AMBASSADOR MEETS OPPOSITION NDC LEADER JOHN ATTA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ACCRA 000638

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL GH GOG
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS OPPOSITION NDC LEADER JOHN ATTA
MILLS


Classified By: Ambassador Pamela E. Bridgewater for reasons 1.5 d and e
.


1. (C) Summary: On March 7, Ambassador met with Professor
John Evans Atta Mills, former Vice President and two-time
presidential candidate for the opposition National Democratic
Congress (NDC) party. Mills deliberately but firmly
criticized the ruling NPP government as corrupt and
vindictive. If selected as the NDC candidate for the 2008
election (which he expects),he would boycott the election if
overseas Ghanaians are allowed to vote, in accordance with
the recently passed Representation of the People law (ROPAL).
Politics is deeply divided along partisan and ethnic lines
in Ghana, he said. Ambassador agreed the overseas voting had
to be done fairly and urged Mills and the NDC to find a way
to maintain dialogue with the NPP. End summary.

Overall Distrust for the NPP
--------------


2. (C) Professor Mills told Ambassador he reached out in
good faith to cooperate with the new NPP government when it
came in power in 2000. However, within his first month of
office, President Kufuor threw a number of NDC activists in
jail and came to Mills' house with armed men to interrogate
his wife, he said. Kufuor has never called him and he avoids
any contact with the President. He reiterated once again
that the Kufuor government is marked by corruption and
cronyism and the average Ghanaian is unhappy. He contended
that the NPP stole the 2004 election but that he has not made
a big issue out of election irregularities because "we want
peace and can ill afford disintegration."

Angry with the ROPA Law
--------------


3. (C) Mills told Ambassador the Representation of the
People (Amendment) law (ROPAL) is "a recipe for rigging
elections...signed into law with indecent haste." (Note:
ROPAL allows all Ghanaians residing abroad to vote in Ghana's
elections. End note.) There is no level playing field, he
said, noting that the NPP has already been campaigning
abroad, aided by official travel and state resources. The
NDC does not believe GOG Ambassadors can impartially
administer overseas balloting and the party lacks funds for
candidates to travel abroad or for party agents to be at
every overseas voting site. Mills voiced concerns about
possible fraud in Ghanaian passports and identity cards,
which threaten the credibility of absentee voting.


4. (C) The Electoral Commission (EC) had not yet met with
the NDC to discuss the bill. The EC's technical difficulties
in past elections suggest that it needs to administer several
more domestic elections before Ghana is ready for overseas
balloting, Mills alleged. Mills believes he will be the NDC
flagbearer again in 2008 but said he would boycott the
election if overseas voting is allowed, in accordance with
the ROPAL.

Polarized Politics
--------------


5. (C) Politics is very polarized and ethnically divided,
Mills said, adding that the current "Great Ashanti project is
terrifying." (note: President Kufuor is an ethnic Ashanti,
as are many at the top levels of his government. End note.)
He would try to hold the country together, but "the time
comes when the people you lead take over," he said.

Ambassador Urges Dialogue
--------------


6. (C) Ambassador stated it was important for all Ghanaians
to see a democracy dividend. Ghana needs a strong opposition
and the NDC has to find ways to engage and dialogue with the
NPP in a responsible and productive way. The United States
has had overseas voting for years, but it is important to
ensure such a voting process is fair and implemented in
consultation with all parties. Politicians should put the
better interests of Ghana above their party and ethnic
divisions, she said. Mills affirmed that the USG has
influence over the GOG and said he would continue to seek
dialogue with the NPP.

Comment
--------------


7. (C) Although soft-spoken, Mills is prone to speak in
dramatic phrases, both publicly and privately. In a
conversation with PolChief six months ago, Mills also claimed
the 2004 election was rigged and said the NDC would boycott
the 2008 election if the ROPA bill is passed. Some of this
rhetoric is probably aimed at countering critics within the
NDC who view him as too mild mannered and conciliatory.
Nonetheless, his views about ROPAL and Ghana's polarized
politics reflect a broad-based sentiment in the NDC and in
other opposition parties (septel). An opposition boycott of
the 2008 election seems unlikely at this point.
Unfortunately, however, like others in his party, Mills is
unable to articulate an alternate plan that would move Ghana
beyond the current confrontation over ROPAL.















BRIDGEWATER