Ghana sets up panel to probe past abuses ACCRA, April 12 (Reuters) - Ghanaian President John Kufuor has appointed a panel to probe human rights abuses by previous governments, in a move likely to further inflame relations with predecessor Jerry Rawlings. The panel will investigate abuses by five military administrations since 1966, including those of Rawlings, who led coups in 1979 and 1981 and had three former heads of state shot on a beach for corruption. Rawlings eventually introduced multi-party democracy and stepped down last year after serving the two elected terms he was allowed under the constitution. He was replaced by opposition leader Kufour, who won the 2000 election. "President Kufuor wants national reconciliation to promote peace and togetherness among Ghanaians. It's a pledge the government made and it has to be fulfilled," Kufuor's spokesman Kwabena Agyepong told reporters as he announced the panel. The Ghana Bar Association and human rights campaigners say some 200 people disappeared during the rule of Rawlings. Relations between Rawlings and Kufour have been rocky since the former air force officer stepped down, particularly since several close allies from his former administration were put before the courts on corruption charges. Rawlings' National Democratic Congress (NDC) boycotted the session of parliament when the bill establishing the investigation panel, known as the Reconciliation Commission, was passed. Kufuor named a judge, Amua Sekyi to chair the nine-member commission, whose members include Islamic and Christian clergymen, a retired trade unionist, a traditional chief, three women and Lieutenant-General Emmanuel Erskine, former Commander of a United Nations force in Lebanon. 04/12/02 15:10 ET Copyright 2002 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~