NEWS
SHALL WE KEEP THE POLITICS AWAY FROM THE MURDER OF WOMEN

Shall We Keep Politics Away From The Murder Of Women? (Opinion)
The Independent (Accra)
October 27, 1999

Accra - Last Wednesday saw the women of Accra under the leadership of the National Council on Women and Development (NCWD) demonstrating against the recent spate of violent attacks, murder and rape of Ghanaian women.

That same day, students led by Francisca Dennis of Labone Secondary School who ably represented Ghana at the internationally recognised Hal Jackson's Talented Teens International Scholarship Contest in US Virgin Islands last July also spoke out against the brutal and bestial attacks on women at the Ghana International Press Centre. Two weeks before these two welcome events, the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma South, Mrs. Theresa Tagoe in whose constituency some of the murders have taken place organised a similar protest march which did not get the support of the NCWD. The police even stopped the demonstration, ostensibly because the demonstrators did not have a permit. The police broke their own rules banning demonstrators led by the NCWD and Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings by allowing them to gather at the no- go area for demonstrators-Kwame Nkrumah Circle. Such is the bestiality against women in recent times that we do not think women need any permit to demonstrate. Neither do they need to have the political blessing of any higher authority to speak out. Women are in this struggle for their dignity and survival irrespective of their religion or political creed. Mrs. Rebecca Adotey, the Deputy Minister of Communications, made the same point at last Wednesday's demonstration that the victimisation and brutalisation of women know no political party or creed. Women and all of us should link up hands to fight the new menace in our society.

This is one issue that should unite the nation and not divide anybody. But this is what exactly happened last Wednesday. Mrs. Tagoe who has been vocal on abuse of women and other human rights issues was ostensibly absent from the demonstration. She must have good reasons to stay away since the NCWD has in its interaction with her shown that her opposition status was not appropriate for a body that should be devoid of politics.

We regret that there is a division in the front of our women at this crucial stage in our history. The terrorists who are killing our women are still lurking around and we need to unite, men and women, to fight them. Copyright (c) 1999 The Independent.

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