Tears flow as they tell their stories

The Counselling Department of the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) on Thursday said many victims of human rights abuses wept bitterly and took the Commission much time to console and cool them down.

Dr. Araba Sefa-Dedeh, Head of the Counselling Department of the NRC told journalists the 77 people who requested for counseling, out of the total number of 521 that made complaints on human rights abuses and violations in unconstitutional government's of the country have not yet overcome their trauma.

She was holding the second press briefing on the progress of work of the Commission, which began working on 3 September 2002. The complaint makers, who were either victims of the human rights abuses or relatives and friends of victims broke down in tears as they told their sad stories when they were referred by the statements takers to the Counselling Department.

"Some have even come for counseling more than once; the tears, the talking over the pain and the counseling are all part of the healing process. Some have been affected grievously by the trauma and they are yet to come to terms with it,” she said.

She was answering a question on the mood of complaint makers, and everyone one had shed tears openly, when receiving counseling. Dr Araba Sefa-Dedeh, who is also a specialist clinical psychologist, said many of the complaint makers, who came for counseling, had been severely affected by the torture they went through and had got medical problems as a result.

She recalled the story a statement maker who said for eight years, after release from unlawful detention had not received any word of sorry from any one nor had anyone explained to him why he was detained.

Public response to Reconciliation Commission encouraging

Ms Annie Anipa, Director of Public Affairs of the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) on Thursday said the response to the call on individuals to file statements on human rights violations during the country's unconstitutional regimes at the Commission had "so far been encouraging."

She said the Commission was also encouraged by the good response of the complaint makers to bring along original copies of their documents for certification, however, she asked them to bring along photocopies of such documents for the Commission's files. Ms Anipa was speaking at the second media briefing on the progress of work of the Commission, which began on 3 September.

The NRC was establish by an Act of Parliament, (Act 611), to seek and promote national reconciliation among the people by recommending appropriate redress for persons, who have suffered any injury, hurt, damage, grievance or have in any other manner been adversely affected by violations and abuses of their human rights arising from activities or in-activities of public institutions and persons holding public office during the periods of unconstitutional government and to provide for related matters.

The unconstitutional periods named are from 24 February 1966 to 21 August 1969, 13th January 1972 to 23rd September 1979, and 31st December 1981 and 6th January 1993. The Commission, which has one year and three months to submit its report and recommendations to government, may on application by any person pursue the object of reconciliation in respect of human rights violation in any other period between 6th March 1957 and 6th January 1993.

Ms Anipa said as on Wednesday, 11 September the Commission had recorded a total of 521 statements: 297 in Accra, 140 in Kumasi, 58 in Takoradi, 41 in Ho and nine in Tamale. The Bolgatanga figures had not been received. She said the statements cover confiscation of property, extra judicial killings, unlawful detentions, torture and ill treatment.

Ms Anipa said so far the work of the Commission had progressed smoothly and reminded statement makers and petitioners that as a matter of convenience, they should go to any of the Commission's zonal offices to make statements irrespective of the regions in which they resided.

She said five persons, who said they were former officials of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and were dismissed without reason and forced into exile had submitted statements to the Commission.

The Counselling Department, headed by Dr Araba Sefa-Dedeh, a specialist clinical psychologist, had also counselled 77 persons, made up of 55 men and 22 women. Meanwhile the Investigations Department of the Commission has requested the following persons to report at the unit at the Independence Square to assist in investigations:

Emmanuel Kwame Mentor of Dzorwulu, near Water Works Building, Ex- Captain Daniel Mensah Bosompem, affectionately called Kwesi Mensah of Bie Wo Yoo, Nungua and Emmanuel Amartey Adjaye of Post Office Box 3000, Accra.

The rest are: Yaa Animah of 1st Mankata Close, Kotobabi, Accra; Rameil Nii Ankrah of J. P Ankrah, Otublohum Stool House, Accra and Godfred Odame Kissi of Sadisco Hotel, Kokomlemle, Accra North

Another was from an elderly woman who said she lost two sons to extra judicial killings during one of the periods under review. She said as a result of the pain her husband died later and she had since been hypersensitive.

Dr Sefa-Dedeh announced that the department was also organising counseling sessions for the members and staff of the Commission in order not to be weighed down by the overwhelming statements that would come before them. Ms Annie Anipa, Head of the Public Affairs Secretariat said the Commission was assembling details of the statements before putting them into categories of the various periods under review.

She said there was not much problems of language because statement takers transcribe the statements and read them into the statement maker’s language to the satisfaction of that person. She said the Commission was still working on its website and would be announced as soon as it was ready.