Documentation for Committee for the Defence of the Revolution
Jan. 5, 1982
The Associated Press
Ghana's new military regime gave its first indication Tuesday of what kind of changes it plans to impose after taking power in a New Year's eve coup.
In a speech broadcast over Radio Accra and monitored here, Flight Lt. Jerry J. Rawlings said a first priority was setting up local defense committees throughout the Ghana "to defend this revolution."
"These defense committees are to defend the democratic rights of the people and expose corruption and anything which can undermine the revolution," said Rawlings, who led the coup that toppled civilian President Hilla Limann.
Jan. 18, 1982
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts
Local defence committees will be formed at all levels whether in the villages, towns or working places. Now these local defence committees, by their own process of democracy, will eventually evolve district defence committees and these district defence committees will also evolve regional defence committees in each region. And out of this process of democracy from the grass roots will evolve a national defence committee. That is what we envisage. (NOTE: at this stage not actually formed; first recorded active in 1984)
Oct. 12, 1982
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts
A representative of the National Defence Committee has said that patriotic members of People's Defence Committees [PDC] in border towns will be selected and trained in the people's militia to assist border guards on patrol duties. Also the formation of people's militia, which in effect amounts to the arming of the masses, is the hallmark of any popular revolutionary process.
...there must be people's militia to assist in defence duties, especially against internal sabotage and quiet external infiltrations, for night patrol duties, the safeguarding of vital installations and buildings, anti-smuggling exercise and the like. The people's militia could be relied upon so that professional soldiers are not taken away from perhaps more important assignments.
March 30, 1984
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts
The Committees for the Defence of the Revolution must redouble their vigilance and watch carefully - .. the behaviour of counter-revolutionaries. They must be prepared to do away with them in order to defend and to ensure the impetuous advancement of our democratic and popular revolution.
Nov. 30, 1984
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts
In line with the PNDC's [Provisional National Defence Council] drive to bring a qualitative structural improvement into the 31st December revolution, the following changes have been made: Henceforth, People's Defence Committees [PDCS] and Workers' Defence Committees [WDC] shall be known as Committees for the Defence of the Revolution or CDR
Dec. 3, 1984
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts
The National Civil Defence Committee shall continue to be responsible for the militia development of the CDRs.
Feb. 23, 1985
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts
"In the mock operation, the combination of troops from the armed forces Ghana and Burkina Faso (…) The CDRs [Committees for the Defence of the Revolution] of the villages captured are playing important roles in the operation. Today the CDR of one of the villages mobilised volunteers to retrieve supplies dropped from the air."
May 17, 1991
Xinhua General News Service
the ghanaian government today promulgated a decree establishing a 260-member consultative assembly for drafting a new constitution for the country. the assembly is required to submit the draft constitution to the ghanaian government no later than december 31 this year and a referendum will be held on the draft constitution. most members of consultative assembly will be elected by the country's 110 local assemblies, various producers' groups such as the cocoa, coffee and sheanut farmers associations, committees for the defence of the revolution, the military services, the police and the trade union congress. twenty-two members shall be appointed by the ghanaian government.
Nov. 1, 1992
The Gazette (Montreal, Quebec)
They [the opposition] hope election observers from the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Carter Centre in Georgia will note the unfair and the intimidation by paramilitary organizations, such as the People's Militia and the Committees for the Defence of the Revolution (whom Rawlings has refused to disband), and refuse to sanction the result as "free and fair."
Dec. 3, 1992
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts
Another condition is the disbanding of all paramilitary forces such as the CDOs [Citizens Defence Organisation] and CDRs [Committees for the Defence of the Revolution]
May 15, 1995
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts, GBC Radio, Accra
The NDC congratulated the gallant ACDRs [Association of Committees of the Defence of the Revolution, CDR].
July 21, 1999
Africa News
ACDR is an association which has political leanings with the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC). It is made up of former cadres of the defunct Committee for the Defence of the Revolution.
Nov. 12, 1999
DAILY MAIL (London)
Leninist-style Committees for the Defence of the Revolution condemned thousands of people to death.
