[Onthebarricades] Student protests, 1 of 3: Unrest and Uprisings, Apr-Aug 2008

[Andy]

ON THE BARRICADES:  Global Resistance Roundup, April-August 2008
https://lists.resist.ca/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/onthebarricades
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/globalresistance/

*  KENYA:  Wave of school student unrest sees school buildings torched, 
trashed
                     Dozens arrested, one student killed
                     Mock exams seem to be the main cause of the unrest; 
students are overburdened with assessment
*  ZAMBIA:  School students block roads, revolt over "inhuman" head
*  KENYA:  Poly students revolt over killing by police
*  MOROCCO:  One killed, others injured, arrested during student unrest in 
Rabat
*  TANZANIA:  Suspension of dissidents leads to university shutdown, 
uprising
*  ZIMBABWE:  Students battle police over arrest of student leader
*  SOUTH AFRICA:  Demanding reinstatement of excluded students, protesters 
blockade Mafikeng university
*  GERMANY:  Student fees protests and clashes with police
*  ZAMBIA:  Police shoot students in meal allowance protest
*  NIGERIA:  Students protest over bursary
*  IRAN:  Student gathering over official's "misconduct"; student protests 
spread nationwide
*  IRAN:  Hunger strikes, protests at Tabriz university
*  IRAN:  State forces attack student protesters
*  IRAN:  Students protest on campus in Tehran
*  IRAN:  Protests at Shahrood University, students anrgy at closure
*  US:  Evergreen sit-in ends with deal over SDS suspension
*  INDIA, Andhra Pradesh:  Student protest succeeds in reducing fee
*  SOUTH AFRICA:  Student dies after police attack university blockade
*  NIGERIA:  Students ransack office, attack head over repression
*  SOUTH AFRICA:  "Misunderstanding" sparks school student revolt
*  INDIA, Rajkot:  University "ransacked" over appointments

http://allafrica.com/stories/200807230106.html

Kenya: Boys Defy Cardinal Njue And Riot

The Nation (Nairobi)
23 July 2008
Posted to the web 23 July 2008
Nation Team
Nairobi
A school affiliated to the Catholic church was yesterday closed after riots.
Students at Queen of Apostles Seminary in Kasarani were ordered out of the 
school after a dormitory was razed during the lunch break.

The incident happened a few hours after Catholic head John Cardinal Njue and 
auxiliary bishop of Nairobi David Kamau addressed the boys to stop them from 
striking.
The torched dormitory housed Form Ones.
The rector, Fr John Muindi, was not available for comment.
Elsewhere, students of Kericho Tea Secondary school were sent home after 
their attempt to burn the school was foiled.
Seven students who attempted to burn the institution had been arrested and 
feed on Sunday.
The students were opposed to sitting mock examination.
And, Nyahururu High School was Tuesday closed following an arson attempt.
Other reports said a prefect at the school was stabbed in unclear 
circumstances and was admitted to the Nyahururu District General hospital.
Meanwhile, six students were Tuesday arrested for allegedly attempting to 
burn their school during a strike in Kirinyaga District.
Police seized the boys from Murinduko Mixed School in Mwea Division and 
locked them for questioning.
In a related incident, Kiamugumo Girls Secondary School was closed 
indefinitely when the students rioted.
The 150 girls walked out of the compound at 2.30am rejecting mock 
examinations.
And at Karoti Girls High school all the 920 students walked out of their 
dormitories at night.
The principal, Mrs Rose Githuku, said the girls rioted in support of their 
Form Four colleagues who were opposed to mock exams.
In Mwingi South, students of Migwani Secondary School went on the rampage on 
Monday night destroying buildings including a newly furnished computer lab.
The more than 500 marauding students set upon the buildings with stones and 
other crude weapons which they used to smash windows.
They were protesting against the bad food.

Reports by Peter Mwai, John Ngirachu, Sollo Kiragu, George Munene and Munene 
Muthusi

http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?from=rss_East%20Africa&set_id=1&click_id=87&art_id=nw20080722175247415C943020

School riots rock Kenya

    July 22 2008 at 06:21PM

Nairobi - Police in Kenya have charged dozens of students with arson after 
riots over the weekend that left at least one student dead, officials said 
on Tuesday.

Officers charged the students on Monday after several hostels in the centre 
of the country were burned down in violence that had shut down 20 secondary 
schools across the country, said police spokesperson Eric Kiraithe.

"We will continue arresting the students for the crimes they commit," said 
Kiraithe.

Education Minister Sam Ongeri over the weekend set up a task force to 
investigate the latest unrest, which was in protest at poor conditions and 
bad management in the schools.

"We cannot afford careless actions; we cannot afford a carefree attitude. If 
we don't have discipline in our schools, life will be chaotic," he told 
reporters Tuesday.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200807220029.html

Kenya: 72 Students Charged as School Riots Spread

The Nation (Nairobi)
22 July 2008
Posted to the web 22 July 2008
Seventy two students were Monday charged with arson and other offences 
related to the ongoing unrest as more strikes were reported in secondary 
schools.
Ninety others were arrested in connection with the unprecedented chaos.

In the wake of the reports, teachers called for a return of corporal 
punishment to check the wave of strikes and destruction in schools.
Sixty five of the students were charged with counts ranging from arson to 
malicious damage following Saturday's fire at Mbugiti Secondary School in 
Thika District.
The students, mostly in Forms Three and Four, were charged with setting the 
school on fire and destroying property valued at more than Sh5 million. They 
denied the charges.
Trial to begin
Eight students of a Nyeri secondary school were charged in an Othaya court 
with preparing to burn down the institution.
The eight from various classes at Kagonye Secondary School denied the 
charge.
The court ordered that each of the students be released on a cash bail of 
Sh5,000 until August 11 when they will be tried. The magistrate ordered that 
those unable to raise bail be remanded at Nyeri Juvenile Home until the case 
is heard and determined.
They were allegedly arrested with two litres of petrol by school 
administrators.
Elsewhere, police arrested 80 students of Nairobi's Aquinas High School 
after they went on the rampage, setting a dormitory on fire and destroying 
property in their school on Sunday night.
At the Coast, 10 students were arrested and property worth Sh5.2 million 
destroyed in the continuing wave of unrest in schools. The latest to be 
affected is Matsangoni Academy, a private school in Kilifi District, whose 
hostel was razed on Sunday night.
Property worth Sh900,000 was destroyed.
And during their first meeting Monday, representatives of teachers in the 
committee appointed to look into the unrest called for a review of the 
Children's Act to reintroduce caning, which was outlawed five years ago.
Eight more schools were affected by unrest on Sunday night and Monday.
Students of Aquinas, Lenana, Pumwani, Moi Isinya, Jamhuri High School, 
Parklands and Kiamutugu and Kagonye in Nyeri, were sent home.
The Anglican Church offered to work with the Government and others who are 
affected in finding solutions to the schools' crisis.
Abdicated role
A statement from the church also questioned whether parents and teachers had 
abdicated their leadership and guidance role to children.
Kenya National Union of Teachers chairman George Wesonga said the lack of a 
clear guideline on the punishment of students after the ban on caning had 
complicated matters for teachers.
"The Government should be clear on what is to replace caning in schools. 
Teachers do not know how to deal with errant students," he added.
He, however, added that parents should instil discipline in their children 
since teachers were afraid to cane them.
Father George Mungai of the Holy Family Basilica said the absence of another 
form of punishment was to blame for increased indiscipline.
The Aquinas High School students were arrested by police from Jogoo, 
Muthurwa, Kamukunji and Shauri Moyo.
They were taken to various police stations after they stormed out of the 
school at around 11.30pm on Sunday night.
The school's neighbours said they heard gunshots at around the same time, 
followed by the boys' wails as they ran out of the school compound.
Fire-fighters arrived a few minutes later and put out the fire, suspected to 
have been started by the students in the 90-bed dormitory.
Little was spared in the fire. Some parents who arrived at the school Monday 
morning said their sons were arrested in the city centre. Only about 50 of 
the school's 450 students remained at the institution.
The school's principal, Mr George Muthee, said he had left the school at 
10.30pm, only to be called back an hour later.
"The students had just finished cleaning the classes when I left, and I was 
assured that everything was okay only to be told that there was chaos when I 
arrived home. I had, however, alerted the OCS at the Jogoo Police Station, 
opposite the school, to watch out in case of anything," said Mr Muthee.

He added that he had spent the weekend at the school and there had been a 
minor incident on Saturday evening when one of the students switched off the 
television as the students were having their normal Saturday entertainment.
A student who spoke to the Nation moments after the fire was put out said 
there had been tension in the school throughout the weekend, apparently 
because of the mock examinations set to begin Monday.
Mr Muthee said the school, which has no record of unrest, is the 
distribution centre for district mock examinations in the area.
Hours earlier, police camped at Pumwani Secondary School to stop a strike by 
the students.
Two students were injured in a stampede when the police entered the compound 
a few minutes after 7pm.

Reported by Peter Ngare, John Ngirachu, Oliver Musembi, Anthony Kitimo, 
Wilfred Muchire and Mwakera Mwajefa

http://allafrica.com/stories/200807210507.html

Kenya: 35 Students Arrested Over Arson and Schools Closed as Wave of 
Indiscipline Spreads

The Nation (Nairobi)
21 July 2008
Posted to the web 21 July 2008
Nairobi
Students in three secondary schools in have been sent home while some were 
arrested following violent strikes where property worth millions of 
shillings was destroyed on Saturday night.
In Thika, students of Mbuguti Secondary School razed nine buildings, 
destroying property worth millions of shillings.

At least 30 students were arrested and are being held at the Kirwara police 
station.
Terminal results
The burnt buildings included five classrooms, a dormitory and the 
administration block, which houses the staff room, accounts office and 
deputy principal's office.
The principal, Mr Joseph Wachira, said Form Four students had earlier 
refused to sit for the mock exams. The students were also unhappy with 
having their terminal results pinned on the notice board, which was also 
destroyed.
"The teacher on duty sensed trouble when he saw students leaving their 
classrooms armed with stones. Before he could call the police, they had set 
the buildings on fire," said the principal.
By the time police and fire-fighters from the Thika municipal council 
arrived, the buildings had been reduced to ashes.
Some of the property lost included students' pocket money which was in the 
accounts office, sewing machines and school leavers' certificates.
Local MP Peter Kenneth visited the school Sunday and expressed outrage over 
the extensive damage.
Thika deputy OCPD Johnstone M Kola said the fire broke out after a "blast" 
suspected to have been ignited by petrol from one of the burnt buildings.
In Kilifi, students of Godoma Secondary School were yesterday sent home 
after they burnt a dormitory.
The more than 500 students damaged property estimated at more than Sh2.3 
million.
The fire, said to have been lit by students using petrol started at about 
8pm when evening preps wee going on.
At least 15 secondary schools at the Coast have been hit by riots in just 
one month. The wave of student unrest spread just before the mock exams 
began.
At Godoma, in Bamba division, the board of governors chairman, Bishop Julius 
Kalu, decried the current wave of burning schools by students in various 
parts of Kenya.
School principal Harrison Nguma told the meeting that students and parents 
had complained that the government had donated funds to the school but no 
development projects were being implemented.
Indefinitely
Meanwhile, five students of Naivasha Mixed Secondary School are in police 
custody after they were found with a jerrycan of petrol.
Two of the students were arrested on Saturday night by CID officers for 
allegedly intending to torch the school laboratory and the administration 
block.
Three others were picked yesterday afternoon over the same incident.
The laboratory and part of the dormitory were burnt by the students.
The school was closed indefinitely.
In Nairobi, police surrounded Pumwani High School last night to prevent 
students who had gone on strike from walking out of the compound.
Reports by Oliver Musembi, Wanjiru Macharia, Antony Kitimo ,Walker Mwandoto 
and John Ngirachu

http://allafrica.com/stories/200807210006.html

Kenya: Crisis Talks as Riots Rock More Schools

The Nation (Nairobi)
21 July 2008
Posted to the web 21 July 2008
Peter Ngare and Dave Opiyo
Nairobi
The Government was Sunday jolted into action by the rising cases of student 
riots with Education minister Sam Ongeri chairing a crisis meeting with key 
players in the sector.
As the key leaders in the education and security sectors were seeking a 
solution to the crisis that has affected over 300 schools in the last one 
month, Tourism minister Najib Balala said the ban on caning should be 
lifted.

Meanwhile, the wave of strikes continued Sunday, with students from Mbuguti 
Secondary School in Thika burning nine buildings in their school while 
others in Kilifi torched a dormitory.
Drug abuse
During Sunday's meeting, Internal Security minister George Saitoti 
attributed the strikes to drug abuse among students. He urged wananchi to 
help check the trend as police investigate the matter.
The meeting resolved to form a committee of top education experts to 
investigate the wave of unrests that have paralysed learning in over 300 
schools in the last one month.
One of the team's tasks will be to write a report detailing the reasons 
behind the violence and make recommendations on how the crisis can be 
avoided in future.
The team is expected to present its report to the Education minister Sam 
Ongeri this morning.
On Wednesday, Prof Ongeri is scheduled to issue a ministerial statement on 
the unrests.
Yesterday, the minister confirmed that the team will assess the reports on 
unrests in each province separately to ascertain the causes of the riots.
"It is from these reports that we are going to come up with a way to end 
this crisis," said Prof Ongeri, moments after chairing the crisis meeting.
He warned students that those who commit crimes during the protests will be 
dealt with according to the law.
Implemented
Asked why they had not implemented some of the reports that had been 
prepared after similar unrests in the past, the minister said the Government 
had implemented some.
He said as much as the reports were not in the public domain, it would be 
wrong to accuse the government of laxity in implementing the 
recommendations.
Students interviewed by the Nation called for the scrapping of mock 
examinations, saying they were too difficult and only served to demoralise 
them ahead of the national examinations. They also blamed school 
administrators for what they said was failure to give them an avenue of 
expressing their grievances.
Education Permanent Secretary Karega Mutahi said the current strikes were 
being caused by a fear that mock results would be used to determine Kenya 
Certificate of Secondary Examinations results.
"Many Form Four students have refused to do their examinations for fear that 
the results will determine their grades in this year's KCSE," Prof Mutahi 
said.
Some students said they had received the information and many were unwilling 
to sit for the papers, saying they are more difficult that the actual exam.
In a report carried by the Nation last week, teachers warned that the 
situation was beyond their control, saying their hands were tied when it 
comes to enforcement of discipline. Others attributed the strikes to 
post-election violence.
Speaking to the Nation, Knut secretary general Francis Ng'ang'a called on 
the Government to review the ban on caning. He said the approach of 
enforcing discipline in schools needed a fresh look. He also appealed for an 
overhaul of the curriculum to make it less stressful to students.
The Kenya Secondary School Headteachers Association chairman Cleophas Tirop 
said the current curriculum was too broad and unfriendly to learners.
"Students are supposed to learn a lot and keep it for four years before they 
are examined. This is causing undue pressure on the learners, driving many 
into drugs and alcoholism," he said.
Tourism minister Najib Balala added his voice to the debate and called for 
the re-introduction of the cane.
He said the ban on corporal punishment had complicated efforts of maintain 
discipline among students.
"It is unfortunate teachers' hands are tied when it comes to disciplining 
students. We have embraced foreign ideologies to the detriment of our own 
systems of disciplining children," he said during a prize-giving day at 
Jaffery primary school in Mombasa.
The Association of Professional Teachers of Kenya said the Government was 
not acting fast on the matter.
"The Government has not been committed to addressing the root causes of the 
strikes in our schools," said Mr Abraham Kawewa, the national chairman of 
the association.

Optimism
But Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka expressed optimism that the Ministry of 
Education was capable of bringing the situation under control soon.
He told the Nation that it was now becoming worrying that the school strikes 
were taking a destructive turn. He said that the Government was concerned 
that the situation was leading to the loss of lives and property worth 
millions of shillings.
"It is regrettable that some of these strikes have led to the tragic loss of 
life. Every effort should be made to bring normalcy to our schools," he 
said.
Additional reporting by Oliver Mathenge, Benjamin Muindi, Oliver Musembi, 
Muchemi Wachira, Charles Wanyoro and Anthony Njagi.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200807160016.html

Kenya: Students Riot Over Mock Exams

The Nation (Nairobi)
16 July 2008
Posted to the web 16 July 2008
Nation Team
Nairobi
Form four candidates refused to sit for their mock examinations after their 
attempt to cheat failed.
Kiru Mixed Secondary School in Murang'a North district candidates panicked 
after one of them, who had promised to get the exam, failed to do so.

"Our investigations revealed that they had contributed money and given it to 
one of them who had promised to bring them the exam papers," the principal 
Mr Chege Kariuki, told the Nation.
The candidates walked out of the school at night last weekend.
Elsewhere, a girls' secondary school has been closed.
The 400 students of Embakasi Girls Secondary School, in Nairobi's Mukuru 
slums were sent home on Monday evening after three litres of petrol was 
found in the school compound.
Eight students earlier suspected of the arson attempt were arrested, but 
have since been released.
The school's principal, Mrs Emmah Odongo, said the students were protesting 
at the punishment meted out on them after they shredded their head prefect's 
bedding.
Meanwhile, two more secondary schools went on the rampage Tuesday in Nyeri 
South District.
About 300 students of Ngoru Orthodox Secondary School in Mukurwe-ini 
Division went on the rampage destroying property at the school.
At the neighbouring Mihuti Secondary School, about 600 students walked out 
of the the institution after refusing to sit for the mock examinations.
The school was closed indefinitely and the students sent home.
Closed down
On Monday, more than 500 students of Gikondi Secondary school were sent home 
following a strike organised by Form Fours who did not want to sit for the 
examinations.
And in Mbeere, two secondary schools were closed over riots and more than 
1,200 students sent home.
Siakago boys destroyed property as they protested at alleged high-handedness 
of the school's administration.
In Nyangwa, students staged a sit-in demanding the removal of their 
administrators for meting out corporal punishment for petty offences.
Reported by Waikwa Maina, Moses Dola, John Njagi and Silas Nthiga

http://allafrica.com/stories/200807040285.html

Zambia: Kafumbwe Pupils Riot

The Times of Zambia (Ndola)
4 July 2008
Posted to the web 4 July 2008
PUPILS at Kafumbwe High School in Katete district on Wednesday rioted again 
and blocked the Zambia-Mozambique main road with debris demanding for the 
removal of the head-teacher whom they accuse of having an inhuman heart.
The pupils who carried placards, sang solidarity songs as they blocked the 
main road with wooden debris.

The volatile situation at the school only calmed down after the named 
teacher was transferred to another school.
Both Eastern Province police chief, Mary Chikwanda and provincial education 
officer, Pilila Jere, confirmed in separate interviews the pupils' second 
riotous behaviour in a month.
Ms Chikwanda said the pupils blocked the Mozambique road around 10:00 hours, 
blocking the flow of traffic until police officers in riot gear moved in.
"I am told they were protesting against their school head whom they accused 
of being harsh to the pupils at the school," she said.
Ms Jere said her office has since transferred the head teacher to another 
school.
"We have since transferred the head teacher to another school and calm has 
returned to the school," she said.
Last month, pupils at the same school went berserk and shattered windowpanes 
in the administration block of the newly constructed school after their 
request to visit the funeral house of their teacher who died in Lusaka was 
turned down.
Last week, President Mwanawasa who had held a public rally at the same 
school to drum up support for the MMD candidate in the Milanzi by-election, 
condemned the riotous behaviour by the pupils.
Recently, pupils at Mambwe, Lundazi, Chasa and St Luke High School in 
Eastern Province have staged riots.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200806090085.html

Kenya: Poly Students Riot Over Killing

The Nation (Nairobi)
7 June 2008
Posted to the web 9 June 2008
Dominic Wabala
Nairobi
Kenya Polytechnic students went on the rampage Friday morning to protest at 
the alleged shooting to death of their colleague by a police officer in the 
city.
The students, who were in their hundreds, pelted vehicles plying Haile 
Selassie Avenue with stones as regular and Administration police officers 
lobbed tear gas canisters at them in an attempt to confine them to the 
college grounds.

Several students were arrested and bundled into one of two police trucks 
parked next to the City Square post office.
Avenue closed
The busy avenue was closed for the better part of the day as the rowdy 
students smashed the windscreens and windows of any vehicles whose drivers 
dared drive through the road.
Pedestrians, including those who were walking along the avenue and past the 
Times Tower and Central Bank buildings, had to scamper to safety as they 
were not spared either.
The students were demanding for the arrest and prosecution of a police 
officer who allegedly shot their colleague under unknown circumstances in 
Muthurwa estate even after the Third Year civil engineering student and his 
colleagues apprehended a man who had snatched a handbag from a female 
commuter.
They accused the officer of killing their colleague in cold blood.
Trouble started at about 9am when the institution's principal pinned a note 
on the notice board announcing the unfortunate shooting of Mr Eric Mwangi 
Irungu.
When the students gathered, the principal pleaded with them to remain calm 
as he sought permission for them to hold a peaceful demonstration to Shauri 
Moyo police station, where the officer who is alleged to have shot the 
student is based.
However, riot police officers intercepted them and lobbed tear gas canisters 
into the institution's compound prompting the angry students to engage the 
officers in running battles.
According to the Kenya Polytechnic Students Association secretary-general 
Kennedy Kerengo, the deceased student lived in a rented house within 
Muthurwa estate with a friend and was in the house when he heard a woman 
scream for help.
Rescued woman
Together with his roommate, other residents and passers-by, they rescued the 
woman whose handbag had been snatched and apprehended her attacker at about 
7pm.
Police officers on patrol within the Muthurwa matatu termini tried to 
disperse the rowdy crowd in vain and that is when one of them drew his 
pistol, but his attempt to fire in the air went fatally wrong as he shot Mr 
Irungu in the head.
His body was later taken to the City Mortuary by police.
The officer has since recorded a statement in connection with the incident 
and the deputy police spokesman Charles Owino has said that an investigation 
will be conducted to establish the circumstances behind the shooting.

http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,,2-11-1447_2323892,00.html

One killed in student riot
16/05/2008 17:12  - (SA)
Rabat, Morocco - A student was killed, several others injured and hundreds 
arrested when students clashed with police in the Moroccan city of 
Marrakech, news reports said on Friday.
The death occurred when a student fell down from a fourth-floor window at 
the university campus during the riots in the city 320km south of the 
capital Rabat on Wednesday.
One of the injured victims was in a serious condition, and several others 
did not dare go to hospital for fear of being arrested, according to a 
student's statement quoted by the newspaper el-Tajdid.
The students had demonstrated in favour of better lodgings and the 
readmission of students who had been expelled.
Some of the protesters threw stones at the 1 000 police keeping order, 
prompting the officers to respond with tear gas and rubber bullets, reports 
said. - Sapa-dpa

http://allafrica.com/stories/200804220506.html

Tanzania: Varsity Students Riot Over Suspensions
The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)
22 April 2008
Posted to the web 22 April 2008
Pius Rugonzibwa
Students at the University of Dar es Salaam yesterday went on rampage 
storming into lecture halls calling for boycott of classes demanding the 
reinstatement of suspended students.
The rioting students stormed into classrooms ordering those attending 
lectures to get out and chased out lecturers from lecture rooms.
This reporter witnessed a group of students storming classes of the College 
of Engineering and Technology, ordering students and Prof Justin Galabawa 
out of the lecture hall. The chaos resulted in the closure of the library 
for fear of destruction by the marauding students.
In less than 30 minutes more than 2000 students had assembled at the 
Revolution Square, the starting point of the emonstration, singing and 
chanting.
They marched to the administration block demanding audience with Vice 
Chancellor Prof Rwekaza Mukandala who was not in his office. The students 
are demanding that all 15 students suspended after a special committee 
formed by disciplinary organs of the university held them responsible for 
riots that led to the death of one student.
The students also want the readmission of five other students suspended 
following eruption of violence during the DARUSO elections. . "Mukandala we 
don't need you, Mukandala go out," sang the students.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, some students said the 15 suspended 
students did not deserve the punishment because they were not involved in 
the riots. They said the probe committee acted unfairly to implicate the 
students while some lower ranking administrative staff were involved in the 
riots.
"Students came to discover that there was plenty of water in the wells but 
purposely not pumped in the tanks.
They also came to discover that the pump was working although the concerned 
workers told the committee that it was out of order.
What did they want to do with the water? Did they want to sell it?" they 
asked. Students urged that Judge Emilian Mushi who came all the way from 
Lushoto Judicial Institute and his four committee members could be easily 
misinformed as he was not given a clear picture of what was going on.
Another triggering element was the suspension of the outgoing Prime Minister 
of the students' organization (DARUSO), suspended a few days after the other 
15 students. Students are angry with the decision, seeing in Julius Mtatiro 
a hero and fighter for their rights.
They want to know how he was connected and what misconduct he committed to 
deserve the suspension. They accuse the new DARUSO for not supporting its 
Premier and said the President Daudi Deo is aligned with the university 
administration, so they don't want to see him leading their organ.
On the suspension of a Ugandan student who was contesting for the Daruso 
presidency, students said that the Ugandan was their choice and they also 
want him back. They wonder how the administration came to know that he used 
forged academic documents to get admission when he showed an interest in 
leading Daruso.
"We don't want those people with elements of parochial Tanzanian politics 
here; we want Odwar as he proved he can lead and he has no groups," they 
insisted.
Commenting on the students' charges and the general situation currently at 
the University, the Director of Undergraduate Studies Prof Florence Luoga 
said the situation at the Hill is a challenge especially when it comes to 
students threatening the Vice-Chancellor.
He said it was a new development at the University but they will act 
immediately on it. Prof Luoga said there is no shortcut in solving those 
problems and they won't bow to students' demands. "The issue of Odwar is 
clear.
That guy has failed to submit his original Form Six certificates as we told 
him. Our procedures require that he has to submit original documents that 
were certified by the Ugandan National Education Board, not that from the 
school he studied," he specified. Instead of submitting certificates from 
the Ugandan examining authority, Odwar presented result slips from Joseny 
High School in Entebbe where he studied.
He said ordinarily the Tanzania National Examinations Council will have to 
check with UNEB on the authentication of Odwar' s certification and not 
otherwise.
He said just before the election a certain office which he refused to 
mention tipped his office on Odwar's admission details and thus the legality 
of academic certificates he used to secure admission, and he responded at 
once after he realized there were abnormalities in his file.
"We suspended his registration after he failed to back up his studentship 
status. In fact he infringed admission regulations and failed to explain why 
he can't obtain his certification from UNEB. I wrote him on 16 April and 
told him his suspension will remain intact until he fulfills the 
requirements of this procedure," said Prof. Luoga.
After the issue of Odwar surfaced, the University decided to instruct all 
Ugandan students to submit certified documents from their examinations body 
and Prof Luoga's office was still working on the submitted documents.
He said he will advice the university administration before the start of 
final examinations expected to commence on May 19 on what to do with 
candidates whose cases would be still pending.
On the issue of the suspended 15 students he said their case has been handed 
over to the Police who will have to decide when to take them to court to 
answer charges, "and there were no more questions about that." But on he 
five students believed to be Odwar's supporters, he said the administration 
principally refused to negotiate with DARUSO on their case and advised that 
if they felt they were aggrieved they have to appeal on their own, but not 
depending on Daruso.
"Their case is in the office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Planning, 
Finance and Administration, Prof Yunus Mgaya for further action and 
determination.
They will have to wait as it may take time," he said. Commenting on the 
suspension of Daruso Prime Minister Mtatiro, Prof Luoga said he was charged 
with displinary offences. He asserted that Mtatiro as a top leader of the 
students he had to behave according to rules governing his status and 
university regulations.
"We have come to realize that at the university sometimes we are admitting 
criminals but we cannot detect them early or easily. It is when riots erupt 
like this that we net them one after another," the don remarked.
No procedures exist to check students' records before they join the college, 
he said, noting that if the university sought to check these records first, 
it could be interpreted as seeking to breach the rights of prospective 
students.
Commenting on the situation, the outgoing daruso President Deo Daudi said 
there was nothing anyone could so about students if they don't want to 
follow Daruso directives.
He said things had gone beyond control and the only organ to intervene was 
to convene the students' parliament.
"You can not lead people who have lost confidence in you and are rioting. We 
formed a negotiating committee to meet with the administration but they also 
don't trust it, so what do you expect us to do," asked Deo, looking 
confused.
But the speaker of the students Parliament Mr. Elimo Masawe said he will be 
able to convene the Parliament which has been divided, when the cabinet 
instructs him to do so.
Until The Citizen left the scene, a meeting between Daruso and the 
administration was still going on but students were holding back, saying 
they won't attend classes until they get answers on their concerns.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200804230646.html

Tanzania: Six Seriously Hurt in UDSM Protest March

The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)
23 April 2008
Posted to the web 23 April 2008
Pius Rugonzibwa And Polycap Machira
University of Dar es salaam student match around the main campus in Dar es 
salaam yesterday during a demonstration called to pressure the university's 
administration to reinstate suspended students.
The Field Force Unit was yesterday brought in to throw teargas canisters to 
disperse angry students who had put under siege the University of Dar es 
Salaam administration block.

The incident left two policemen and four students seriously injured, while 
six students suspected to be the ringleaders of the riot were arrested by 
the police yesterday.
After the students disrupted lectures for over three hours, the University 
administration called the police to restore peace at the restive campus.
The trouble begun a few minutes after Kinondoni Regional Police Commander 
Jamal Rwambo had visited the campus, also known as the main campus of the 
University of Dar es Salaam.
About five minutes after the RPC left the area, about 40 armed policemen 
from the Field Force Unit surrounded the campus, at around one o'clock.
Excited students had gathered at the administration block shouting and 
demanding that their fellow students suspended last week be allowed back 
unconditionally.
Before the police raid, the leader of the University local government, Dr 
Kasoga addressed the students and begged them to return to classes while 
their demanded were worked on, but they only shouted at him.
The rioting students ignored his call, and shouted at Dr. Kasoga, urging him 
to leave the area immediately.
As the disappointed lecturer departed, three police vehicles with 
registration number PT 0886, PT 1519 and PT1523 arrived at the area, where 
an estimated 1500 rioting students started to run away, escaping from the 
area.
"We cannot let a few people disrupt peace here and disturb those who want to 
study.
There is evidence that many students are opposed to these riots, so we are 
here to restore peace and hold trouble makers," the RPC declared.
Two policemen were seriously injured during the clashes that lasted for two 
hours.
The injured policemen were identified as Constable Petro Haule, while the 
second officer's name could not be obtained immediately.
PC Haule, while being treated at the theatre facility in the University 
dispensary said that he was hit by a sharp piece of bottle thrown on the 
leg, at which point he started bleeding heavily. The leg was broken at the 
ankle.
Earlier, the rowdy students had stormed into lecture halls holding sticks 
calling for their colleagues to join the boycott, and those who resisted the 
order were beaten.
By 10:15 in the morning hundreds of students gathered at the Revolutionary 
Square singing and chanting solidarity songs, before a selected few 
addressed the gathering.
They all had the same message; Fighting for our colleagues to be back.
The students demanded that all the 15 students who were suspended should be 
recalled and five other students accused of causing mayhem during DARUSO 
elections also be returned.
No university official was there to comment on the issue, except for a 
notice board entry that the University Council would meet in the afternoon 
to discuss the situation and chart out the next course of action.
A new notice on the student notice board, issued by the Public Relations 
Office, stated that any unlawful activities including interruption of 
classes will not be tolerated.
"Students are forewarned that the administration will not hesitate to 
enforce to the letter all provisions of by-laws governing the presence of 
students at the campus to anybody who engages in acts which are contrary to 
university regulations and the laws of the land," reads the notice in part.
The students marched through the campus playgrounds, residential halls and 
the administration block singing;
"You will see the real fire, we wonder why you have interfered with internal 
activities of learned students, Mukandala!"
Trouble has been brewing at the university since the administration 
suspended the 14 students said to have been involved in the February riot 
leading to death of students.
It was also triggered by the decision by the administration's disciplinary 
committee that later suspended five other students for being associated with 
chaos during campaigns to elect Daruso leaders

http://allafrica.com/stories/200805091064.html

Zimbabwe: Masvingo Students Riot Over Arrest of Their Leader

SW Radio Africa (London)
9 May 2008
Posted to the web 9 May 2008
Lance Guma
The arrest of Courage Ngwarai, a student leader at the Great Zimbabwe 
University in Masvingo, sparked riots on campus as students clashed with 
riot police.
Police came to the campus Thursday evening to arrest Ngwarai over a 
demonstration held last week. Students however vowed to defend him and this 
led to clashes, which saw police indiscriminately assault everyone within 
sight. Several students were injured in the chaos. Police claim Ngwarai, a 
legal and academic secretary with the Zimbabwe National Students Union, 
incited students to demonstrate during an address he made last week. The 
university has also suspended him.
Meanwhile over 600 students at the Chinhoyi University of Technology 
demonstrated on campus Wednesday, demanding that Robert Mugabe step down for 
bringing untold misery to the population. At least 2 truckloads of riot 
police descended on the campus and assaulted the peaceful students. Police 
arrested 5 student leaders, including Faith Mutepa and Priviledge 
Matizanadzo. They were taken to Chinhoyi Central Police Station where they 
are still in police custody. ZINASU said no charges have been filed against 
them, but there are unfounded allegations that the group assaulted some 
police officers.
ZINASU Information secretary Blessing Vava, Treasurer Themba Maphenduka and 
Chinhoyi University Students' Union leader Faith Mutepa, all addressed 
students in the dining hall. The speakers attributed the total collapse of 
tertiary education to the crisis of national governance in the country. 
ZINASU say war veterans later abducted Vava and his whereabouts are still 
unknown. ZINASU President Clever Bere issued a warning to Mugabe's regime 
saying Zimbabweans will not accept any games in the event of a run-off. He 
called for international supervision of the election and that results be 
announced within 48 hours. The students have also demanded an end to the 
politically motivated violence.

http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?from=rss_Education&set_id=1&click_id=105&art_id=nw20080526080301369C670234

Two injured in NWest student protest

    May 26 2008 at 09:30AM

A policeman and security officer were injured when North West University 
students staged a protest at the Mafikeng campus at the weekend, police 
reported on Monday.

Superintendent Lesego Metsi said the students were demanding the 
reinstatement of their fellow students who had been barred from the 
university for inciting violent protests.

"They barricaded the entrance, burning tyres and throwing stones. The police 
were called in and a policeman and a security officer were injured," said 
Metsi.

Four students were arrested during the incident on Sunday evening.

The initial protests which resulted in their friends' exclusion from campus, 
revolved around a 13 percent increase in tuition fees.

The situation calmed down when members of the Student Representative Council 
addressed the protesters. - Sapa

http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2328953,00.html

Students protest in Mafikeng
26/05/2008 09:15  - (SA)
Johannesburg - A group of students blockaded the main entrance to the 
Mafikeng campus of the North West University, SABC news reported on Sunday.
The students were apparently demanding the immediate reinstatement of the 
seven students excluded from the university two weeks ago.
The students were excluded after apparently being found guilty of inciting 
violent protests.
The protests were against the decision by university management to hike fees 
by 13%.
Last week, students apparently hurled stones at motorists and barricaded the 
entrance with burning tires.
On Friday the university management resolved to revisit the seven students' 
cases said SABC news.

http://www2.irna.com/en/news/view/menu-234/0806123508180851.htm

South German student protests turn violent over tuition fees
Berlin, June 12, IRNA
Germany-Protests-Students
Student protests over university tuition fees turned violent in two German 
cities Wednesday evening, according to media reports.
In Frankfurt, demonstrators threw stones and bottles and set municipal 
garbage cans on fire, a police spokesman said.
In Marburg, one policeman was hurt during a scuffle with students.
Meanwhile, a local office of the co-ruling Christian Democratic Union party 
was pelted with eggs.
Hundreds of students took to the streets in Frankfurt and Marburg to voice 
their opposition to a recent decision by the highest court in the state of 
Hesse which ruled that tuition fees were legal.
In general, German universities do not charge tuition and all students who 
qualify have the right to attend.
However, with the country facing financial woes, the government announced it 
must scale back on its social-benefits system, among them higher education.
Students reject any reduction in the quality of their education and argue 
that hiking fees would make it even harder for them to finish their studies, 
which on the average take around six years.
Germany has been the scene of repeated violent student demonstrations in 
recent years as more and more states have indicated that they want to 
introduce student fees.

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/207522,zambia-police-shoot-seriously-injure-two-students-during-food-riot.html

Zambia police shoot, seriously injure two students during food riot
Posted : Fri, 23 May 2008 12:43:02 GMT
Author : DPA
Category : Africa (World)
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Lusaka, Zambia - Riot police in the southern African country of Zambia on 
Friday shot and seriously wounded two students in the capital Lusaka during 
a protest over meal allowances. The police opened fire with live ammunition 
on the crowd of around 300 students at the University of Zambia, who pelted 
officers and passing motorists with stones, bottles and missiles, according 
to police spokesperson Bonny Kapeso.
The wounded students had been admitted to the university teaching hospital, 
where spokesperson Pauline Mbangweta described their condition as critical 
but stable.
Kapeso said police had first fired warning shots in the air to disperse the 
students, then fired directly at them when they continued to lob projectiles 
at them.
The students were protesting over the value of their meal allowances. They 
say the current allowance of 300,000 Zambian kwacha per month (90 dollars) 
is not enough to put food on the table, giving rising food prices, and have 
demanded the double.
Students at Copperbelt University north of Lusaka had rioted earlier this 
year over the same issue.
Education Minister Geoffrey Lungwangwa said he was looking into the 
students' demands.

http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,,2-11-1447_2324230,00.html

Students stage violent protest
17/05/2008 14:40  - (SA)
Lusaka - Students from Zambia's biggest university staged violent protests 
and stoned vehicles to press for an increment in meal allowances, police 
said on Saturday.
University of Zambia students blocked roads near their campus on Friday 
night before they were dispersed by riot police officers using teargas, a 
police statement said.
"The police officers have been deployed at the campus in order to protect 
public property," the police said.
Although some students were arrested the police did not say how many.
Similar protests also took place at the Copperbelt University, another 
state-run institution, where the government provides free bursaries to 
students who cannot afford to pay fees.
"The ring leaders of the protest have been identified and will be made to 
account for their action," said Grace Mikunga, spokesperson of the 
Copperbelt University in a statement.
Student riots over low government funding levels of the two state-run 
universities have become increasingly common.
The government has said it plans to stop free bursaries offered to poor 
students because it has been the source of riots and demonstrations.

http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,,2-11-1447_2328032,00.html

Zambia cops injure students
23/05/2008 18:12  - (SA)

·  Africa 'immune' to recession
·  Students stage violent protest
·  Zambia recovers millions

Lusaka - Riot police in the southern African country of Zambia on Friday 
shot and seriously wounded two students in the capital Lusaka during a 
protest over meal allowances.
The police opened fire with live ammunition on the crowd of around 300 
students at the University of Zambia, who pelted officers and passing 
motorists with stones, bottles and missiles, according to police 
spokesperson Bonny Kapeso.
The wounded students had been admitted to the university teaching hospital, 
where spokesperson Pauline Mbangweta described their condition as critical 
but stable.
Kapeso said police had first fired warning shots in the air to disperse the 
students, then fired directly at them when they continued to lob projectiles 
at them.
The students were protesting over the value of their meal allowances. They 
say the current allowance of 300 000 Zambian kwacha per month is not enough 
to put food on the table, given rising food prices, and have demanded the 
double.
Students at Copperbelt University north of Lusaka had rioted earlier this 
year over the same issue.
Education Minister Geoffrey Lungwangwa said he was looking into the 
students' demands. - Sapa-dpa

http://allafrica.com/stories/200808041440.html

Nigeria: Edo Students in Uniben Protest Over State Bursary

Vanguard (Lagos)
4 August 2008
Posted to the web 4 August 2008
Gabriel Enogholase
STUDENTS Edo State origin in the University of Benin took to the streets of 
Benin weekend to protest the manner of the disbursement of their the N10,000 
bursary.
The student accused government officials of short changing them by making 
them pay N700 as administrative charges

They also claimed that some of the students who benefitted from the award 
were fictitious names just as they said that some names they saw in the list 
were persons that have since graduated from the school.
During the protest which The Guardian corresponent in Edo state, 
Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu, was attacked by the students armed with clubs and 
stones; who manhandled him.
One of the officials at the Oba Akenzua cultural centre, venue of who 
invovled in the disbursment of the award was beaten up by the students and 
forced to march with them to government house where they were addressed by 
the deputy governor, Lucky Imasuen.
They also seriously injured one of their members who they accused of 
conniving with government officials to shortchange them.
The beneficiaries were being made to pay N700 which the organizers said was 
dues they ought to pay to their cultural association; National Association 
of Edo State Students.
However, in reaction, the state government has declared the collection of 
N700 unauthorized. It directed that those who have paid the amount should be 
refunded.
A statement from government house, signed by the chief press secretary to 
the governor, Dan Aigbavboa said that the bursary would now be disbursed 
through the office of the Dean of Students in the tertiary institutions in 
the state who are the first beneficiaries, University of Benin, Ambrose Alli 
University, Epkoma, Federal Polytechnic, Auchi, Colleges of Education, 
Ekiadolor and Igueben and College of Agriculture, Iguoriakhi students in the 
University of Benin took to the streets of Benin over the weekend to protest 
the way the N10,000 bursary was disbursed.
They accused government officials of short changing them by making them pay 
N700 as administrative charges.
Besides, they claimed that some beneficiaries were fictitious names while 
some names they saw in the list were persons that have since graduated from 
the school.
In the protest which almost got out of hand, The Guardian editorial 
representative in Edo state, Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu, was attacked by the 
students armed with clubs and stones; he was manhandled and hit with a heavy 
stone by one of the protesting students when he attempted to take their 
shot.
One of the officials at the Oba Akenzua cultural centre, venue of disbursing 
the cash was beaten up by the students and forced to march with them to 
government house where they were addressed by the deputy governor, Lucky 
Imasuen. They also seriously injured one of their members who they accused 
of conniving with government officials to shortchange them.
The beneficiaries were being made to pay N700 which the organizers said was 
dues they ought to pay to their cultural association; National Association 
of Edo State Students.
However, in reaction, the state government has declared the collection of 
N700 unauthorized. It directed that those who have paid the amount should be 
refunded.
A statement from government house, signed by the chief press secretary to 
the governor, Dan Aigbavboa said that the bursary would now be disbursed 
through the office of the Dean of Students in the tertiary institutions in 
the state who are the first beneficiaries, University of Benin, Ambrose Alli 
University, Epkoma, Federal Polytechnic, Auchi, Colleges of Education, 
Ekiadolor and Igueben and College of Agriculture, Iguoriakhi.

http://www.ncr-iran.org/content/view/5281/128/

Iran: More than 3,000 students protest in Zanjan University

Sunday, 15 June 2008
NCRI - Last night and today, thousands of Zanjan University students have 
held a gathering outside the school's gym in protest to ethical misconduct 
by the university's vice-president.
In protest to Madadi, the vice-president, the students broke the widows and 
called for the resignation of the school's president, Nadaf, and his deputy. 
They asked the school's faculty to leave the building.
The school is in a period of final exams. However, the students refuse to 
show up for classes.
In recent weeks, sit-ins and protest gatherings held by students across Iran 
such as Teacher's Training School in Karaj, Bo-Ali in Hamedan, Sahand in 
Tabriz, Polytechnic in Tehran, Shiraz University in Shiraz, Alameh in Tehran 
are signs of increasing public hatred for the mullahs' inhuman regime and an 
overall desire for a change in Iran.
The Iranian Resistance calls on all international human rights organizations 
and student unions to support the Iranian students' demands and condemn 
their systematic suppression by the regime.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
June 15, 200

http://www.ncr-iran.org/content/view/5158/128/

Iran: 5th day of hunger strike and protests at Sahand Universit

Monday, 28 April 2008
NCRI- Students have gone on hunger strike and demonstration for the past 
five days at Sahand Technical University in the northern city of Tabriz.
They are protesting to hand picked school administrators by the government 
for the school.

Students are also demanding action against university's security guards for 
insulting female students. Protesting students chanted," "We are angry at 
those who promote discrimination," "We are fighting, men and women, Fight us 
and we will fight," "We stand, we chant, we fight to the end" and "No matter 
what happens, the movement will continue."
In addition to condemning suppressive measures at the school against the 
students, the demonstrators demanded the resignation of two school 
officials; the vice-president of cultural affairs and the dean of student 
affairs.
The protesters shouted at these two officials on campus, "Shame on you, step 
down."
Among the striking students, presence of female student is outstanding. 
Twenty-one male and four female students are on strike.
The female students are in critical condition, according to the latest 
paramedic teams on the scene.
The Iranian Resistance calls on all International human rights 
organizations, in particular the student unions to condemn the suppressive 
measure against the Iranian students.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
April 28, 2008

http://www.ncr-iran.org/content/view/5201/128/

Iran: Mullahs' suppressive forces crackdown on spreading student protests

Friday, 09 May 2008
NCRI - The student protests in Shariati, Vali-e-Asr and Shamsipour technical 
colleges in Tehran which began on Monday, May 5, led to violent clashes with 
State Security Forces (SSF). The suppressive forces encircled and brutally 
attacked students using clubs and batons in a bid to disperse them.
Shariati students boycotted lectures and marched towards the State General 
Inspection Organization and joined other protesting students from Vali-e-Asr 
and Shamsipour colleges on Wednesday. They demanded change in anti-student 
policies of the Ministry of Science.
Meanwhile, SSF agents and special units of the Revolutionary Guard Corps 
attacked Shamsipour college students to prevent them joining the big 
protest. The repressive forces brutally attacked the students using tear gas 
and batons. The students chanted slogans such as, "Students will die but 
never be humiliated" and "Open the gates, free the students."
While lauding student protests and their determination, the Iranian 
Resistance calls on all human rights organizations, in particular student 
unions and associations, to condemn the suppressive measure against the 
Iranian students.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
May 8, 2008

http://www.iranfocus.com/en/special-wire/protest-erupts-in-university-of-tehran.html

Protest erupts in University of Tehran

Wednesday, 09 July 2008
Iran Focus
Tehran, Iran, Jul. 09 - Students in the University of Tehran staged a 
protest on campus on Tuesday, eye-witnesses told Iran Focus in a telephone 
interview.
The protest erupted outside the main entrance of the university.
Several students told Iran Focus that more than 2,000 students took part in 
the rally. There was a heavy police presence at the scene throughout the 
day. Mobile phones were confiscated to prevent an outbreak of news of the 
protest, they said.
The students also confirmed to Iran Focus that a large number of members of 
the public also sought to join the protest but were prevented from doing so 
by the State Security Forces (SSF). From the early hours of the day, groups 
of three of more people at the scene were approached and disbanded by the 
SSF.
At approximately 19.30 (local Tehran time) a separate protest broke out in 
Tehran's Daneshjoo Park, according to eye-witnesses. There too mobile phones 
were confiscated by the SSF.
Students reached by telephoned said that a separate demonstration erupted at 
Tehran's Laleh Park, though details were sketchy.
Similar protests are believed to have broken out on several other university 
campuses across Tehran, including in Polytechnic University - also known as 
Amir Kabir University - which has been a hotbed of anti-government 
demonstrations for over a year.
Tuesday marked the 9th anniversary of the start of a student-led uprising 
across Iran which broke out after members of the hard-line Bassij militia 
and Ansar-e Hezbollah, a paramilitary force that acts as the clerical regime's 
storm troopers to put down anti-government demonstrations, raided a 
dormitory in Tehran University and attacked the students there. One student 
was killed when he was thrown out of the window in the 1999 raid on the 
university dorm. The ensuing nationwide protests that erupted came as a 
shock to Iran's clerical leaders and lasted for over a week.

http://www.iranfocus.com/en/special-wire/20-students-arrested-during-protest-in-northern-iran.html

20 students arrested during protest in northern Iran

Monday, 25 February 2008
Iran Focus

Tehran, Iran, Feb. 25 - Twenty students have been arrested at the Industrial 
University of Shahrood, northern Iran, in the course of a protest which has 
entered its sixth day, Iran Focus has learnt.

More than 3,000 students took part in the protest in the town's main street 
on Saturday and Sunday, calling on the government to pay attention to their 
demands regarding the university's administration, a student activist 
requesting anonymity told Iran Focus in an email interview.

The protest originally began on Wednesday, and lasted for three days on 
campus. With university officials refusing to listen to their demands, the 
students took to the streets starting on Saturday.

The protesters were especially angry at gas shortages in Shahrood and the 
temporary closure of the university and cancellation of exams.

It is not know where the 20 detained students are currently being held.

http://www.olyblog.net/evergreen-sds-sit-ends

Evergreen SDS sit-in ends
Submitted by Just another voice on Thu, 06/12/2008 - 11:30pm.
olympia sds
protest
sds
the evergreen state college
Some of you may have read how SDS at Evergreen may have been planning to 
disrupt graduation tomorrow. Looks like that won't be the case. A faculty 
member involved in the mediation between the admins and SDS just released a 
brief on the conclusion of the sit-in and agreement between both SDS and the 
admins.
It is reproduced below:
RE: Joint Communication from Participants in the Sit-in and Representatives 
of the Division of Student Affairs

After several sessions of negotiation, representatives of the college 
administration and participants in the sit-in the Seminar I building reached 
an agreement on Thursday evening. The administration was represented in 
negotiations by Art Costantino, Phyllis Lane and Tom Mercado. The sit-in 
participants had five students at the negotiating table at any one time, 
rotating among [names of students and faculty and admins] facilitated the 
negotiations.

Both parties were pleased to reach this agreement and look forward to the 
fall quarter committed to working together in the collaborative and 
cooperative spirit that exemplifies the unique educational mission of 
Evergreen.

The following is the full text of the agreement:

1) SDS will vacate the fourth floor of Seminar One and cease activities that 
are disrupting the offices of the Vice President for Student Affairs.

2) Both parties involved accept some responsibility for the events leading 
up to March 7, 2008 as follows: SDS accepts some responsibility for deciding 
to proceed with the cancelled event. The administration recognizes that 
although not necessarily an excuse for deciding to proceed with the 
cancelled event, some conditions associated with the moratorium may not have 
been clear.

3) SDS must identify four coordinators at the beginning of Fall 2008 and 
ensure that the four coordinators attend the three-part training for 
registered student organizations. The four coordinators will be responsible 
for dissemination of training information related to college policies and 
procedures to the general SDS membership.

4) Upon completion of the above (# 1, 2, 3) SDS' probation will be lifted, 
reinstating them as a registered student organization. As a registered 
student organization, SDS will be eligible to apply to the S&A Board for 
funding. Upon completion of # 1, 2, and 3 and receipt of $75, an account 
will be set up and SDS will be eligible to sponsor events on campus. During 
the summer, SDS will be permitted to reserve space for organizational 
meetings. They will not be permitted to host public events nor will they 
have access to funds.

5) [student name] will be offered her job back in Parking Services as well 
as receive compensation for time lost. She will be offered the opportunity 
to work during her previously scheduled hours.

6) The college recognizes the primacy of students in development and 
revision of a student-initiated and developed process to create a new 
disciplinary policy for registered student organizations. This acknowledges 
that we can not go above the jurisdiction of the Board of Trustees. To this 
end, we urge the Geoduck Student Union to initiate a process for formulating 
a coalition of students, registered student organizations and the GSU, with 
the student activities staff in a non-voting advisory position, to develop a 
new policy for disciplinary review of registered student organizations. We 
urge that the process be open and equal. Upon development of this policy it 
shall be presented to the student body for ratification by vote. If the 
student body ratifies it, it will become official policy.

7) Upon agreement, no additional complaints will be made by Student Affairs 
staff, and all current complaints made by that staff will be terminated 
regarding all sit-in related activities, including all activities related to 
the functioning of the People's University. Three grievances are to be 
adjudicated through the student conduct code. In one of the cases, the 
complainant has made it clear that the complainant will not seek suspension 
or expulsion from the college. The complaints against the other two 
individuals will continue unabated. The names of these individuals are 
identified in a private memorandum between the parties to this agreement. In 
these cases the grievance officer will be Joe Tougas.

http://news.infoshop.org/article.php?story=20080601164205310

Washington: Update on Evergreen SDS Sit-in
Sunday, June 01 2008 @ 04:42 PM CDT
Contributed by: Anonymous
Views: 282
The sit in on the 4th floor of Sem 1 continues. We are still keeping our 
initial demand that Olympia SDS be reinstated and have recently added the 
additional demands that Kelly Beckham be offered her job back as well as 
compensation for time lost, and a change in the process by which student 
groups lose their RSO (Registered Student Organization) status that is 
determined by those most affected, the students and members of these 
organizations. To some, this sit-in may appear to be too focused on SDS, but 
the intention of the sit-in has always been and continues to be bigger than 
the status of one student group. Since the beginning of the free speech 
fight, SDS has always stated that our priority is to increase student power 
and the sit-in has created a space for new and more people to get involved 
in fighting for social justice. This is more than just SDS.

Where We're Going

In thinking about the above demands, the participants in the sit-in started 
talking about a vision that includes this notion of building student power 
at our college. This vision is a guide for our action and for our practice. 
We approach this vision with the realization that our task is complex and is 
going to take time and hard work. These aren't things that are going to 
happen overnight, but will hopefully happen slowly, over time, and in a way 
that gets people's needs met while also challenging the power structures 
that oppress us all and providing meaningful alternatives to these 
structures. This means we are building the world we want to see in the here 
and now, in ways that push boundaries and get to the root of the problems we 
see facing us. As students, we are all part of this process and because of 
this, want to see a democratization of our college with those who are most 
affected having the most say in the decisions that get made here. Students 
and staff (including faculty) should have a priority in the determination of 
policies at our college. Included in this is getting back to the values 
Evergreen was founded on.

We want an end to the "mainstreaming" of our school and respect for the 
autonomy of every individual, both students and staff. Part of this is 
actively combatting oppression at Evergreen. We want to do more than just 
pay lip service to anti-oppression - we want to work towards a trajectory of 
collective liberation, recognizing that all forms of struggle are connected 
and are dependent on one another. Integral to this is an end to the 
segregation of our college amongst the different campuses and programs. Most 
importantly, we want to make the college more accessible and relevant to 
people by decreasing the cost of tuition, by expanding services including 
child care, housing and health care and by ensuring funding for all kinds of 
programs at Evergreen. We would also like to see a radical commitment to 
environmental sustainability at our college by creating self-sufficiency and 
recognizing that environmental problems are complex and require us to get to 
the root of the problem in order to successfully solve them. To do this, 
we're going to have to change the profit-driven system we currently have and 
replace it with one that is tied to human needs and ecological balance. We 
also seek to find alternatives to the structures that reinforce violence, 
racism and other forms of oppression at this college. A large component of 
this is the police. Eventually, we want a college free of police, where we 
can work together to find alternatives that don't include institutionalized 
racism and violence. However, this is a gradual process and would start with 
getting guns and other weapons including Tasers out of our college, as well 
as terminating the positions of the most violent and oppressive officers.

The above are just some of the issues those of us at the sit-in have been 
discussing and therefore is just a starting point in creating a broader 
vision statement. Because of this, our vision is not static. Instead, we 
would like to see what is created as a living document, something that is 
always available for change depending on the needs of those committed to the 
core principles and to our college in general. Anyone who wants to share our 
goal of building and increasing student power at The Evergreen State College 
is encouraged and welcome to work on this vision with us. Stop by the sit-in 
on the fourth floor of Seminar 1 to give your input!

We would also like to note that this piece, although written by just two 
sit-in participants could not have been put together without the ideas and 
input of everyone who has participated in the sit-in thus far, even if just 
to drop by. Because of the limited authorship, this is not representative of 
all participants, but instead should be viewed as an effort of clarification 
regarding what we're doing and why.

Please join us for the 11th day of our sit-in on the 4th floor of Seminar 1!

Student Power!
Brooke and Brendan, Sit-in Participants.

http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/08/stories/2008060851890300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

Fee reduced following protest by students
Special Correspondent
AU counselling stopped for over four hours due to stir

Students thank administration for reducing the fee
Counselling will resume on June 10

VISAKHAPATNAM: Andhra University authorities reduced the fee for the PG 
courses announced earlier by around 10 per cent following protest by 
students associations which prevented the counselling for admission into PG 
courses from commencing in the campus on Saturday. Protest by students 
stopped counselling for admission for four-and-a-half hours.
After the first day's schedule was postponed to June 19 due to State-wide 
bandh on Friday, the AU Directorate of Admissions took up counselling for 
admission into B.F.A., M.Ed. and M.P.Ed. on Saturday but the SFI, AISF, the 
Telugu Nadu Students Federation, Tribal Students Federation, BC and SC 
students associations did not allow the counselling to commence demanding 
reduction of fee for the courses, which they said had been increased 
steeply. Principal of AU College of Arts and Commerce L.K. Mohana Rao 
mediated between the students and Vice-Chancellor in-charge B. Satyanarayana 
and Registrar P. Vijaya Prakash. Later Prof. Satyanarayana announced that 
the increase would be around 10 per cent over the previous year's fee in 
both arts and science courses. The students and Academic Senate Member P. 
Apada Rao thanked the administration for reducing the fee. The counselling 
was expected to continue till late in the night on Saturday. The counselling 
would resume on June 10 for admission into bio-chemistry, bio-technology, 
microbiology, chemistry and foods, nutrition and dietetics.

http://www.witness.co.za/index.php?showcontent&global[_id]=11964

Student dies at protest
22 Aug 2008
Sharlene Packree and Sapa

Mthoko Ncawanyana, a student involved in a protest on the University of 
South Africa (Unisa) Durban campus, collapsed and died shortly after the 
crowd was dispersed by police yesterday.

Ncawanyana, a second-year law student, was one of the 200 students who 
protested outside the campus yesterday over the registration process.

Angry students pelted police with stones, causing damage to several vehicles 
and injuring three policemen. Students prevented others not involved in the 
protest from entering examination rooms.

Police spokesman Inspector Michael Read said 10 students were arrested and 
charged with public violence.

"Police quickly dispersed the crowd. The arrested students will appear in 
court soon," he said.

When the students had dispersed, Ncawanyana was found outside the 
International Convention Centre, which is near the campus.

Paramedics were called in and declared him dead.

Read said that although it seems that Ncawanyana died of natural causes, a 
post-mortem will be carried out to determine the cause of death.

"The Independent Complaints Directorate was also called to the scene to 
investigate the matter," he said.

Ncawanyana's aunt, Maureen Zulu, said the family had "high hopes" for 
Ncawanyana, whom she described as passionate about his studies.

"Mthoko was a bright boy. He went to hand in an assignment today, so I don't 
know how he got involved in the protest."

She said that apart from suffering from asthma, Ncawanyana was healthy.

"The family is still in shock. His mother is extremely upset and had to be 
sedated by a doctor. She is not doing well," Zulu said.

Unisa's KwaZulu-Natal regional director, Magnate Ntombela, was not 
immediately available to comment on the student's death. He earlier 
described the protest as "ugly", saying he was saddened it had "got a bit 
violent".

Ntombela said students chained the university's entrance gate to prevent 
staff and students from entering. Security guards removed the chain.

"There was a bit of a commotion. We have a few windows broken in the 
building," he said, adding that a law society exam had to be postponed.

Ntombela said students last week held a march in opposition to the 
university's new registration process.

A memorandum was handed to the university's management, who were given until 
Monday to respond. When students received no response, they planned a 
protest for yesterday. Ntombela said a similar protest took place last year, 
but that it did not get "this ugly".

http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2380088,00.html

Student dies at Unisa protest
21/08/2008 14:15  - (SA)
Durban - A 22-year-old man, believed to be part of a group of protesters 
that had gathered at the University of South Africa (Unisa) in Durban, 
collapsed and died on Thursday.
At least 200 students were protesting outside the campus, at the corner of 
Old Port Road and Stanger Street over the university's registration process.
Police said the angry students had been throwing stones at vehicles and had 
prevented non-protesting students from entering the building to write a 
national examination.
Ten protesters were arrested at the scene for public violence.
Inspector Michael Read said the student who died collapsed outside the 
International Convention Centre, which is situated opposite the campus.
"It appears as if he died from natural causes, but the body will be taken to 
the Gale Street mortuary and a post mortem will be carried out to establish 
the cause of death."
Read said the student apparently suffered from asthma. Police watchdog, the 
Independent Complaints Directorate was also called to the scene to 
investigate the matter. Police have opened an inquest docket.
While police described the protest as "very peaceful", a university official 
claimed it was "violent".
Unisa's KwaZulu-Natal regional director Magnate Ntombela, though, said he 
was "saddened" that the protest had "got a bit violent".
He claimed that students chained the entrance gate early on Thursday to 
prevent staff and students from entering. Security guards removed the chain.
Ntombela said the students later started throwing stones and trying to force 
their way into the one-building campus.
"Police dispersed them," he said.
"There was a bit of a commotion. We have a few windows broken in the 
building," he said, adding that a law society exam had to be postponed.
Ntombela said students held a protest march on Friday in opposition to the 
university's new registration process. He received a memorandum from them 
which he forwarded to senior management, he said.
The students gave management until lunch-time on Monday to respond.
Ntombela said that, on Monday, he told the students he had passed on their 
memorandum and had explained to them that their unhappiness arose from a 
"misunderstanding".
"They expected Monday to be (the) response from management saying they were 
going to scrap the process," he said.
"Then they decided today that they were going to protest again," he added, 
claiming they had not informed the university of their plans, other than by 
making a vague threat of further action in the memorandum.
He said a similar protest had been held last year, but that "it didn't get 
this ugly".

http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?from=rss_Education&set_id=1&click_id=105&art_id=nw20080822092250967C916889

Students protest sees 22 arrested

     August 22 2008 at 09:29AM

The number of students arrested for public violence at the University of 
South Africa's (Unisa) Durban campus had risen to 22, Durban police said on 
Friday.

At least 200 students on Thursday protested outside the campus, at the 
corner of Old Port Road and Stanger Street over the university's new online 
registration process and material being supplied on a compact disc.

Police said the angry students had been throwing stones at vehicles and had 
prevented non-protesting students from entering the building to write a 
national examination.

A 22-year-old man, who was part of the group of protesters, collapsed and 
died at the scene after suffering from an apparent asthma attack.

He was identified by the university as Mthokozisi Nkwanyana, a second year 
political science student.

At the time, police spokesperson Inspector Michael Read said the student 
collapsed outside the International Convention Centre, opposite the campus.

"It appears as if he died from natural causes, but the body will be taken to 
the Gale Street mortuary and a post mortem will be carried out to establish 
the cause of death," he said.

Post mortem results were expected in a week's time.

On Friday, the Mercury newspaper reported that Nkwanyana collapsed after 
police used teargas to disperse the protesters.

Read however denied that teargas was used, saying: "We gave them verbal 
warnings to disperse".

Police watchdog, the Independent Complaints Directorate, was also called to 
the scene to investigate the matter. Police have opened an inquest docket.

Unisa's KwaZulu-Natal regional director Magnate Ntombela at the time said 
protesting students had also chained the university's entrance gate to 
prevent staff and students from entering. Security guards later removed the 
chain.

The 22 students are due to appear in the Durban magistrate's court shortly. 
The institution and students were expected to meet around midday on Friday 
to discuss the students' grievances. - Sapa

http://allafrica.com/stories/200807130072.html

Nigeria: Protest - 40 Jigawa Students Suspended
Daily Trust (Abuja)
13 July 2008
Posted to the web 13 July 2008
Ahmed Abubakar
Dutse
Over 40 students of the Birnin Kudu Government College in Jigawa state have 
been suspended following a demonstration during which they vandalized the 
zonal education office and nearly lynched the zonal officer, Alhaji Ahmed 
Ginsau.
Ginsau escaped lynching after the rampaging students had unleashed mayhem on 
the office block, smashing windows and doors and later descended on the 
official whom they met on his way to the office.
The students were said to have stopped him and started hitting his car even 
as they shouted abusive words, threatening to kill him if he did not call 
the principal of their school to order.
Investigations in Birnin Kudu revealed that the students numbering about two 
hundred took to the streets chanting demeaning slogans against the school 
authority and the government while at the same time exhibiting violent 
tendencies on the streets, a development which sent residents scuttling for 
safety.
The students were said to have collectively taken a decision to return the 
prefect caps to the principal in protest of the action taken against some 
senior students. It took the effort of several policemen deployed to the 
area to disperse them while seven students were held for questioning at the 
divisional police office of Birnin Kudu zone.Eye witness accounts said that 
the incident sent jitters down the spine of residents who envisaged a 
riotous situation as they feared that hoodlums may hijack the protest and 
cause confusion in the town. Precisely, farmers who had prepared to go to 
their farms early in the morning had to abandon the idea while traders 
equally stayed at home when they accosted students wielding dangerous 
weapons and sticks.
The principal of the College, Malam Yusuf Abdullahi who confirmed the 
incident told Sunday Trust that the rampaging students had held the school 
hostage for about two hours after forcing both students and teachers from 
the classrooms, thereby disrupting teaching during the period.
Malam Abdullahi explained that, "the culprits that instigated the riot were 
some prefects who felt aggrieved over the punishment meted to them by the 
school after they mishandled a junior student.
The principal explained that after the case was reported to him, he 
instituted a disciplinary committee to investigate and deal with the erring 
students appropriately in order to serve as deterrent to others.
"Despite the insignificant punishment meted to them by the school the 
prefects went ahead to instigate other students to disrupt activities in the 
college and also extended the misdemeanor to the town. "The prefects were 
not happy with the action taken so they took the law into their hands and 
disrupted peace in the school", the principal further stated.
Already, the state deputy governor together with some representatives from 
the education ministry has visited the zonal office and the college to 
assess the situation.
Explaining the incident to the deputy governor, the permanent secretary of 
the ministry of education, Malam Sani Abdullahi said trouble started when 
the prefects had punished a junior student severely because he allegedly 
used abusive words on them. "They had ambushed him in the late hours of the 
night and beaten him to the extent that he lost consciousness, a situation 
which warranted disciplinary action by the school authority".
Abdullahi then told Sunday Trust that the state government had decided to 
suspend the students until investigations were concluded on the matter.
One of the arrested students in SS 2, Ibrahim Dangoggo who spoke to our 
correspondent at the Birnin Kudu divisional police headquarters alleged that 
the senior students decided to demonstrate in solidarity with the aggrieved 
students. He said that they were arrested by the police while returning from 
the zonal education office.
Meanwhile the DPO said that he was not competent enough to speak on the 
issue but however said that the police took a preventive measure in order to 
stop the crises from escalating.
The school was recently renovated through the joint effort of the state 
government and Skye Bank Plc.


http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?from=rss_Education&set_id=1&click_id=105&art_id=nw20080425125840684C437166

School closes after violent protest
    April 25 2008 at 01:38PM

Colala Secondary School in Mount Frere, Eastern Cape, was closed after 
violent protests by students who want to do their matric after having failed 
grade 11, the school's principal said on Friday.

"The school was closed on Thursday after pupils vandalised property and 
assaulted teachers during the week - we will re-open on May 6," said Yolisa 
Maqashalala.

She explained that pupils who failed grade 11 last year arrived at school 
very late in the year, and joined the grade 12 class to do their matric.

"When they were told that they had to go back to grade 11, the pupils who 
were condoned last year thought that they had to as well. That is where the 
miscommunication occurred."

Twenty two pupils were arrested in the protests during the week.

A female teacher was wounded in one of the attacks. Students also tried to 
burn her car, and the staff offices. Classrooms, were vandalised and a 
number of computers and 49 bicycles, which had been donated to the school 
were destroyed.

She said pupils were also making "ridiculous demands" such as not wanting to 
wear school uniforms, and being able to have long hair. The male protesters 
are also demanding that female teachers must not wear short skirts and tight 
tops.

"They do not want rules or discipline in the school, and that is just 
ridiculous," she said.

Police said that the 22 arrested pupils were between the ages of 15 and 20.

"We are not sure when they will appear in court, and I am sure that we will 
make more arrests soon," said spokesperson Captain Alfred Jozana.

Maqashalala said there was no recovery plan for the students as yet.

"Pupils were told that when they get back to school, they are going to have 
to learn in dilapidated classrooms. We are not sure when repairs on the 
school are going to begin," Maqashalala said. - Sapa

http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=444636&sid=REG

Students protest Rajkot varsity appointments
Rajkot, May 23: The Saurashtra University was on Friday ransacked allegedly 
by students union activists to protest against the appointment of its 
registrar and exam officer, police said.

The National Students Union of India (NSUI) for quite some time protesting 
the appointment of its registrar and exam officer for last two months.

The duo was confirmed two days back, sources said adding it may have 
triggered the protests, police said.

The protestors also pelted stones at the university building, they said.

After the incident, security arrangements have been stepped up at the 
university, which is celebrating its 42nd Foundation Day to be attended by 
State Education Minister, Raman Vora this evening.