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WHAT HAPPENED IN GHANA?    DU BOIS

Several days later, after I had been dismissed from Television and put under house arrest, I saw and heard a television program which for me verified the basis of this account. On the screen appeared the top officers who had carried through the coup. They were congratulating themselves and the people of Ghana for the ease with which it was carried through. One remark stood out unmistakable and clear:

"And you know, we didn't find any Russians at all - not one! Nor could we find any trace of that tunnel!"

This was followed by hearty laughter - laughter at the poor dopes who had believed the story - laughter at the soldiers - on both sides, who had died because of that story!

During that first day hundreds of people were arrested. Indeed, many "key people", such as editors and news executives were picked up before dawn that morning. Anybody who could not be beaten into submission was shot. Then "the list" was intoned on the radio:

All ministers, all members of Parliament, all officials of the Convention People's Party (CPP) and of all its subsidiary and associate organizations (including Youth Organizations), all CPP branch officers through the country, all trade union officials - all were "wanted".

And anybody, anywhere was authorized to detain such persons. Men and women were dragged off to prison who had not the slightest idea what had happened. They were told nothing. They were not allowed to communicate with their families. As this is being written there are families who do not know whether the father, in some cases, mother, son or daughter, are dead or alive - whether he or she is in prison or has escaped into exile.

Non-Ghanaians (white) who had worked for and cooperated with the Government were arrested. In most cases they were only questioned and ordered to leave the country. But some were held in prison, subjected to cruel treatment, saw and heard what was happening to other prisoners. Ultimately, they were deported. While in Europe I heard accounts from several of them of savage brutality which I shall not attempt to repeat here.

Non-Ghanaians (Africans) were disposed of in a different manner. Ghana had given refuge and asylum to many African Freedom Fighters. This is one of the "crimes" now listed against President Nkrumah: that he "aided and abetted subversion in African sister states" (South Africa! Southwest Africa! Portuguese Guinea! Angola! Mo-

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---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-02-09 09:48:04