Ghana Armed forces is not a political party’s TONTON MACOUTTE


 

Ghanaians will go to the polls on 7th December to elect a president and members of parliament. It is therefore imperative that those in authority in the West African country today should avoid the temptation of using the military to harass their own citizens in the name of maintaining law and order during the election.

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That brings the military high command into the picture.

Since its inception in 1957, the Ghana Armed Forces has distinguished itself as a disciplined force gaining the respect of the international community. The current crop of the Military High Command should advise the government against the misuse of the men and women under them for political purposes. No armed force operates in a vacuum; there are Rules of Engagement governing operations carried out by soldiers.

When you send soldiers out as STONE QUARRY referees, this is what happens. Look at the face of this Warrant Officer Class One, let down by his commanders

Soldiers are not and have never been tax collectors, or referees on a QUARRY LAND DISPUTE; soldiers are not trained to be performing the role of the police; soldiers are trained to FIGHT external enemies and NOT civilians in their own countries. Unfortunately, this is what the current crop of the Ghana Army High Command have allowed themselves to be manipulated by political office holders.

Another military personnel badly beating by civilians. Why would the Military High Command allow this to happen out of political expedience?

When you allow yourselves to be manipulated by politicians to misuse the men and women under your command, you reduce them to humiliation, ridicule and disrespect as happened at Dome Faase in the Greater Accra Region. Do not let the fine soldiers of the Ghana Armed Forces down for party political expedience.

How would the Ghana Armed Forces High Command define the Rules of Engagement of the personnel of the forces under them on deployment to polling stations? Would they remain neutral? Would they behave like members of the TOTON MACOUTTE on behalf of a political entity?

TONTON MACOUTTE was a notorious brutal militia formed by former President Francois Duvalier of Haiti active from 1961 to 1986.