Document #1192331
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author)
According to a journalist with the New
African in London, the current president of Ghana, Jerry
Rawlings, exploited the revolutionary image of the June Fourth
Movement (JFM) to launch his second coming into Ghanaian politics
in December 1981 (5 Dec. 1994). The JFM began as a Marxist
revolutionary organization, but it eventually split into two
factions, the first consisting of socialist ideologues, who
objected to any contacts with the West and its financial
institutions (5 Dec. 1994). The second wing contained moderates,
who believed that Ghana's political and economic development
warrants close ties to the West and to financial institutions such
as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank
(ibid.). Most members of the movement eventually joined Rawlings in
his political comeback, while those who strongly disagreed with the
ideological change went into exile (ibid.).
The journalist stated that the JFM became
closely linked with Rawlings' National Democratic Congress (NDC)
party. In its current status as a revolutionary non-governmental
organization, the JFM has devoted itself to reinforcing the
objectives of the 4 June 1979 Rawlings coup d'état or
"revolution" (ibid.). The source is unaware of information
pertaining to an anti-Rawlings JFM faction in Ghana, which is
subjected to repressive government measures. The above information
concerning the history and current status of the JFM was
corroborated in telephone interviews on 6 December 1994 by an
editor with the Washington-based Ghana Drum and a doctoral
student in refugee affairs at York University's Centre for Refugee
Studies in Toronto.
The York University doctoral student agreed
with the information provided by the Ghana Drum editor
concerning the status of the JFM (6 Dec. 1994). The source added
that the JFM members who supported Rawlings were rewarded with
lucrative government appointments. Thus, unless a former JFM member
was intolerably anti-Rawlings, such as those in exile, JFM
membership is currently an advantage in NDC circles in Ghana. The
source stated that the JFM operates a secretariat in Accra and it
has been involved in mobilizing people for the "revolution,"
community service, demonstrations and the annual celebration of the
June Fourth Day (ibid.). According to the source, the budget
allocation for the annual event and the activities for its
commemoration virtually give it the status of a national event in
communities across Ghana. To the knowledge of the source, it is
likely that one can contact the JFM through the NDC headquarters in
Accra (ibid.).
According to the doctoral student, the
organization presently consists of Rawlings supporters (ibid.). The
members need Rawlings and the NDC to survive, and as a result are
willing to do anything the administration requires of them (ibid.).
According to the source, the Rawlings administration has used the
JFM secretariat to carry out the abuses generally attributed to the
regime. The organization portrays itself as an NGO, but in the
opinion of the doctoral student it is a revolutionary NGO,
reminiscent of the revolutionary organizations of the erstwhile
Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) (ibid.). In order not
to be associated with the activities of the JFM, the NDC
administration has astutely kept its distance from the organization
(ibid.). Consequently, it is difficult to trace alleged abuses
directly to the NDC government (ibid.).
For basic information on the JFM, please
refer to the attachments. Also, for general information on the
Ghanaian government's relationship with its critics, and the human
rights situation in the country, please refer to Response to
Information Request GHA18907.E of 16 November 1994. This document
is currently available at your Regional Documentation Centre.
This response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does
not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular
claim to refugee status or asylum.
Doctoral student specializing in
refugee affairs, Centre for Refugee Studies, York University,
Toronto. 6 December 1994. Telephone interview.
Editor with Ghana Drum,
Washington, DC. 6 December 1994. Telephone interview.
Journalist with the New African,
London. 5 December 1994. Telephone interview.
Inter Press Service. 13 January 1992.
David Ampofo. "Ghana: Why the Country Switched to Free Market
Policies." (NEXIS)
Yeebo, Zaya. 1992. Ghana: The
Struggle for Popular Power Rawlings: Saviour or Demagogue.
London: New Beacon Books, pp. 25-63.