Peaceful assemblies and manifestation are a barometer to a State’s commitment to free and open society.

In Cameroon, organisation of public meetings and public demonstrations areoften confronted with problems such as poor mastery of the Law and the non-respect of the law by certain administrative authorities and event organisers.

For a quarter of a decade, since the law came into force, Cameroon is rather gaining a negative international rating in this direction as a police State.

This is the content of a speech delivered by the Northwest Regional Coordinator of the Cameroon Network of Human Rights Organisations , Fon Nsoh, on the occasion of exchange workshop on “Freedom of Assembly and Public Demonstration” that held at Presbyterian Church Centre Bamenda recently, attended by administrative and judicial authorities, forces of law and order and civil society organizations.

The Coordinator of Cameroon Network of Human Rights Organisations said the quest for human rights, freedoms and liberties is global and dates as far back into human history, when one reflects onthe barbaric periods in ancient history, the period of autocratic States in Europe in 1800 Europe, the ills of slave trade, slavery and colonisation, the 1stand the 2nd World War and woes of dictatorial regimes in Africa and across the world.

The price paid and the sacrifices made to achieve freedom and liberty over the years in human history has been enormous. FonNsoh said this can be seen in the contributions of great thinkers, philosophers, scholars and nationalist like; Jesus Christ and others in the biblical times; Montesquieu, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and so on; 18th century Euro-American liberationists, Martin Luther King, Mahatma Ghandi, Nelson Mandela, Kwame Nkrumah, Thomas Sankara, Patrice Lumumba among others.

According to FonNsoh, achieving freedom in many instances necessitate public assemblies and manifestations that support the expressions of opinion as well as a visual translation of the peoples determination to an issue.

Martin Luther’s One Million Men March in Washington, in the early 1960s, in which he delivered his “I have a dream” speech, was phenomenal to bring change to America till today.

Beyond the universal and Cameroons laws and putting in place the National Commission for Human Rights and Freedoms, FonNsoh said, the enactment of the liberty laws in the 1990 “was a landmark achievement that paved the way for political parties and associations to contribute in building an open and democratic society. Amongst the liberty laws enacted in the 1990 was law No 90/055 of December 19, 1990, to lay down regulations governing public meetings and processions.

Drawing from the Senegal’s example, FonNsoh said Senegal prides itself as the most open country in Africa, with Dakar witnessing over hundreds of public manifestations in a year on tropical issues to be addressed by public authorities.

“When duly respected, freedom of peaceful assembly and manifestations offer a viable opportunity for minority and marginalised groups, civil society and political parties to express their views publicly that builds on social and political participation.”

But, he regretted that, in Cameroon, organisation of public meetings and public demonstrations often, “is confronted with problems such as poor mastery of the law and the non-respect of the law by certain administrative authorities and event organisers,” “for a quarter of a century, since the law came into force, the country is rather gaining a negative international rating in this direction as a Police State.

Justice Mrs. Florence Awasom; Vice President of the Northwest Administrative Court, drilled participants in two presentations bearing on the role of the administrative authorities in the protection and promotion of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and public demonstration in Cameroon.

The President of Human Rights Lawyers Association, Barrister Honore Ngam, dwelt on how to deal with violations to the right of freedom of peaceful demonstrations.

Topics treated during the two days touched on how to organise a peaceful demonstration and more.