By Chief Charles A. Taku*
On the 8 March 2007, the cruel angel of death, visited my friend, Bate Besong (BB) on his way to attend an interview for US visa and claimed his life and the lives three other precious friends. The shock and trauma of abnegation pushed me to proclaim 8 of March every year as a date of the infamy of death. I dismissed the celebration of women’s day as a charade based solely on the subservient celebration of the victimisation of women and the adoration of masterminds of systemic criminal policies of indignities which threatened and still threatens their humanity in Cameroon and some parts of the world. The rationale for my decision was not entirely wrong.
The situation of women has not changed, so also that of Africans, and erstwhile European colonial possessions. I have nevertheless, revised my policy on this anniversary due to compelling reasons. The evisceration of the rules-based world and the redefinition of humanity and the world by the new world order has significant consequences which must not be overlooked. If we do, it will be fatal for humanity.
In his book, ‘Nkrumah and the Ghana Revolution’, CLR James, cautioned that moments exist in the history of a people when a revolution occurs, which may be fatal to ignore, calling for vigilance not to miss the moment when it comes. For the world as we know it, the moment is now. Trumpism and Putinism are here and are on the drivers’ seat of human destiny. The world must fight for its soul.
The new world order, has only compounded the asphyxiating shoe strapped economic condition of the majority poor of this world. The mineral rich countries of the world must be conquered or forced to surrender their sovereignty over their natural resources to the richest oligarchs of the new world order.
With all regulatory regimes obliterated, the super-rich will use technology and A1 governance to conquer and rule the world. Racism must be resurrected to completely wipe out the memory of past crimes, the civil rights movement, and indeed, obliterate the black race and all other races from South Est Asia to native Americans. ‘ Mars, Jupiter, and all the planets, here we come’, is the aspirational credo of the new world order. For me therefore, women are at the forefront of humanity’s battle to reclaim the world. They have always been far back in history, and in our lives, we the poor majority, individually and collectively.
Celebrating this anniversary from the trenches, inspired by women of extraordinary vision, inspiration, knowledge, leadership; indeed whom I may call, my ‘stars of hope on the conscience of humanity’, it will be appropriate for me to acknowledge just two women among many in many communities of the world, our world as we know it, who inspired me in many ways and indeed many others. The two women are presently in heaven with God. They in different ways and at different times inspired me, touched my life and the lives of people of different races in different parts of the world.
Permit me with total humility to present Helen Atabong Asaba Fontem of Africa and Puan Sri N.Saraswathy Devi of South East Asia. While here on earth with us, they were dedicated to the cause of humanity, whom they served with honour, dignity, valour and inspired many others to follow in their footsteps.
Helen Atabong Asaba, was committed to the cause of humanity and became the first woman politician in her native Bangwa although she did not have formal education. She fought for the education of the girl child, against spousal abuse, and with His Majesty Fontem Defang, she mobilised women and men of her community to use community labour and personal contributions to build a health centre which was later upgraded to a hospital. She successfully fought for women to inherit and own landed property and also to be made successors of their fathers in a male dominated society. Her passion for justice was unprecedented.
There are many beneficiaries of her philanthropic works in many parts of the world who have continued to tell her story to inspire, encourage and educate many peoples. She passed to the eternal glory of the Lord on 23 April 2003 Puan Sri N.Saraswathy Devi was called to the eternal glory of the Lord on 1 Sept 2023.
She was one of the most significant and consequential lawyers of all times. She was called to Middle Temple in England in 1961 and became the first woman lawyer in the whole of South East Asian. She represented clients at all levels of courts in Malaysia and before the Privy Council. She was a founding member of the ASEAN Bar Association and served as President of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) in 2005). She was the most senior member of the International Criminal Court Bar Association (ICCBA). As President of this distinguished association, I benefited from her strong support, inspiration and wisdom.
During my Presidency of the association, the association honoured her due to her relentless contribution to justice in her country and internationally. Her philanthropic works knew no bounds. Three of her daughters are acknowledged international lawyers. One needs only to watch Shyamala and Rohini in international courts and tribunals where they are recognized and respected by their peers to know the professional influence of Puan Sri N. Saraswathy Devi.
This recognition is not about me, although I was a beneficiary of the extraordinary qualities of these my two mentors. I dedicate the honour to all the women in the world who are labouring to feed their families in barrel of guns and bombs in battlefields, in oppressive political and economic environments, in forests and IDP Camps, under shoe strapped economic, socio-cultural and political situations; indeed, all victims of injustice worldwide, and victims of the ruthless new world order, of unjust sanctions and of the infamy of impunity.
To them, I dedicate this honour to my mentors. May many other women rise to the challenge and continue where they left. May others who are on this righteous path arise so that together, we may reclaim humanity from the claws of greed and destruction; so that together, we may hail our “stars of hope on the conscience of humanity”. I hail all the women of this world on this anniversary who are out there in the world struggling to save the soul and conscience of humanity for generation, for generations unborn, for generation gone to the Lord, for the sake of humanity and to the glory of God.
*Chief Charles A. Taku, Barrister at Law, International Lawyer Organization Lead Counsel, International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, Special Court for Sierra Leone, International Criminal Court, Oude Waalsdorperweg 10, 2597 AK Den Haag, Netherlands
