Was the military high handed in dealing with the Tamale clashes?
June 12, 2008
The military on Monday quelled clashes between supporters of the NPP and NDC by what has been described as high handed methods by some observers.
Clashes ensued between supporters of the two parties following a beer bar fight between two supporters of both parties.
Reports say the military were immediately called in by the Tamale Municipal Chief Executive Mohammed Amin Antah to deal with the clashes that were beginning to spread to other parts of the metropolis.
But eye witnesses and JOYnews reports from the area suggest that soldiers from the northern command, arrested and subjected some of the men at the center of the clashes as well as some onlookers to severe beatings.
The assemblyman for Tamale who was also arrested described his ordeal at the hands of military officers to joynews. He said the soldiers made them jump and sing songs promising not to fight anylonger. They also made them slap one another for up to about five rounds as a means of disciplining them.
Some have suggested that the soldiers were high handed in their approach, while others argue that in the light of recent conflicts in the north, the actions of the military were justified.
Do you think the military was high handed or just firm…………….?
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6 Responses to “Was the military high handed in dealing with the Tamale clashes?”
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I believe this action is very right, it looks like we need to start doing something extraordinary to deal with these conflict. If we continue to talk and the people think nothing else can be done then I believe it is a step in the right direction. Is it not better for them to slap one another than killing each other and I tell when they are through with this as they go along to the custody they are being held they will begin to be friends. I believe things like this should be done once a while to deter ppl from also thinking they can perpetrate crime against one another. Besides they beat themselves and not soldier kicked or slap any of them. the millitary only use the voice. More so they are being thought a lesson by asking them to sing a song which will mean that they came together to compose the song. I believe they have already started making peace with each other there and then. Kudos to the millitary am with them 100%
Kojo. Good day. I think the military did excellently well in the way and manner they handled the recent skirmishes at the Tamale metropolis. firstly, they did not take the law into their own hands by beating anybody. secondly they did not cause financial loss to the state by shooting or trowing tear gas.
They only employed the cost effective and efficient means in curling the rioters by making them “slapors and “slapees”.
It was really excellent and I think they should be deployed to all conflict zones with immediate effect to save the so-called millions of Ghana Cedis that are allegedly being spent on the various conflict zones across the country.
Thank you.
Asare
Kojo, I think the military do well of arreste them both supporters of the partes .
but , the way they beat them is not good.
sometimes,i wonder aloud the kind of the democratic rule we are practicing in Ghana, gone were the days when so much noise about the fragrant violations of human rights of the people being made by human rights fighters who condemned the act in the past see nothing wrong with inhuman treatments meted out to the innocent sons and daughters of the land today. Kojo,you see, what is wrong yesterday can not be right today. we are told that soldiers are to be in barracks.we are told that soldiers are supposed to defend our territorial waters from external attacks.we are told that soldiers are not supposed to partner the police in ensuring law and order in the country.we are told that soldiers are not supposed to meddle into civilians matters.
we are told that soldiers have had a field day in the running of this country.we are told that never again should soldiers be allowed to rule this country.we are told that soldiers must be taken good care of. we are told that soldiers do not sleep on empty stomach.we are told that should soldiers go hungry they might take up guns and over throw the govt. we are told that soldiers’s flirtation with the previous govt does not sit well. we are told that soldiers are a tool in the hands of the previous govt. we are told that soldiers are fond of violating the human rights of the people under the previous govt. we are told that in the previous govt soldiers’ relationship with civilian populations is not something good to write home about.we are told that soldiers do more harm than good to this country.
in all these, posterity will judge one day!
Hi Kojo, I think the military did well in handling the issue just as it should be. i can’t think of any better way of disciplining them than the treatment meted out on them. I hope they have learnt their lessons. I believe this will prevent them from solving their differences with war.
i also think this method should be used in all conflict zones to serve as a deterrent to those involved.
i think these people are just wasteing money and time,we should fence them so that they fight well till the last man dies ,so we use the money to develop some other region