WHILE CEREMONIES WERE BEING HELD IN ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD TO MARK HUMAN RIGHTS DAY - SOME MILLION PEOPLE ARE BELIEVED TO BE IMPRISONED BECAUSE OF THEIR BELIEFS - THE LIBERAL PARTY IN JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA, CALLED A MEETING DECEMBER 11 ON THE STEPS OF THE CITY HALL, BUT IT NEEDED THE PROTECTION OF THE POLICE TO ENABLE SPEAKERS TO BE HEARD.

THREE DAYS EARLIER, A MEETING AT THE SAME PLACE, ORGANISED TO MARK THE AWARD OF THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE TO CHIEF ALBERT LUTHULI, NEARLY ENDED IN BLOWS WHEN WHITE HECKLERS INTERRUPTED SPEAKERS. SO FOR THEIR DECEMBER 11 "HUMAN RIGHTS" MEETING THE LIBERAL PARTY WROTE TO THE COMMANDING OFFICER OF THE WITWATERSRAND REGION OF THE POLICE ASKING FOR "ADEQUATE PROTECTION."
WITHIN MINUTES OF THE MEETING OPENING A GROUP OF MEN CAME FORWARD AND STARTED SHOUTING AN HECKLING THE SPEAKER. INSISTING ON THEIR "HUMAN RIGHTS," THE HECKLERS STARTED SINGING, AND ONE OF THEIR NUMBER JUMPED ONTO THE PLATFORM TO CONDUCT THE SONGS. FIGHTING BROKE OUT WHEN A MICROPHONE WAS SNATCHED FROM A SPEAKER AND POLICE OFFICERS MOVED IN. ONE LIBERAL PARTY WORKER, GUARDING A COLOURED SPEAKER, HAD AN EGG SMASHED ON HIS HEAD. A LIBERAL PARTY BANNER WAS SEIZED AND BURNED AND THE MEETING BROKE UP WHEN THE MICROPHONE LEAD WAS CUT. AS THE LIBERAL PARTY MEMBERS MOVED AWAY A VISNEWS CAMERAMAN STAYED BEHIND - AND HE TOO, WAS HECKLED.

ELSEWHERE IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD HUMAN RIGHTS DAY WAS MARKED BY DEMONSTRATIONS - OF A PEACEFUL KIND AND INSIDE CHURCHES.