Ghana Must Not Rush To Recognize Rebels!

Whilst the Ghanaian President Professor John Evans Atta-Mills, could be counted upon as a voice of democratic Africa, his recognition to the Alassane Ouattara junta and the role he played in getting the head of the Constitutional Council, Dr. Paul Yao N'dre to rescind his decision to declare Alassane Ouattara the winner of the contested elections, went too far, in my humble estimation, in helping to legitimise an illegitimate regime and a puppet of imperialism. So far, the only thing Ghanaians are aware of is that the Ghanaian government would not rush to make any decision to recognize the rebels in Libya. It is thus alarming to read from wikipedia that: "On 24 August Gwede Mantashe, secretary general of South Africa�s ruling African National Congress, said that Ghana is considering recognition of NTC. " I think peace-loving Ghanaians must raise their voices to stop the President in his track. It must be mentioned however, that we recognize the immense pressure African governments must be facing in this concerted onslaught by the former colonialist nations and the US in this grab for recognition for their darling rebels in Libya. Unlike Nigeria, the very decision not to recognize Libya before the AU Peace and Security Meeting on Friday, was in itself, an important victory. "Nigeria broke with the 53-member African Union to extend recognition 48 hours ahead of a meeting of the union�s high-level panel on Libya. Ghana is also considering recognition. �Nigeria is jumping the gun in recognising the rebels as representatives of Libya,� stated Gwede Mantashe, secretary general of South Africa�s ruling African National Congress." See: Michael Jansen (24 August 2011). "Contact group to discuss aid to rebel council". Irish Times. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2011/0824/1224302896869.html. President Mills must not bow to international pressure and help carry the voices of millions of Ghanaians who stand in principled objection to the role used by the NATO forces to illegally support a rebel army to take political power in a sovereign African country, and member of the African Union whose Constitutive Act does not allow the AU, even to recognise governments that come to power by illegitimate means. Attacks On Black Africans Meanwhile, reports coming out of Tripoli tell of horrendous massacre of Black people at the hands of the rebels. I just read an account of what B]lack Africans are facing at this very moment in Tripoly, and it disturbs me a lot that the recognition of these murderous rebels rather seem to be a priority than the safety and security of our fellow compatriots. In today, Sunday, 27 August 2011 edition of the Independent,* * http://www.independent.co.uk/ Kim Sengupta writes in "Rebels settle scores in Libyancapital from Tripoli: "They were shooting at us and that is the reason they were killed," said ushab Abdullah, a 35-year-old rebel fighter from Misrata, pointing at the bodies. "It had been really tough at Abu Salim, because these mercenaries know that, without Gaddafi to protect them, they are in big trouble. That is why they were fighting so hard." His companion, Mohammed Tariq Muthar, counted them off on the fingers of his hand: "We have found mercenaries from Chad, Niger, Mali and Ghana, all with guns. And they took action against us." But, if the men had been killed in action, why did they have their hands tied behind their back? "Maybe they were injured, and they had to be brought to this hospital and the handcuffs were to stop them from attacking. Andthen something went wrong," suggested Mr Abdullah." They must have stabbed themselves in the back seven times! Here is another one: "Come and see. These are blacks, Africans, hired by Gaddafi, mercenaries," shouted Ahmed Bin Sabri, lifting the tent flap to show the body of one deadpatient, his grey T-shirt stained dark red with blood, the saline pipe running into his arm black with flies. Why had an injured man receiving treatment been executed? Mr Sabri, more a camp follower than a fighter, shrugged. It was seemingly incomprehensible to him that anything wrong had been done." The following observation must make anyone contemplating a recognition for these rebels make a pause and say "Wait a minute, are these not murderous racists? "It is also the case that the regime has repeatedly unleashed appalling violence on its own people. But the mounting number of deaths of men from sub-Saharan Africa at the hands of the rebels � lynchings in many cases raises disturbing questions about the opposition administration, the Transitional National Council (TNC) taking over as Libya's government, and about Western backing for it. The atrocities have apparently not been confined to Tripoli: Amnesty International has reported similar violence in the coastal town of Zawiyah, much of it against men from sub-Saharan Africa who, it has been claimed, were migrant workers." Here is also another extract, as we contemplate their recognition: "The killings were pitiless. They had taken place at a makeshift hospital, in a tent marked clearly withthe symbols of the Islamic Crescent. Some of the dead were on stretchers, attached to intravenous drips. Some were on the back of an ambulance that had been shot at. A few were on the ground, seemingly attempting to crawl to safety when the bullets came. Around 30 men lay decomposing in the heat. Many of them had their hands tied behind their back, either with plastic handcuffs or ropes. One had a scarfstuffed into his mouth. Almost all of the victims were black men. Their bodies had been dumped near the scene of two of the fierce battles between rebel and regime forces in Tripoli." Forward Ever! Backwards Never!! *=Nana Akyea Mensah, The Odikro