Tcholliré
Tcholliré is a town and commune in Cameroon.
Designed in 1965, the main prison of Tcholliré II was known as the Centre de Rééducation Civique (CRC) (Civic re-education Centre) until the reform of the prison regime in Cameroon in 1992. The sadly renowned former political prison has now become a "normal" prison.
Today, 200 inmates live in this prison whose capacity has been increased to 500 places. 4 large buildings with a capacity of more than 100 places each serve as cells for the inmates of the main prison of Tcholliré II.
This prison has the peculiarity of only accommodating people who have been definitively sentenced. It houses exclusively men. There are no women's wings, let alone juvenile wings. The prison of Tcholliré II has today definitively turned the dark pages that haunted its premises.
History teaches us that the Civic Re-education Centre (CRC) of Tcholliré was the materialisation in practice of Ordinance n° 62/OF/18 of 12 March 1962 on the repression of subversion. This Ordinance, which is hardly mentioned in the history books of Cameroon's secondary and high schools, had considerable effects on the whole of public and political life for three decades, between 1962 and 1990.
The key word of this law was "Subversion". According to this text was subversive whoever "emitted or propagated noises, news, rumours or accurate news, when such noises, news, rumours or comments are likely to harm public authorities". An imprecise definition gave rise to numerous abuses. Under this Ordinance, many Cameroonians from all walks of life have been arrested, tortured and detained for many years, sometimes without trial, in the difficult conditions of prisons in Yoko (Central Region), Mantoum (Western Region), Tcholliré (Northern Region). Among the victims of this Ordinance on the repression of subversion are a host of political figures. But one name will draw our attention: Mgr Albert NDONGMO, a man of the Catholic Church sentenced to death in 1971 for conspiracy, locked up for five years in the Civic Re-education Centre of Tcholliré.
Since the advent of the return to a multi-party system and public liberties, the face of the Civic Re-education Centre of Tcholliré has changed. Its name has undergone a profound change.
PRISON WITH A HUMAN FACE
In accordance with article 5 of decree n° 92-052 of 27 March 1992 on the prison regime in Cameroon, the Cholliré II remand prison could have been a production prison. The geographical context in which this prison is located ideally allows convicts to participate through their work in the national development effort. It is located in a rural area where agricultural or breeding activities can be carried out. Vast arable land is available to give a chance of rehabilitation to the inmates of this prison. But the act establishing the Tcholliré II penitentiary makes it a main prison and not a specialised prison.
For lack of having received the attributes of an agro-pastoral production penitentiary, the main prison of Tcholliré II remains a living environment where the prisoners all know each other by name. The atmosphere there is good-natured.
Designed in 1965, the main prison of Tcholliré II was known as the Centre de Rééducation Civique (CRC) (Civic re-education Centre) until the reform of the prison regime in Cameroon in 1992. The sadly renowned former political prison has now become a "normal" prison.
Today, 200 inmates live in this prison whose capacity has been increased to 500 places. 4 large buildings with a capacity of more than 100 places each serve as cells for the inmates of the main prison of Tcholliré II.
This prison has the peculiarity of only accommodating people who have been definitively sentenced. It houses exclusively men. There are no women's wings, let alone juvenile wings. The prison of Tcholliré II has today definitively turned the dark pages that haunted its premises.
History teaches us that the Civic Re-education Centre (CRC) of Tcholliré was the materialisation in practice of Ordinance n° 62/OF/18 of 12 March 1962 on the repression of subversion. This Ordinance, which is hardly mentioned in the history books of Cameroon's secondary and high schools, had considerable effects on the whole of public and political life for three decades, between 1962 and 1990.
The key word of this law was "Subversion". According to this text was subversive whoever "emitted or propagated noises, news, rumours or accurate news, when such noises, news, rumours or comments are likely to harm public authorities". An imprecise definition gave rise to numerous abuses. Under this Ordinance, many Cameroonians from all walks of life have been arrested, tortured and detained for many years, sometimes without trial, in the difficult conditions of prisons in Yoko (Central Region), Mantoum (Western Region), Tcholliré (Northern Region). Among the victims of this Ordinance on the repression of subversion are a host of political figures. But one name will draw our attention: Mgr Albert NDONGMO, a man of the Catholic Church sentenced to death in 1971 for conspiracy, locked up for five years in the Civic Re-education Centre of Tcholliré.
Since the advent of the return to a multi-party system and public liberties, the face of the Civic Re-education Centre of Tcholliré has changed. Its name has undergone a profound change.
PRISON WITH A HUMAN FACE
In accordance with article 5 of decree n° 92-052 of 27 March 1992 on the prison regime in Cameroon, the Cholliré II remand prison could have been a production prison. The geographical context in which this prison is located ideally allows convicts to participate through their work in the national development effort. It is located in a rural area where agricultural or breeding activities can be carried out. Vast arable land is available to give a chance of rehabilitation to the inmates of this prison. But the act establishing the Tcholliré II penitentiary makes it a main prison and not a specialised prison.
For lack of having received the attributes of an agro-pastoral production penitentiary, the main prison of Tcholliré II remains a living environment where the prisoners all know each other by name. The atmosphere there is good-natured.
Map - Tcholliré
Map
Country - Cameroon
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| Flag of Cameroon | |
Early inhabitants of the territory included the Sao civilisation around Lake Chad, and the Baka hunter-gatherers in the southeastern rainforest. Portuguese explorers reached the coast in the 15th century and named the area Rio dos Camarões (Shrimp River), which became Cameroon in English. Fulani soldiers founded the Adamawa Emirate in the north in the 19th century, and various ethnic groups of the west and northwest established powerful chiefdoms and fondoms. Cameroon became a German colony in 1884 known as Kamerun. After World War I, it was divided between France and the United Kingdom as League of Nations mandates. The Union des Populations du Cameroun (UPC) political party advocated independence, but was outlawed by France in the 1950s, leading to the national liberation insurgency fought between French and UPC militant forces until early 1971. In 1960, the French-administered part of Cameroon became independent, as the Republic of Cameroun, under President Ahmadou Ahidjo. The southern part of British Cameroons federated with it in 1961 to form the Federal Republic of Cameroon. The federation was abandoned in 1972. The country was renamed the United Republic of Cameroon in 1972 and back to the Republic of Cameroon in 1984 by a presidential decree by president Paul Biya. Paul Biya, the incumbent president, has led the country since 1982 following Ahidjo's resignation; he previously held office as prime minister from 1975 on. Cameroon is governed as a Unitary Presidential Republic.
Currency / Language
| ISO | Currency | Symbol | Significant figures |
|---|---|---|---|
| XAF | Central African CFA franc | Fr | 0 |
| ISO | Language |
|---|---|
| EN | English language |
| FR | French language |