Yesterday (02-10-2018), the BBC aired a documentary on the 1976 youth uprising in apartheid South Africa. The documentary recounted the massacre of the students, using Sam Nzima’s iconic photograph of injured Hector Peterson as the central theme.
When I visited South Africa in 2012, an editor with The Star newspaper took me to Soweto (SOuth WEstern TOwnship). Apart from Nelson Mandela’s house, he took me to the Hector Peterson Museum and the high school where the uprising began. He told me stories of the uprising. I interacted with people and had the pleasant opportunity to visit the scenes of the historic events, including the school where the Sarafina movie was shot.
Were the issues, as recounted in the BBC documentary, already known to me before I heard the documentary?
Yes.
So was the BBC documentary a waste of my time?
No! I enjoyed it.
Was the documentary unnecessary because it reminded people of their pain? (More than 170 students were killed, and Hector Peterson, whose photograph became the grotesque mascot of the uprising, still had his sister managing the museum and recounting the heart-wrenching story in the documentary.)
No, the documentary was necessary. We have not condemned movies made from the Rwandan genocide. We watch and take the lessons, which those terrible episodes in human history present to us.
In the evening after the BBC’s documentary, JoyNews and The Multimedia Group broadcast a comprehensive documentary on the killing of three judges and a retired army officer in 1982. This happened in the revolutionary days of the Jerry John Rawlings’ Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC).
After the documentary, I have seen some social media posts suggesting that the documentary was not necessary. Some have said the question of who killed the judges was not answered. I disagree with these views and other similar opinions.
Would the Ghanaian audience condemning the judges documentary have reacted that same way if the BBC or CNN had come to produce this documentary? Would they not have criticised the Ghanaian media of being lazy and allowing the western media to tell our stories?
Besides, it is wrong to assume that all the audience are privy to events of 1982 and already knew everything the documentary revealed about the murder of the judges.
I was born in 1985, three years after the murder of the judges. In 2002, when the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) spoke to some of the key persons linked with the murders, I was in my first year in senior high school and did not pay attention to the NRC sittings.
For me, this documentary is the only comprehensive way I have heard the story on the killing of the judges. I know there are many other Ghanaians younger than me who will see this as educative and a caution to jealously guard the peace and freedom we are enjoying. And certainly, not all people older than I am knew about what the documentary revealed.
It is also not true that the documentary did not answer the question about who killed the judges. The persons were named. And there was a confession. The documentary revealed that the prime suspect, Amartey Kwei, could not have committed the crime without the backing of higher authorities in the PNDC. Captain Kojo Tsikata agreed that Amartey Kwei ought to have obtained the pass from a higher authority before having unrestricted movements that fateful night when there was curfew.
The documentary has revealed Amartey Kwei mentioned names of the higher authorities with whom he planned and killed the judges. If there is any doubt left about the involvement of the higher powers, the harassment and imprisonment of the investigators of the murders, as revealed in the documentary, cleared that doubt.
I didn’t know any of these facts until I watched the documentary. I may not be alone.
As in many works of journalism, the journalist cannot be emphatic and pass judgment on who may have aided Amartey Kwei, Amedeka and others in carrying out those crimes. These are criminal cases. Only the courts have the power to make that pronouncement. What this documentary did was to provide enough facts that would enable its audience to make a judgment.
The research and facts presented go beyond the interviews that were granted at the NRC. More people were interviewed for this documentary than those who spoke at the NRC. And it is also not true that everything in the documentary was already known.
The documentary on who killed the judges, in my view, is a compelling piece of journalism. Raymond Acquah and his team at the Multimedia Group should be praised for the initiative. Documentaries of that nature about Africa and our past should not be left to only the foreign media. We should tell our stories in our own perspective. We should control the narrative.
Source: Manasseh Azure Awuni/[email protected]
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Why is the murder of humans (judges + army officer) that was investigated, perpetrators identified, and prosecuted by a court of competent jurisdiction more important than the death of Ya Naa and 40 of his elders. The Killers of these 41 humans were never identified let alone put before a court yet Raymond Acquah and Joy FM seem uninterested in finding out the killers of Yaa Naa and his elders. Is Joy FM essentially implying that the death of 4 southerners is more important than 41 northerners ? Tried as the NRC (Nail Rawlings Commission) did, they couldn't find any incriminating evidence linking Rawling and Tsikata to the killings. Hence the attempt by NPP and Joy fm to prosecute Rawlings and Tsikata in the court of public opinion. It's all part of the anti-ewe agenda being being pursued by the Akufo Ado government. We have seen it played out at the University of Education, Winneba and many other institutions where Ewes are being hounded out of office.
Where is the murder of humans (judges + army officer) that was investigated, perpetrators identified, and prosecuted by a court of competent jurisdiction more important than the death of Ya Naa and 40 of his elders. The Killers of these 41 humans were never identified let alone put before a court yet Raymond Acquah and Joy FM seem uninterested in finding out the killers of Yaa Naa and his elders. Is Joy FM essentially implying that the death of 4 southerners is more important than 41 northerners ? Tried as the NRC (Nail Rawlings Commission) did, they couldn't find any incriminating evidence linking Rawling and Tsikata to the killings. Hence the attempt by NPP and Joy fm to prosecute Rawlings and Tsikata in the court of public opinion. It's all part of the anti-ewe agenda being being pursued by the Akufo Ado government. We have seen it played out at the University of Education, Winneba and many other institutions where Ewes are being hounded out of office.
Fine piece of work(the documentary) but no mention of where Amedeka is.It is believed he was spirited out of the country by his bosses who sent him on that dastardly mission.Rawlings and his government never made frantic efforts even through Interpol to apprehend him.Rawlings and Tsikata cant ***barred word*** us. Afterall,he Rawlings,during the Limann era,kept lambasting Judges who reviewed AFRC convictions.Again,Rawlings cant ***barred word*** us with that fake tape purporting to contain ***barred word*** Amartey Kwei's exoneration of KojoT
General News of Sunday, 3 July 2005 Source: Yaw Abbas Murder of 3 Judges: What you would not like to hear Fellow Ghanaians We mourn the loss of any grannie who is even over a 100 years of age. We mourn when a woman has a miscarriage of an advanced pregnancy. I personally remember weeping when listening to the GBC commentary of the burial service of Justice Nii Armah Ollenu. I equally shed tears during the solemn ceremonies during the burial of John Archie Casely Hayford and tears freely flow down my cheeks when Maj-Gen Mensah Wood was being buried. Just on TV or on Radio. I do not know, personally, any of the above dignitaries. So we do not love death. I take no pleasure in the death or killing of people. But for some deaths during June 4 and early PNDC rule, no force on earth could have stopped them. It was a volcanic action. Fellow Ghanaians, there are some people who, when they hate you, that’s that. No reverse of mind. Events of June 4 and 31 December were better reconciled and not PROBED. This probing will be RE-PROBED and RE-REPROBED by generations unborn. I do not have a vote, nor do I seek to win any politician for or against JJR with this piece. Who on earth says JJR has not apologized to Ghanaians over the wrongs of these dates? Please ask GBC to replay their recording of events which took place when the State organized a National Program honouring EPHRAIM AMU (alive) at the NATIONAL THEATRE. I cannot remember the exact date, except I come back to Ghana to check my books. But it was between 1992 and 1994. Amanfour, JJR apologized to Ghana! JJR appeared very sober and was shown barely sobbing. Murder of Judges: My sympathies to the families. But where does JJR get involved in these at all? Only because it occurred under his PNDC Government. I was working at GIHOC Steelworks under Dr William Sam (General Manager); Dr de-heer Johnson (Admin Manager); Capt de-Graft Yeboah (Head of Personnel) and Addison (Divisional Accountant). Tema Steel was under Ghana Industrial Holding Corp (GIHOC) located at Labone, Accra. GIHOC Managing Director was Dugan; Board Chairman was Brig Nunno Mensah; and Director of Personnel was Major Acquah. Major Acquah was the in-law of Brig. Nunno-Mensah. Nunno-Mensah's little brother was believed to be Annan Mensah who was at Electrical Shop and lived at Tema Newtown. Now draw the line form here. Major Acquah: GIHOC Director of Personnel (Under Dugan). GIHOC Workers Branch of ICU of TUC organized a demonstration during PNP rule. National Chairman of the Union was Joachim Amartey Kwei. Our leaders were arrested over alleged excesses during the demonstration at Parliament. They were sent to court. They were tried by the late 3 MURDERED Justices of the Bench. (Judicial Secretary, please prove me wrong). They were sanctioned by our Personnel Director Major Acquah. Verify these records and prove me wrong!! When December 31 struck, the PNDC was formed consisting of a Former Justice of the High Court, a Student Leader, a Reverend Father, Ordinary Soldiers, and a Trade Unionist. Joachim Amartey Kwei was the Trade Unionist. To all those ex-GIHOC Workers who will like to bother to comment, please tell all the world to hear that many of us wanted "JUSTICE" for Major Acquah, the Judges who tried our Union Leaders and even Brig Nunno-Mensah our GIHOC Board Chairman. JJR and Kojo Gbagbladza were not in our Union. If, as members of Government, they provided logistics to our Amartey Kwei for him to do "JUSTICE" to those we found enemies during our demonstration, I cannot say. But all said and done, some of us GIHOC Workers who were peeved by the arrest of our Leaders, felt we should also use Amartey and should eliminate them. To the bereaved families, including the family of Amartey Kwei, May God comfort you all. The MURDER OF THE 3 JUDGES & THE RTD ARMY MAJOR was the wish of GIHOC Workers like myself. Killing is no good. But please, this has happened. Fellow Ghanaians, let it be. Honourable Ghanaians, and to one DANIEL AMPOMAH who operates the Website "prosecute-rawlings.com", all those who are peeved by other atrocities of the two regimes, all those who would not like ever to forgive JJR for having ruled Ghana as a half-caste, please let us move Ghana ahead. I have my own sufferings under June 4 and Dec 31 but do not see any need to publicise these. Bygones are bygones. Free JJR and Kojo Gbagbladza from these accusations and hold we GIHOC Workers responsible. May Father God touch your hearts. Yaw Abbas KM 38 Abeokuta Motor Road Sango Otta Ogun State Nigeria
Peacefmonline does not offer edit possibilities so there's no way to furnish you guys with very comprehensive info about events surrounding the killing of the judges and the military officer. The first question is this: Doesn't it stun you that the guy whose father was one of the judges Kwabena Agyepong, doesn't talk much about the events? During the NRC, when JJR was called and no serious questions were asked him, he was stunned because of the redundant noise concerning his possible involvement when so many people knew he and the Tsikatas had nothing to do with the killings. Even Chris Asher, the murderer who escaped judgement because he promised/lied to the Kufuor government he would nail the Tsikatas on behalf of Amedeka, came to confess in court he had no such information on interrogation.
Although these killings happened when some of us were young, from what I heard and read before the Truth and Reconciliation Committee's work in 2002, I have always held the view that Rawlings and Tsikata were the brain behind those killings and many others which were not reported and I still believe they are pure murderers.
JJ RAWLINGS IS A MURDERER. Look at his murderous face. JJ and his cohorts must be tried for all the murders and atrocities they wrought onto Ghanaians.
There is no new information for me after spending the whole time watching. My observations: 1. The whole documentary was skewed 2. The answer to the question was not provided at the end. 3. There were so many people who could be talked to get the information needed. Unless you tell me they declined. 4. All the information were provided at the National Reconciliation Commission. 5. Why didn't the producer dig deeper than he did? Or he wants to eulogise Kwabena Agyapong and vilify Capt. Tsikata and Chairman Rawlings because of their tribe? 6. Why this time when their party is losing the ground? Or meant to DIVERT attention from the hardships? Joy FM, you can do better documentary than this. This is below average. Thank you.
as for this f000lish frafra boy, the economy is so hard on people , religious leaders are form bank exploiting the poor and collapsing the banks and you are sitting down like a s*it eater and only to wirte what is dead and gone in order to divert attention. shame on to you.
I didn’t know any of these facts until I watched the documentary........ FACTS or conjecture? Kwei himself was a member of the PNDC!!! Which higher authority again??? Captain Tsikata? He was not even a member of the PNDC!!! Jerry Rawlings??? He and the confessed Kwei were both members of the PNDC!! Well if I say I despise Nana Addo, I’ve not asked you to go and MURDER him! Find out who signed the curfew pass....he will have the answers you seek!!!