loans in that regard say they are now being pursued by their creditors as the interest keeps piling up by the day.
In the meantime, however, Yahya Jameh has been adamant and unyielding; although he is believed to have ordered the killings after a false alarm that, the men were mercenaries who had come to overthrow him.
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