The Economic Fighters League (EFL) has condemned the Ghana Armed Forces’ (GAF) narratives surrounding the violent incident at the Obuasi mine.
According to EFL, the description of the deceased as illegal miners raises serious concerns about the state’s priorities and use of force, as do the circumstances surrounding their deaths.
The group questioned why state security could be mobilised to protect a private entity but not to protect our water bodies from being destroyed by illegal mining activities.
‘’We strongly condemn the narratives advanced by the GAF, the Presidency, and AngloGold Ashanti, which appear to serve as an unlawful attempt to justify the calculated murder of these civilians based on mere suspicion of illegality. These actions betray the principles of justice, due process, and the sanctity of Ghanaian lives.
It is alarming that the state’s security apparatus could be swiftly mobilized to defend corporate mining concessions, yet the same urgency is consistently absent when it comes to protecting our water bodies, forest reserves, and the livelihoods of ordinary Ghanaians from the scourge of environmental degradation.’’
While applauding the call for an investigation into the matter, it advised those conducting the investigation not to let the labelling of the affected individuals as illegal miners influence how they carried out their work.
‘’An investigation by the state into the killings has rightly been called, towards the prosecution of all those complicit in this tragic and unnecessary loss of life. In light of the manner in which the deceased have been labelled we must urge all those involved in the inquiry and the general public not to allow the labels to obscure the transgression of human rights in this quest for justice. Accountability must prevail. No Ghanaian should ever be made to feel that their life is less valuable than the profits of a corporation, especially in their homeland.’’
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
