[Onthebarricades] Student protests, 2 of 3: global South
Andy
ldxar1 at tesco.net
Fri Aug 29 22:54:08 PDT 2008
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/
* TRINIDAD: School students, parents gear up for protests
* INDIA, Karnataka: Students protest for facilities, staff
* MALAYSIA: Students oppose university "reform"
* INDIA, Thiruvanathapuram: Protest against honorary doctorate, corruption
* NEPAL: Students block roads, attack car over fuel prices
* NIGERIA: Students stage walkout, march over food
* NIGERIA: Makerere students protest fees
* PHILIPPINES: Students protest tuition fees, commodity prices
* INDIA, Kerala: Students protest for status upgrade
* PAKISTAN: Students protest accreditation delay
* INDIA, Salem: Compulsory rural service protested with black badges
* PAKISTAN: Students protest sports ground annexation
* INDIA, Jharkand: Muslim students protest "offensive" Mohammed question
* NEPAL: Students protest Maoist killing
* PAKISTAN: Islamic group relocates from university in protest
* INDIA: Students protest university move
* SIERRA LEONE: Students protest for union election
* BANGLADESH: Students lock university in protest for resumption of
classes
* INDIA, Gulbarga: Protest against nursing college closure
* INDIA, Tirunelveli: March against Bishop
* INDIA, Cuttack: Students protest reduction in places
* BANGLADESH: Students protest at private clinic admission, allege
moneygrabbing
* PHILIPPINES: Youth declare "vacation over, protest season on"
* INDIA, Kannur: Protest over fee hike
* INDIA, New Delhi: Protest over expulsions, caste discrimination
* INDIA, Karnataka: Students protest fee for bus pass
* INDIA, Andhra Pradesh: Fee increase protested
* PHILIPPINES: Principal transferred after student protest
* INDIA, Karnataka: Students protest poor hostel conditions
* INDIA, Andhra Pradesh: Protest against textbook controversy
* INDIA, Andhra Pradesh: Students protest shortages, attacked by police
* INDIA, Karnataka: Dharna over upgrading of students
* INDIA, Tamil Nadu: Protest for research funding, other demands
* INDIA, Andhra Pradesh: Statewide bandh against fee increase
* PAKISTAN: Protest against Karachi admission test
* NEPAL: Students block road in protest at bus driver assault
* INDIA, Andhra Pradesh: Protests against college where student committed
suicide
* TAIWAN: Protest against fees
* INDIA, Kerala: Students among many protesters on busy day
* ZAMBIA: University shut during lecturers' strike
* INDIA, Andhra Pradesh: Students block gate over death of lecturer
* INDIA, New Delhi: Protest at "anomalies" in IT institute
* INDIA, Orissa: Protest against private colleges
* SOUTH AFRICA: March at Tshwane University
* INDIA, Puducherry: Protest over delay in giving places
* TURKEY: Students protest against mayor, land grab
* INDIA, Andhra Pradesh: Students demand food quota
* PAKISTAN: Women students protest over frequent changes
* INDIA, Bidar: Bandh against foreign and private universities
* INDIA, Karnataka: Dharna against modularisation
* JORDAN: Students protest fee hike
* INDIA, Bihar: Students protest for end to strike
* INDIA, Karnataka: Youth group protests police violence at dharna
* PHILIPPINES: Students protest for fees rollback
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_news?id=161367097
Lengua school pupils, parents gear up for protest
Nikita Braxton South Bureau
Friday, August 22nd 2008
When the new school term starts in the next two weeks pupils at the Lengua
Presbyterian School might be sharing new slogans on placards instead of
swapping vacation stories.
President of the school's Parent Teachers' Association Saudia Mohammed said
on Wednesday there has been no improvement in school accommodation, even
after several protests, including one after the Secondary Assessment
Examination last term.
"Nothing has been done," she said, adding that they were yet to hear from
the Presbyterian Board from whom they have been waiting for answers on the
status of a new school building.
For more than two years, the school has been convened in an annex of the
nearby Inverness Presbyterian School, which Mohammed said consisted of three
ten-by-ten-foot classrooms which the 78 pupils have had to share. The pupils
previously evacuated the old Lengua Presbyterian school - a 63-year-old
building that was condemned by the Ministry of Health.
Mohammed said a meeting would be held in the first week of the school's
reopening and they would decide their next stage of action.
Windy Partap of the President of the Presbyterian Board of Education, told
the Express a meeting would be held to discuss the problem, after which a
formal response would be made.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/20/stories/2008082054920300.htm
Karnataka
Protest
SIRSI: Students of Government First Grade Collage, Sirsi, took out a protest
march on Tuesday demanding the Government to appoint lecturers and provide
facilities such as library, furniture and toilets in the college. Nearly 300
students formed a human chain and marched to the Assistant Commissioner’s
office and submitted a memorandum.
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/8/18/nation/20080818144935&sec=nation
Monday August 18, 2008 MYT 4:17:50 PM
University students protest amendment to University Act
By SIM LEOI LEOI
KUALA LUMPUR: Around 100 university students gathered at the road leading to
the Parliament building here to protest against the proposed amendment to
the University and University Colleges Act.
Five of the students later came to the Parliament lobby and gave their
memorandum to Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Idris Haron, who
promised to look into their complaints.
"I will also invite students to sit in for the Parliament sittings when the
Bill is being debated so that they can see the entire process.
"I appreciate the efforts they have taken to look through the Bill," he said
after receiving the memorandum.
The Bill, which was tabled for first reading in July, will be debated this
meeting.
Gerakan Mansuhkan AUKU coordinator Zulfattah Ibrahim said the coalition was
against the Act and this should be repealed in the interests of the
undergraduates.
"Any attempt by the ministry to amend this Act is in vain and will not bring
any benefit to us.
"After looking through the Bill, we reject the proposals because these are
only cosmetic in nature," he said.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/20/stories/2008062053560300.htm
Youth protest
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The All India Youth League, youth wing of the All India
Forward Bloc, staged a demonstration here on Thursday urging the Chief
Justice of India to reject the honorary doctorate being conferred on him by
the University of Kerala. The organisation said the university was in the
dock for the alleged irregularities in some of the appointments made by it
recently. The participants were blind-folded in a symbolic gesture. They
alleged that conferring of the degree on the Chief Justice was part of a
move to put pressure on the Lok Ayukta which was looking into the
appointment case.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/06/19/asia/AS-GEN-Nepal-Fuel-Protest.php
Nepal students block traffic, attack chief justice's car to protest fuel
price rise
The Associated Press
Published: June 19, 2008
KATMANDU, Nepal: Nepalese students blocked traffic and attacked the chief
justice's car in the capital Thursday to protest sharp rises in the prices
of gasoline, diesel and cooking fuel.
Chief Justice Kedar Prasad Giri was on his way to the Supreme Court when
students, who had blocked several streets in Katmandu, hurled stones at his
vehicle.
Police pushed back the protesters, and his guards safely removed him from
the car.
Giri was unhurt, but his vehicle was damaged, said Katmandu Police Chief
Sarvendra Nath Khanal.
The students demanded that the government immediately withdraw the fuel
price hikes and reverse a recent decision that let public transport fares
increase by as much as 35 percent.
State-owned oil import and distribution monopoly Nepal Oil Corp. raised oil
product prices last week, saying it was necessary to reduce its losses and
increase supplies.
The pump price of gasoline rose by 25 percent to 100 rupees per liter
(US$5.70 per gallon), while diesel went up 25 percent to 70 rupees a liter
(US$3.80 a gallon).
Nepal Oil said it had recently been losing up to 2.7 billion rupees (US$39
million) per month due to the rapid rise in global oil prices.
The company predicted the retail price increases would reduce its monthly
losses to about 1.7 billion rupees (US$25 million).
Nepal imports all its oil products from neighboring India. Nepal Oil has in
recent weeks struggled to pay the Indian Oil Corp. because of its financial
troubles, and fuel imports have dropped off as a result.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200806170410.html
Nigeria: Students Protest Over Poor Feeding in Ilorin
Daily Trust (Abuja)
17 June 2008
Posted to the web 17 June 2008
Mustafa Abubakar
Ilorin
Students of the Government Secondary School, Ilorin yesterday went on
rampage to protest an alleged ill-treatment and poor feeding by the school
authorities.
The rampage led to the burning of properties worth millions of naira in the
school premises including the principal's office, 102 laptop computers, a
bus and the vandalization of classrooms.
The students who trooped out in hundreds almost took to the streets but were
intercepted by antiriot policemen to prevent the spread of the crisis to the
metropolis.
The premises was besieged by armed antiriot mobile policemen stationed to
ensure proper security for the men of the fire brigade who were they to put
out the fire in the principal's office and the school bus .
The principal's office was completely burnt, including documents, students'
records, lap tops and desk top computers and other valuables.
A witness told Daily Trust that some boarding students of the school alleged
that they were not properly fed by the management.
According to him, the quality of food served is nothing to write home about,
and the management misappropriates the feeding funds.
The students said the quantity of their food is always so small and cannot
stop their hunger and that at times, it takes a very long before they are
served their meals.
The principal of the Junior Secondary School, Malam Muyideen Muhammed while
speaking with newsmen denied the allegation, saying what happened was not as
a result of poor feeding. He said trouble started Sunday evening when a
senior student beat up a junior student with an iron rode and the matter was
reported to the management.
He said the management was already investigating the matter when at about
8.30 pm on Sunday the junior students and the senior counterparts clashed,
leading to the fracas.
In a reaction, the state government has said that it would take drastic
action to prevent reoccurrence.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200806160092.html
Uganda: MUK Private Students Protest
New Vision (Kampala)
13 June 2008
Posted to the web 16 June 2008
Joshua Masinde and Francis Kagolo
Kampala
PRIVATE students at Makerere University have rejected the hike in tuition
and accommodation fees.
"Many of us come from poor families and the university should recognise
this. If Makerere is a public institution with a vision to serve Ugandans
and not making profit, why should it raise fees unnecessarily?" asked the
private students' chairman, Nehemiah Katantazi.
He was speaking at the association's general assembly at the Mulago School
of Medicine on Thursday.
Makerere's finance committee drew up a new fees structure last month, with a
sh400,000 increase on all courses to be split between the two semesters.
It also proposed that private students who reside at the campus pay an extra
sh150,000 in addition to the sh640,000 they pay per year.
The proposal, which authorities said was induced by soaring price of food
prices and items, has to be passed by the University Council.
Currently, students pay between sh500,000 and sh1m for tuition. In addition,
each student pays sh200,000 for registration and sh100,000as examination
fees per year.
Abdul Kirembeka, a social sciences student, complained that lecturers spent
more time pursuing their private business than teaching at the university.
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/101058/Oil-prices-hiked-anew-Protests-up-in-M-Manila
Education too
In Manila, the White Ribbon Movement mobilized a number of teachers and
students and held a similar noise barrage at the Plaza Salamanca along Taft
Avenue.
The protest movement, dubbed “Kapit-Bisig para sa Katotohanan," was meant to
denounce corruption in the government and the rising prices of basic
commodities as well as the surging tuition rates.
White Ribbon Movement convener Malou Santiago-Agustin also said that the
Arroyo administration’s alleged role in the botched national broadband
network deal mess should not be left forgotten.
“We’re here to let the Arroyo administration know that we’re back," said
Agustin-Santiago, who is also a professor at the Philippine Normal
University.
Santiago noted that the worsening economic situation brought about by rising
food and fuel prices highlighted the link between state policies that push
people deeper into poverty and the need to fight corruption in government.
“In these times of greater economic hardship, the struggle to exact
accountability for corruption at the highest levels of government becomes
even more relevant, since corruption hits the poor hardest," she said.
“In these times of greater economic hardship, the struggle to exact
accountability for corruption at the highest levels of government becomes
even more relevant, since corruption hits the poor hardest," she added.
Aside from students from universities and colleges lying along Taft Avenue,
members of various religious and medical groups also banded together to
participate.- GMANews.TV
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/14/stories/2008061461480300.htm
Protests staged at Cusat
Staff Reporter
KOCHI: A section of the employees of Cochin University of Science and
Technology and activists of the Kerala Students Union staged protests on the
university campus on Friday against the university decision not to press for
the status of an Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology
(IIEST).
The employees demanded the resignation of the Vice-Chancellor Gangan Prathap
for opposing the IIEST proposal. KSU activists tried to wave black flags at
Mr. Prathap when he was leaving the School of Management Studies auditorium
after felicitating the rank holders in the B.Tech and postgraduate
examinations.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=109236
‘Students protest against delay in PEC accreditation’ Sunday, April 27, 2008
Islamabad
Allam Iqbal Open University (AIOU) here on Saturday said that protest of BE
Telecom students, was against delay in PEC accreditation process of the
programme.
A spokesman of the university said that the varsity has been actively
seeking accreditation of the programme since 2002 by repeatedly submitting
formal requests to PEC, but the accreditation issue has not been resolved,
he said. He said that 1310 students were registered in six years till 2005.
A total of 916 students who enrolled in the programme during 2000-2005 have
since graduated. “Two groups of students who enrolled in 2004 and 2005 are
at various stages of completing their program,” he added.
He said that AIOU BE (Telecom) programme has followed HEC Scheme of Studies
and has been approved by all the University Statutory bodies. He informed
that six different site visits have been conducted by PEC technical experts.
The PEC had contended that AIOU Act did not allow the university to launch
an engineering program. Two federal ministers of Education have written to
PEC that AIOU Act does all the University to offer the programme. Chairman
of HEC has also written to PEC that the programme is approved by the Higher
Education Commission. AIOU spokesman said that university has provided
detailed information to demonstrate compliance with the PEC criteria on six
different occasions since 2003.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/24/stories/2008042451490300.htm
Medical students protest
Staff Reporter
SALEM: Students of Salem Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College
wore black badges on Wednesday in protest against the Union Government’s
move to increase the MBBS course duration one more year by introducing
compulsory rural service. The house surgeons also reported to duty wearing
black badges.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=111151
DJ College teachers, students stage protest Wednesday, May 07, 2008
The teachers and students of the Government DJ Science College staged a
demonstration on Tuesday within the college premises to protest the
annexation of the sports ground of the institution.
The students carried placards were shouted slogans against the government
for depriving them of the only sports ground in the college. The protestors
gave an ultimatum to the Sindh government for cancelling the orders, and
said that they would not allow any illegal move that would deprive the
students of their basic needs.
Originally, a plot vacant near the Coast Guards office was allotted for the
construction of an Education Complex but due to reservations expressed by
authorities, the plan was cancelled.
The sources disclosed that the Coast Guards officials showed their
unwillingness for construction of the Education Complex owing to what they
said their privacy was disturbed. The plot near Nasira School was still
lying vacant, which the sources said would be the appropriate place for
everyone to move into the venue as there was no transport problem over there
and it was easily accessible.
It was also decided that a delegation of the teachers would meet Provincial
Education Minister, Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq, and would apprise him of the
situation, as they said it seemed that the minister concerned was not
informed of the decision.
Talking to this correspondent Mohammed Iftikhar, Professor of Mathematics,
said they would not accept any change and if the government failed to stop
the orders of construction of the Educational Complex, they would move the
court which would be the last option left.
Principal of the college, Hakimullah Beg Chugtai, while talking to The News
said that he had complied with the orders of Secretary Education with
certain reservations, signed the letter handing over the sports ground to DO
Works.
The inside sources, however, said that DG Colleges, Rafiq Siddiqui, had
expressed his annoyance on the attitude of the principal of the college and
forced him to sign the letter. His anger was taken by the faculty member as
his ‘personal interest’ behind this scene.
The principal, however, asked the concerned authorities that before
constructing the complex all stake holders would be taken into confidence to
avoid any eventuality.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/02/stories/2008050253161300.htm
Angry protest on Ranchi varsity campus
— Photo: PTI
Police disperse protesters at the Ranchi University gate on Thursday. They
were protesting against an objectionable question on Prophet Muhammad in a
history exam paper of the university.
Ranchi: A group of people staged a protest inside the Ranchi University
premises on Thursday against an objectionable question on Prophet Muhammad
set in an examination paper on Wednesday.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda took up the issue with Vice-Chancellor
S.M. Khan.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Mahesharam Paswan said a group barged into
the university and ransacked whatever they came across in the campus area.
Police later dispersed them.
Mr. Koda told a press conference that he asked the VC to enquire into the
matter while appealing to the examinees to remain calm.
Maintaining that the question paper was prepared by another university
located outside the state, Mr. Koda said: “I spoke to the VC and we will
send a strong letter to those who had prepared the paper.”
“We will see to it that the mistake is not repeated,” he said. —PTI
http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/videos/2008/may/may19/video03.php
NSU protests killing of Shrestha by Maoists
Student wing of the Nepali Congress, Nepal Student Union (NSU) took out a
protest rally in the capital against the killing of Ram Hari Shrestha of
Koteswore by the Maoist PLA.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=112375
IJT holds book fair outside PU in protest Wednesday, May 14, 2008
LAHORE: The Islami Jamiat Tulaba (IJT) on Tuesday organised a Kitab Mela on
a footpath outside the Punjab University (PU) Old Campus as a protest
against the university administration, which did not permit the event inside
the campus and announced the closure of the PU in this connection.
The book fair was inaugurated by Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Lahore Ameer Hafiz
Salman Butt, IJT Pakistan Nazim-e-Aala Atiqur Rehman and Punjab University
Academic Staff Association (PUASA) president Dr Mumtaz Ahmad Salik. A large
number of students and other Jamiat office-bearers were also present on the
occasion. A police contingent was also deployed nearby to avoid any untoward
incident.
Over 10 stalls were set up on the footpath outside the PU Old Campus at The
Mall, in front of the Lahore Museum. Banners and placards inscribed with
slogans against the Punjab University administration and chancellor were
also fixed there to highlight Jamiat's protest against the varsity
administration.
Speaking on the occasion, Hafiz Salman Butt said the chancellor wanted to
promote enlightened moderation by allowing musical events in the university.
Speaking next, Atiqur Rehman said the steps taken by the chancellor in the
Punjab University pointed at the Governor Raj in the province. He criticised
the administration for not allowing the student organisation to hold the
event despite the restoration of student unions.
Meanwhile, PU official spokesman Dr Mujahid Mansoori, in a press statement,
appealed to politicians supporting the IJT from outside the university that
they should use an organised body like the IJT for a national cause instead
of encouraging its workers for illegal activities.
He said the decision of not allowing the book fair and closure of the
university for four days was taken after 10-hour deliberations and contacts
with law enforcement authorities at a meeting of a special committee chaired
by Prof Dr Iftikhar Baloch.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/14/stories/2008051458150300.htm
Protest against move to shift varsity
Special Correspondent
Report on ‘non-availability’ of land should be made public, students say
Protesters march to the Collectorate and stage sit-in
Effigy of the Chief Minister burnt
. — Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam
UP IN ARMS: Members of the SFI and DYFI staging a protest in front of the
Collectorate on Tuesday
VISAKHAPATNAM: The Students Federation of India and the Democratic Youth
Federation of India held a demonstration in the city on Tuesday in protest
against the Central University sanctioned to Visakhapatnam being shifted to
Kadapa.
The SFI and DYFI activists gathered at the Jagadamba junction in the morning
and tried to burn an effigy of the Chief Minister. Their first attempt was
foiled by the police who took away the effigy but another effigy was brought
and was burnt.
Later the protesters marched to the Collectorate raising slogans against the
shifting of Central University and staged a sit-in in front of the
Collectorate. SFI district secretary Y. Appalanarasayya and DYFI city
secretary Y. Lakshman criticised the Government’s decision on the plea that
the land to an extent of 700 acres required for the university was not
available here and demanded that the report sent from here on the
unavailability of land be made public.
The Central University would help in the development of Srikakulam,
Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam and East Godavari districts and should be
established here as there were many heavy industries in the city, the SFI
and DYFI said.
They also criticised Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy for shifting the
Central University to his native district and such moves would only flare up
regional sentiment, the two organisations said demanding that the Government
establish the university in Visakhapatnam as decided earlier.
http://andhracafe.com/index.php?m=show&id=34029
Protest against shifting central university to Kadapa
Updated: 05-22-2008 Email this Page
HYDERABAD : The newly formed apolitical forum `Visakha Pragati Vedika’ in
Visakhaptnam threatened to on fast-unto-death protesting against
establishment of Central University in Kadapa.
This has given a two-month deadline for the State Government to reconsider
its decision to shift Central University from Visakhapatnam to Kadapa
failing which it has threatened serious repercussions.
The Vedika convener and former MLA S.A. Rahman told reporters on Wednesday
that there was no justification to relocate the Central University to Kadapa
when plenty of land was available for bulk auction and allotment to outside
firms in and around Visakhapatnam.
He said 1,780 acres identified for Knowledge City at Kapulauppada by APIIC
would be the best place for the university. The university was in need of
700 acres and parting with the required land at Knowledge City would in fact
help create many knowledge workers.
To start with, a satyagraha would be organised from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at
Mahatma Gandhi statue near GVMC. Dr. Rahaman said people belong to all walks
and parties were most welcome to join the protest programme.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200805270486.html
Sierra Leone: FBC Students Protest - Election Now, Convention Later
Concord Times (Freetown)
26 May 2008
Posted to the web 27 May 2008
Ibrahim Jaffa Condeh
Freetown
Irate students of Fourah Bay College (FBC), University of Sierra Leone
Friday staged a peaceful demonstration to call for a student union (SU)
election before the National Union of Sierra Leone Students (NUSS)
convention.
Public relations officer of the Peace Society of the college Tamba Sangba
told students that past elections that were marred by violence have set a
very negative precedent for students and inhuman acts have become rampant on
campus.
He said the postponement of the SU election created more tension on the
campus and it prompted their demonstration. He later called on students to
calm down and keep the peace on campus.
Sangba said they intend to organize a symposium for all SU presidential
candidates to preach peace to their respective supporters.
But the college registrar, Sorie Ndigi Dumbuya said the administration has
not received any election schedule from the students' representatives.
However, Assistant Vice Chancellor Dr. Dan Fode said efforts are being made
to ensure that the FBC SU elections are held before NUSS convention. "We are
going to meet very shortly with all stakeholders to draw up the rules of
engagement and final plans in the interest of peace and understanding," he
said.
http://newsfrombangladesh.net/view.php?hidRecord=201273
Social Welfare students protest suspension of classes for two months-DU
teachers locked
Sunday May 25 2008 10:06:58 AM BDT
The Master degree students of Social Welfare Institute of Dhaka University
yesterday locked the institute's main gate demanding resumption of classes
which were supposed to begin two months ago.(The New Nation)
The Institution authority could not reach an unanimous decision on
resumption of classes due to internal feud over directorship of the
Institute, sources said.
The honours examination of the students ended on June 6 last year and the
results were published on March 9.
A number of students and teachers of the Institute were held captive inside
the building for over three hours. The agitating students opened the gate of
the institute at 12:45pm after getting assurance from the authorities to
resume class from tomorrow (Monday).
The agitating students said they have already lost one year due to teachers`
internal dispute. The teachers should start taking classes in the interest
of the students, they noted.
A section of teachers of the institute said they would not take classes
under the present director as she was not competent enough to run the
Institute. Director of the Institute Syeda Feroza Begum said she called the
Academic Council meeting thrice to take decision in this regard but the
meeting was not successful due to the absence of teachers who are divided
into two groups.
She said she had earlier submitted her resignation letter to the
Vice-Chancellor being forced by a group of teachers.
She further said that she would withdraw her resignation letter and try to
solve the problem of the institute with the help of the Vice-Chancellor.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/24/stories/2008052452080300.htm
Protest against closure of nursing college in Gulbarga
Staff Correspondent
Raising slogans: Members of the district units of the All-India Democratic
Students’ Organisation and All-India Mahila Samskrutika Sanghatane staging a
protest in Gulbarga on Friday.
GULBARGA: Members of the district units of the All-India Democratic Students’
Organisation (AIDSO) and All-India Mahila Samskrutika Sanghatane (AIMSS)
held a protest in Gulbarga city on Friday against the State Government’s
decision to close a nursing college in the district.
In a memorandum submitted to the Deputy Commissioner here they said that it
was the only government nursing college for the districts of Gulbarga, Bidar
and Raichur. The Government’s decision to close the college had come as a
“shock” to the students, they said.
‘Restart admission’
The protesters urged the Government to restart the admission process in the
college. Several students also participated in the protest and raised
slogans against the Government. The protest was led by the district unit
president of AIDSO S.H. Jagannath and the district unit president of AIMSS
V. Nagammal.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/24/stories/2008052454561100.htm
Teachers and students try to take out protest rally
Staff Reporter
TIRUNELVELI: Students and a couple of teachers of Bishop Sargent Teacher
Training Institute at Palayamkottai took out a rally at Palayamkottai on
Friday condemning the CSI Bishop in Tirunelveli, Rt. Rev. S. Jayapaul David.
However, the police thwarted this attempt as no permission was granted for
the rally. Condemning the “autocratic functioning” of Mr. David the students
and some of the staff of Bishop Sargent Teacher Training Institute took out
a rally without police permission on Friday evening to submit a petition at
Clarinda Church on Military Line Road.
When the rally crossed Murugankurichi traffic signal, the police intercepted
and asked them to go back to their campus as no proper permission was
obtained from the police for the protest march. However, the teachers who
led the rally and the students tried to continue their march.
As the police told them that they would be taken into custody, they gave up
their protest and left the place immediately.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/04/stories/2008060459210300.htm
Students protest seat reduction
Correspondent
CUTTACK: A students’ unrest is in the offing at Ravenshaw University as the
students are regrouping during the ongoing summer vacation to protest
against the arbitrary decision of the State government to reduce the number
of seats in the Arts stream of both under graduate and post graduate courses
of the University.
On Tuesday, some DSO students submitted a memorandum to the University
registrar demanding to revoke the seat reduction notification. The students
also urged the university authorities to stop the ongoing admission process
till the notification is withdrawn.
“Since the university is now closed for summer vacation, we are regrouping
the students and from Thursday we would launch an agitation inside the
campus”, said the DSO district secretary Sibashis Praharaj.
http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=39258
Published On: 2008-06-02
National
Rajshahi health instt students protest decision on training
RU Correspondent
Hundreds of students of the Institute of Health Technology, Rajshahi
yesterday formed a human chain in the city protesting a decision of the
authorities which offered private clinic technicians aged 40 years an
opportunity to study diploma course in medical technology.
They demanded immediate cancellation of the decision taken by the higher
authorities on March 03. They alleged the decision was taken aiming at
earning money from private clinic owner, not for the purpose of education.
Agitating students carried banners and placards in support of their demand.
They also pressed for their other demands including immediate rehabilitation
of jobless technologists, opportunity for higher education to technologists
and scholarships to students.
The human chain was followed by a rally.
Students threatened a tougher agitation soon if their demands are not met
immediately.
Among others, student leaders like Rakibul Islam, Farhad, Masud, Sharmin,
Shamima, Firoza and Zannat addressed.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20080530-139800/Youth-declare-vacation-over-protest-season-on
Youth declare 'vacation over,' protest season on
By Abigail Kwok
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 18:31:00 05/30/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- For Joey dela Cruz, a junior Philippine Arts student
at the University of the Philippines-Manila, the role of the youth is not
just to participate in protest actions but to educate and create awareness
through the arts.
“Through casual conversations or through creative means, we can let other
youth know of the pressing problems of the country. But rallies are also
important because classroom discussions are not enough,” he said.
Dela Cruz is just one of the students who share the same beliefs in pushing
for truth, justice, and accountability. He is one among the hundreds of
youth delegates from different universities across the country who attended
the National Youth Assembly at the University of the Philippines-Diliman on
Friday, as the series of protest actions against the Arroyo administration
resume.
Different student groups headed by Youth Act Now! Movement declared
“vacation is over, let's strengthen our ranks for youth power.”
“Here are the youth, ready and willing to organize their ranks for protest
actions,” spokesman Alvin Peters said.
League of Filipino Students (LFS) president Vencer Crisostomo said the issue
was no longer just the national broadband network (NBN) deal scandal, but
students would also protest the government's inability to address other
issues including the rice crisis, education problems, and oil price hikes.
“Kung hindi magsasabi ng totoo ang gobyerno, mas magkakaroon pa ng maraming
pagkilos ng kabataan [If the government does not tell the truth, the youth
will hold many mass actions],” he said.
Crisostomo said there would be nationwide student walk-outs during the
opening of classes on June 10, to kick off the series of protest actions as
a build-up for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's State of the Nation
Address (SONA) in July.
“Although there was an expected lull from youth during the summer, we are
now ready as the start of classes nears,” Peters added.
Groups condemned the government for the: alleged attempted cover-up of
evidence possibly implicating the First Family on issues of bribery and
corruption; “gross and systematic plunder” by key government officials; the
unresolved issues of corruption; and, the alleged misuse of government
machinery for the “betrayal of public trust.”
Also present during the assembly were NBN deal whistleblowers Rodolfo Noel
Lozada, Jr. and Jose de Venecia III, and Jesus is Lord Movement Founder
Eddie Villanueva.
“The youth did not take a vacation” Lozada said. “Rather, we should tell the
government, tapos na ang bakasyon nila dahil nandito na ule ang mga kabataan
[vacation is over because the youth are here again].”
He added that the government left the youth with a “sovereign guarantee,”
where “lahat ng inuutang ng gobyerno kayo ang magbabayad [everything the
government owes you will pay for].”
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/01/stories/2008070153470300.htm
Kerala - Kannur
SFI to protest against fee hike in medical colleges
Special Correspondent
KANNUR: The Students Federation of India (SFI) will take out a protest march
to the Secretariat on July 3 to protest against the fee hike in government
medical colleges.
SFI State secretary A.N. Shamseer said at a press conference here on Tuesday
that medical and paramedical students in the State would participate in the
protest march and dharna. He also said that the SFI would launch a campaign
on July 2 against the propaganda against the controversial Class VII social
science textbook.
The SFI would distribute copies of the textbook to the public as part of the
campaign to expose the propaganda being unleashed by communal interests.
Mr. Shamseer said that those who were demanding the withdrawal of the
textbook were religious fanatics. He also said that Leader of the Opposition
Oommen Chandy, Indian Union Muslim League leader P.K. Kunhalikutty,
Archbishop Joseph Powathil and Nair Service Society general secretary P.K.
Narayana Panikkar were working as a ‘gang of four’ to make Kerala a ‘lunatic
asylum.’
.
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/expelled-iitd-students-take-to-street-protests/67839-3.html?xml
Expelled IIT-D students take to street protests
IANS
Published on Thu, Jun 26, 2008 at 21:25 in Nation section
Tags: IIT, SC/ST Commission , New Delhi
E-mail this report | Print this report
OUTSTANDING STUDENTS: Twenty-eight students were expelled from the IIT-Delhi
earlier this year.
People who read this also read:
IIT-D revokes expulsion of two SC students
20 students were expelled on grounds of unsatisfactory academic performance.
IIT-D to review SC/ST students' expulsion
Featured Blog
New Delhi: Scores of students from the Indian Institute of Technology-
Delhi, Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Thursday
held demonstrations, seeking justice for 28 students who were expelled from
the IIT.
"All the students were from the 'Bahujan Samaj' and faced caste-based
discrimination and harassment from the faculty and the administration,"
Ravindra, one of the expelled students, alleged.
He said the faculty singled them out as Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes
students and declared them weak students, "incapable of doing well".
Twenty-eight students were expelled from the IIT-Delhi earlier this year on
the grounds of low academic performance. While 20 of them are from the
Scheduled Castes and Schedule Tribes, the others are from the general
category and the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and minority communities.
The protesters, demonstrating outside the IIT-D campus, argued the
evaluation and grading system was arbitrary and lacked transparency.
They also said the faculty were influenced by their personal prejudices in
their grading.
"The lives of all of us students have been ruined," said Ravindra added.
The students said that the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC)
has informed them that it is "unconstitutional to expel students on the
grounds of low academic performance".
The commission has asked IIT-Delhi director Surendra Prasad to reconsider
the decision and has given the administration 15 days' time from June 17 to
reply.
Following the commission's directive, the IIT-Delhi has set up a committee
to review the situation.
But the students were not satisfied.
"Dalit students who have deposed before the (review) committee have
expressed their complete dissatisfaction as the committee was not willing to
listen to the students' version," said a protestor.
The protesters demand the 28 students' expulsion be immediately revoked and
that the existing review committee be disbanded. They want an independent
committee comprising "socially sensitive members" to be constituted under
the aegis of the government or the human resource development ministry to
look into the issue of caste-based discrimination at the IIT-Delhi.
They said that every year there are a few cases of Dalit students being
expelled because of "low academic performance" but the number was quite high
this year.
Anoop, a JNU student and convener of the National Dalit Student Forum, said
the institute needs to "create an atmosphere where the students are not
considered weak because of their caste".
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/27/stories/2008062756882800.htm
Karnataka
Bus pass rate: students stage protest
Staff Correspondent
Chitradurga: Condemning the increase in the cost of student bus pass,
students, under the banner of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP),
staged protest in front of Deputy Commissioner’s office here on Wednesday.
In a memorandum, the ABVP said that last year, the cost of the annual bus
pass was Rs. 970 for general students and Rs. 1,170 for job-oriented diploma
course students, and this had been raised to Rs. 1,070 and Rs. 1,470
respectively. This hike, the ABVP said, had put an additional burden on poor
students.
The ABVP demanded that the Government immediately revoke the decision.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/08/stories/2008070852870300.htm
Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada
Protest against move to hike fee planned
Vijayawada: All India Youth Federation city secretary N. Sambasiva Rao on
Monday flayed the State Government move to increase the fee for professional
courses.
He said the union volunteers would stage a protest at the venues where
EAMCET counselling would be conducted from July 9 to 16. — Staff Reporter
http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=44802
2008-07-08
Metropolitan
Women Polytech Instt principal transferred in face of protest
Staff Correspondent
The Directorate of Technical Education transferred the principal of Dhaka
Women Polytechnic Institute yesterday in the face of protest against her by
the students.
The students staged a two-hour demonstration in front of the institute at
Sher-e-Bangla Nagar to press for their 10-point demand, including the
removal of the principal for her irregularities, at around 9:00am, prompting
the authorities to take action.
The principal, Izzat Ara, was transferred to Graphic Art Institute at
Mohammadpur.
The authorities also assured the students of meeting their all other
demands.
According to sources, the students had been staging protests for the last
two months against various irregularities carried out by the principal.
The students alleged that she had been collecting extra charges from the
students.
Witnesses said about 700 students of the institute took to the street and
formed a human chain at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the morning.
Receiving information, Abul Bashar, director general (DG) of the Directorate
of Technical Education, rushed to the spot along with some other officials
and assured the students of meeting their demands.
The agitating students then withdrew their protest programme.
Talking to The Daily Star, DG Abul Bashar said a new principal was appointed
yesterday.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/08/stories/2008070856700300.htm
Karnataka - Raichur
Students protest against poor hostel facilities in Raichur
Staff Correspondent
Raichur: Students from various government hostels staged a dharna here on
Monday urging the State Government to improve facilities in the hostels and
provide adequate security to women’s hostels in the district.
About 50 students protested near the Deputy Commissioner’s office. Later, K.
Sandeep, member of the working committee of the State unit of the Akhil
Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, submitted a memorandum to the Deputy
Commissioner to the passed on to the Minister for Social Welfare.
‘Pathetic state’
The memorandum said that most of the government hostels in the district were
in a pathetic state. Apart from a shortage of rooms, the hostels lacked
basic facilities such as drinking water, kitchens and bathrooms. Students
staying in the women’s hostel were living in fear as no security guards had
been posted to prevent the entry of outsiders. Even wardens had not been
appointed on a permanent basis, the memorandum said.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/05/stories/2008070552850300.htm
Andhra Pradesh - Kadapa
AISF stages protest at headmasters’ meeting
Special Correspondent
Activists deplore delay in distribution of textbooks and oppose G.O. 76
AISF activists warn of raiding godowns and offices if textbooks are not
supplied
‘Books finding their way to black market as officials are indifferent in
supplying them’
KADAPA: AISF activists and school students stormed into a review meeting of
educational officials and headmasters at Government Arts College auditorium
and squatted near the dais obstructing the commencement of the meeting for
about two hours on Friday.
Deploring delay in distribution of textbooks and opposing G.O. 76, through
which CBSE syllabus is being introduced in Government schools, AISF
functionaries mobbed District Educational Officer G.A. Hemanath and raised
slogans. They members entered into a wordy duel with the DEO, when Kadapa
(East) Circle Inspector V. Narayanaswamy Reddy and Sub Inspectors Sudhakar
Reddy and Ramakrishnudu took AISF leaders into custody.
Schools reopened on June 12 but Government school students from Class VI to
SSC are yet to be supplied textbooks, AISF district secretary N. Venkatasiva
alleged.
As many as 6.18 lakh textbooks are in godowns and most of them are finding
their way to the black market as officials are indifferent in supplying them
to students, he alleged.Mr. Venkatasiva recalled that Kalasapadu Mandal
Educational Officer Sriramulu was caught while trying to shift thousands of
textbooks to the black market and demanded his suspension.
He warned that AISF activists will raid godowns and offices of mandal
resource persons if textbooks are not supplied to students within the next
four days.
He demanded withdrawal of CBSE syllabus and wanted State syllabus taught in
Government schools.
Steps to close down some schools in the name of ‘Success’ programme should
be given up, he said.
AISF district president K. Mallikarjuna Reddy and vice-president G.
Madduleti flayed educational officials and headmasters for failing to ensure
supply of textbooks to students.
AISF city president Madhusudan and activists Narasimhulu, Nagarjuna, Mahesh
and Michael also participated.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/05/stories/2008070557750300.htm
Andhra Pradesh
Protest turns unruly
Sangareddy: Police used mild force to disperse students who were on the
verge of rampaging the District Education Officer’s office here today. Many
students, particularly girl students, were brought to the DEO’s office by
the ABVP activists to protest against the proposed CBSE syllabus in
government schools, lack of infrastructure and shortage of textbooks. They
entered and started damaging furniture in the DEO’s office. - Staff Reporter
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/06/stories/2008070656560300.htm
Karnataka - Raichur
AIDSO stages protest
Staff Correspondent
Unhappy: Members of the AIDSO staging a dharna in Raichur on Saturday.
Raichur: Members of the district unit of the All India Democratic Students’
Organisation (AIDSO) took out a procession and staged a dharna here on
Friday.
They were protesting against the refusal to admit to the fifth semester
students who had passed all subjects in the first and second semesters but
had some subjects to pass in the third and fourth semesters.
Classes boycotted
About 500 students from various degree colleges in Raichur, who boycotted
classes, participated in the procession, that went from Ambedkar Circle and
reached the Deputy Commissioner’s office.
Memorandum
They staged a dharna and submitted a memorandum addressed to the
Vice-Chancellor of Gulbarga University.
Veeresh N.S., vice-president of the State unit of the AIDSO, said that the
existing norms under the semester system had affected the interests of
degree students seeking admissions to the fifth semester.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/04/stories/2008070460160400.htm
Tamil Nadu
Protest by Siddha students
Special Correspondent
TAMBARAM: Postgraduate students at the National Institute of Siddha in
Tambaram Sanatorium staged a sit-in protest inside the premises on Thursday
in support of their demands including greater thrust on research.
A majority of the 116 students took part in the protest. They said C. N.
Deivanayagam, Chairman of Scientific Advisory Committee of NIS, visited the
outpatient block every Thursday and prescribed medicines to patients.
Stating that Dr. Deivanayagam was an allopathic doctor, permitting him to
consult patients went against the basic objective of establishing the
institute. They said an important aspect of setting up the NIS was to give
thrust to research on Siddha medicine. However, students were not part of
any research activities or projects and even the first batch of postgraduate
students had completed their course without any exposure to research.
The hospital lacked even basic equipment such as scanning, X-ray and ECG.
The laboratory on the ground floor was shifted to the first floor about four
months ago, posing severe problems to patients.
Reacting to the charges, NIS authorities said orders were placed for
purchasing the equipment.
Dr. Deivanayagam regretted that the students had resorted to the protest. “I
am not running a parallel out patient block. I just visit a special clinic
once a week for recording and solving of problems that require research,” he
told The Hindu. He added that he met only those who insisted on seeing him
and that too in the presence of a Professor and a medical officer of NIS to
offer a combination of modern medicine as part of a “research oriented
integration,” adding he never met patients alone. And the Scientific
Advisory Committee determines how best the NIS could be built up and for
this purpose, it gets first hand information from patients, he said.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/17/stories/2008071751250300.htm
Andhra Pradesh - Tirupati
Protests mark EAMCET counselling
Special Correspondent
Various student unions in Tirupati, Kadapa resent fee hike; call for
Statewide bandh today
Police use mild force to disperse agitating students
Indiscriminate sanction of colleges opposed
Unrelenting: Activists of AISF.SFI, ABVP and TNSF trying to gatecrash into
SV Government Polytechnic in Tirupati on Wednesday.
TIRUPATI: The EAMCET counselling programme which began here on Wednesday at
the Government Polytechnic was marred by angry demonstrations and arrests of
cadres belonging to student unions like the SFI, AISF, ABVP and the TNSF.
Trouble erupted when the student union leaders who gathered in strength at
the entrance of the college tried to gatecrash into the campus defying the
police orders. With the cops standing guard firmly in front of the locked
gates of the college, there was a melee and jostling between the police and
the irate students.
Police also had to use mild force and cart away the agitating student
leaders in the waiting police vans to the Tirupati (West) police station.
They had a tough time in pulling away the demonstrators and bundling them
into the vans. All the arrested were later released on personal bail.
Earlier, student leaders lashed at the State government for jacking up the
admission fee of the engineering, MBA, MCA and B. Pharmacy courses on the
ground that the inflation rate has gone up. This is ridiculous and the
decision has made the courses go further out of the reach of the students
belonging to the middle and lower-middle classes.
Similarly, the enhancement of the fees for the engineering seats under the
NRI and management quota from Rs. 83,500 to Rs. 91,700 and so also the MBA,
MCA and Pharmacy fees from Rs.1 lakh up to anywhere around Rs. 40 lakhs
should there be demand — also have come for a severe rebuke.
All these were done by those in power only with the intention of letting the
private managements running the institutions make a fortune out of it on a
‘quid pro quo basis’, they alleged.
No infrastructure
The student unions owing allegiance to the CPI (M), CPI, BJP and the TDP
have also questioned the propriety of the government in sanctioning 159 more
engineering colleges in the State when there existed already 322 colleges,
most of whom for ‘namesake’ without even the basic infrastructure and
logistics.
Most of them do not have even the qualified teachers, they charged and
warned the government against playing with the lives and future of the
students.
The striking unions have given a call for State-wide educational bandh on
Thursday to protest against the arrest.
Activists caned
AISF and AIYF activists tried to stall counselling in Kadapa demanding
scrapping of management quota and rolling back of hike in fees of
engineering, MBA and MCA courses. However, the police foiled their attempts
by resorting to a lathicharge and arresting some activists.
AISF State vice-president M. Vemaiah, State vice-president N. Venkatasiva
and AIYF State vice-president G. Gopal condemned the caning and arrests and
called for a bandh of engineering, MBA, MCA and polytechnic colleges on
Thursday. The Government issued G.O. 18 stipulating that SC, ST and BC
students need not pay fees if they produced caste certificates, but fees was
being collected from them, they alleged. They burnt an effigy deploring the
lathicharge and arrests.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/17/stories/2008071752300300.htm
Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada
EAMCET counselling begins amidst protest
Special Correspondent
Student unions demand rollback of fees hike
Counselling being held for the first time in Vijayawada
54 students register their names in Guntur
VIJAYAWADA: Counselling for admissions into engineering colleges based on
EAMCET ranks began amidst protests by the activists of the Students
Federation of India (SFI), the Progressive Democratic Students Union (PDSU)
and the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) at the Government
Polytechnic here on Wednesday. Counselling centre for engineering admissions
was opened in the city for the first time this year, doing away with the
need for students of this region to go to Guntur for the purpose.
The activists staged a dharna in front of the college, demanding a roll back
of the hiked tuition fees in engineering colleges. Though the counselling
began at the scheduled time of 10 a.m., the LCD display boards arranged in
the counselling hall did not begin functioning till 10.50 a.m. because of a
technical snag.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/18/stories/2008071859660300.htm
Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada
Police thwart students’ bid to stage protest
Staff Reporter
They are agitating against CBSE syllabus in schools
Police persuade students not to stage any dharna
Police behaved brutally, say student leaders
VIJAYAWADA: The police officers on duty at the Police Commissionerate on
Thursday could successfully pre-empt a group of students from staging a
sit-in protest in front of the Commissionerate, but the students were taken
aback when they learnt that they were misguided by the officials in the
Commissionerate.
A handful of activists of the All India Students Federation (AISF) and the
Progressive Democratic Students Union (PDSU) assembled in front of the
commissionerate’s gate to stage a protest and demand action against the
police officials responsible for ‘manhandling’ the student who agitated
against introduction of CBSE syllabus in 6,500 schools in the State on
Monday.
The police immediately persuaded them not to stage any protest there, and
sent a couple of their leaders to submit a memorandum to Police Commissioner
K.V. Rajendranath Reddy. But, the officials in the Commissionerate told the
students’ leaders that he was not in the office. Even as they were waiting,
Mr. Reddy appeared in his car near the main gate.
Without stepping out from the vehicle, he began counselling the other
students who were waiting there. “It’s not right to bring school students to
protests,” he told Irfan, a first year Intermediate student of KBN Junior
College.
The student leaders, who went to submit memo, were taken aback to see the
Commissioner talking to their peers from the car. They immediately rushed to
the gate and complained, “Sir, we were told that you were not in the
office.”
Though visibly embarrassed by the goof-up, Mr. Reddy said the officials
would have said so as he was leaving for a meeting.
Continuing his counselling once again, he asked the student leaders, “Who is
responsible if a school student is injured in a road accident? Don’t bring
school children,” he made it clear.
AISF city secretary Qadar Basha and PDSU city secretary A. Ravichandra
complained to him that the police behaved ‘brutally’ when they were silently
protesting.
The Commissioner assured to look into the complaint.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=123762
Badin students protest against Karachi admission test Sunday, July 13, 2008
By our correspondent
BADIN: A large number of students took out a rally and observed hunger
strike here on the third consecutive day on Saturday to protest against the
announcement of an admission test by the Dow University of Health Sciences,
Karachi, even before the announcement of the intermediate results.
The rally, which was taken out under the aegis of the Shagird Ittehad Badin
(SIB), started from the Shahnawaz Chowk and ended at the Badin press club.
The students staged a sit-in in front of the press club and blocked a road
for two hours.
The SIB leaders, Ghulam Rasool Soomro, Shahid Jokhio, Razzak Sheikh and Wafa
Latif Jokhio, addressed the students and said the academic institutions of
Karachi had been turned into no-go areas for students of interior Sindh.
They termed holding an entry test for admission even before the announcement
of the intermediate results an anti-student step and said that the move was
aimed at stopping the students of interior Sindh from applying for admission
to the university. They demanded the cancellation of the test.
http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/videos/2008/jul/jul13/video03.php
Students protest against micro-bus incident
Tri-Chandra students blocked the road in front of their Campus and Bag
Bazaar protesting the manhandling of one of its students by a microbus
helper at Lagankhel – the students also accused the police of inaction.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/09/stories/2008070952210300.htm
Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur
Student unions stage protests
Staff Reporter
ANANTAPUR: Several student unions gheraoed Regional Inspection Officer,
Kistappa, here on Monday demanding cancellation of registration of a private
junior college, where an Intermediate first year girl allegedly committed
suicide on Sunday.
The student union leaders alleged that the girl had ended life unable to
stand pressure by the college management.
Student activists belonging to AISF, NSUI, ABVP and MVP participated in the
protest and demanded payment of an ex gratia of Rs. 10 lakh to the family of
the deceased girl. Speaking at the protest district general secretary of
AISF B. Ramana alleged that private and corporate college managements were
creating pressure on students in the name of study hours and exorbitant fee.
http://www.taiwanheadlines.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=126453&CtNode=39
Students protest tuition hikes
07/10/2008 (Taipei Times)
Dozens of members of the Alliance of Angry Youths — mostly college and
graduate students — staged a demonstration outside the Ministry of Education
in Taipei on Wednesday to protest a possible raise in tuition. The alliance
also urged the ministry to cancel interest on student loans.
Earlier, the ministry had announced that it would announce a "range for
college tuition adjustments" on Friday.
Although director of the ministry's Department of Higher Education Ho
Chuo-fei (何卓飛) told the students that a tuition adjustment did not
necessarily mean an increase in fees, but could also mean a decrease, the
demonstrators were not convinced, especially after Minister of Education
Cheng Jei-cheng's (鄭瑞城) interview with local news channel TVBS that was
broadcast on Monday.
During the interview, Cheng said that college tuition would have to be
raised this year, adding that "our college tuition isn't too expensive"
compared with most countries, including neighboring countries.
"I'm from a single-parent family, and I'm paying almost NT$40,000 each
semester for tuition," said Chen Chien-ming (陳建名), a National Tsinghua
University student.
The demonstrators all wore white T-shirts with the Chinese characters for
"anger" written on the shirts in red.
"Throughout my four years of college, I'll pay a total of NT$200,000, and my
sister, who is attending a private university, will pay a total of
NT$400,000," he said.
"The government says that college tuition should be decided by the market —
so why do we need the government?" Chen said.
"Education should be a basic right for everyone, and those who are
economically disadvantaged should not be excluded," said Tseng Tsung-kai
(曾琮愷), another member of the alliance.
Not satisfied with Ho's explanation, the students decided to sit down in
front of the ministry "until the minister comes talk to us," Tseng said.
After around half an hour, deputy minister Lu Mu-lin (呂木琳) appeared.
"We've heard your voices," Lu told the demonstrators. "I promise that there
will not only be tuition raises, but also decreases — I will ask the review
committee to consider all the options [before announcing it on Friday]."
With the deputy minister's promise, the students finally left, but said that
they would be back on Friday if the ministry did not live up to its
promises.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/10/stories/2008071054690500.htm
Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram
Capital city teems with protesters
Staff Reporter
Thiruvananthapuram: Protest marches and demonstrations disrupted traffic for
several hours in the city for the third consecutive day on Wednesday. The
Bharatiya Janata Party, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, Kerala State Employees
Association, Youth Congress and All Indian Youth Federation held almost
simultaneous demonstrations in front of the Kerala Legislative Assembly and
the Secretariat. Hundreds of persons participated in the demonstrations. The
situation is likely to be the same on Thursday, when the police expect over
20,000 traders to participate in the Kerala Vyapari Vyavasaya Samithi
protest march.
The police diverted vehicles and public transport buses from the arterial
M.G. Road, forcing motorists and two-wheeler riders to take long detours to
reach their destinations. Hundreds of passengers had to wait for several
hours in bus stops. Much of the city remained off limits for citizens. Many
people found it difficult to access key government offices, banks and
commercial institutions situated in the city centre.
A section of autorickshaw drivers refused to ferry passengers to Statue,
Palayam, P.M.G. and Ayurveda College areas.
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/080731/world/zambia_education_protest
Zambian university shut after student protest
Module body
Thu Jul 31, 4:17 AM
LUSAKA (AFP) - Zambia shut its biggest university following protests by
students over a month-long strike by their lecturers, a university spokesman
said on Thursday.
University of Zambia authorities decided to close the institution for three
weeks and asked students to vacate the campus, Stanlous Chewe said.
"We are going on recess for three weeks because of the prevailing industrial
unrest," Chewe said.
Students staged demonstrations on Tuesday to protest a long strike by
lecturers demanding better pay. They blocked roads near the campus and
smashed some vehicle windows before they were pushed back into their campus,
police said.
The riot squad surrounded the campus to prevent protesting students from
marching onto the streets.
The lecturers have been on strike for four weeks ago. They go on strike
almost every year for better salaries and their action often leads to
student riots.
http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,,2-11-1447_2366649,00.html
Zambian varsity students protest
30/07/2008 11:00 - (SA)
Lusaka - Students at Zambia's biggest university staged overnight
demonstrations to protest a month-long strike by their lecturers who were
demanding better pay, said police on Wednesday.
Students blocked the main roads near their campus, but were pushed back by
riot police before they could cause damage to vehicles, said police
spokesperson Benny Kapeso.
"We are yet to get more details on what transpired. But we managed to
contain the situation at night," Kapeso said.
He said a riot squad had surrounded the University of Zambia to prevent
students from marching onto the streets over a protracted strike by teaching
staff.
The lecturers, demanding better conditions of service, decided to stay away
from classes four weeks ago.
Almost every year, lecturers at the state-run university went on strike to
press for better salaries and their action often led to riots by students.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/30/stories/2008073052360300.htm
Andhra Pradesh - Guntur
Teacher’s death triggers protest
Staff Reporter
Photo: T. Vijaya Kumar
Acharya Nagarjuna University students blocking the NH 5 in front of the
university gate in Guntur on Tuesday. —
GUNTUR: Students owing their allegiance to the AISF and other unions and
belonging to various departments on Acharya Nagarjuna University campus held
up traffic on NH 5 for some half an hour demanding immediate arrest of G.
Chandrasekhara Rao, husband of Botany assistant professor Jyotsna Kumari.
Jyotsna Kumari attempted suicide on July 18 and died a week later in a
hospital here. Chandrasekhara Rao, an ACTO in the Commercial Taxes
Department in Guntur, was absconding. Parents of Jyotsna Kumari accused
Chandrasekhara Rao of harassing their daughter for dowry. The students
staged a dharna in front of the SP’s office here. They relented following an
assurance by the DSP that the accused person would be arrested within 24
hours. .
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/30/stories/2008073052220300.htm
New Delhi
Protest by JNU students
Parul Sharma
‘Fact is that the School has violated the university’s evaluation norms’
The Dean of the School, Indira Ghosh, denied all such allegations
NEW DELHI: The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union are protesting
against “arbitrariness and anomalies” in the functioning of School of
Information Technology. The students’ body has been voicing its objection to
the manner in which three M.Tech. students of the School have not been
allowed to register for the second year.
“These three students have been thrown out of the programme ostensibly for
their “poor academic performance”. The fact is that the School has violated
the University’s evaluation norms,” alleged JNUSU president Sandeep Singh.
The students have claimed that throughout the one year of their M.Tech.
answer scripts of mid-semester exams and other such tests were not shown to
their entire batch comprising 15 students.
“No concrete feedbacks were provided. Only final grades were given to us
without any break up of mid-term evaluations. Throughout the semester, exams
were held but no evaluation was shown to us by any teacher, apart from two
faculty members,” said a student.
Another student alleged: “For one subject, we submitted 20 assignments. But
the results were never shown to us. We went to our faculty members and asked
for our results. They would ask us to come later. No teacher ever said we
were academically weak and needed to pull up our socks.” The Dean of the
School, Indira Ghosh, denied all such allegations, stating that the students
were only trying to sully the School’s image.
“Faculty members spent long hours with them to help them out. The results
were shown to them throughout the year. At the end of the first semester in
December, the three had failed. They requested in writing that they be given
a chance to improve their record, which we allowed,” she maintained. The
rationale of JNU’s continuous and multiple evaluation entailing detailed
feedbacks is to help students improve.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/29/stories/2008072953970300.htm
Other States - Orissa
In protest mode
— Photo: Ashoke Chakrabarty
For a cause: Activists of the SFI and the AISF demonstrating before the
State Secretariat in Bhubaneswar seeking government control on private
technical and professional educational institutions in the State on Monday.
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?from=rss_South%20Africa&set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=nw20080725122830512C653844
TUT students hold protest on campus
July 25 2008 at 12:38PM
About 100 Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) students are to hand a
memorandum on free education to university management on Friday, said the
Young Communist League.
"The march is about the 'Joe Slovo Right to learn' campaign. We are going to
hand over a memorandum to management regarding free education," said Gauteng
secretary general Jabu Mphurpi.
The group was marching from the university's Soshanguve (north) campus to
the South Campus where the memorandum would be handed over.
A university spokesperson confirmed that the march was legal.
"Classes are not expected to be disrupted."
"TUT's management will consider the memorandum and respond to it in due
course," she added. - Sapa
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/24/stories/2008072451010300.htm
Other States - Puducherry
AISF to protest against delay on medical seats
Special Correspondent
PUDUCHERRY: The Puducherry unit of All India Students’ Federation (AISF) on
Wednesday flayed the government for the delay in finalising the allocation
of seats in private medical colleges for students to be admitted through the
Centralised Admission Committee (CENTAC).
AISF unit secretary G. Karunajothi said in a statement that the federation
would launch an agitation on Friday urging the students to boycott classes
to highlight the demand for early solution to the issue. The prevailing
scenario indicated that the solution to the issue was still eluding with the
managements of the private medical colleges failing to earmark 50 per cent
of seats to the government quota and the three deemed universities not
sending their representatives to the meeting called by the government. This
was despite the announcement that admissions through the CENTAC would
commence on July 28, he said.
The “inconclusive talks” had created doubts over the feasibility of
implementation of the Chief Minister’s announcement in the Assembly that the
government would ensure allocation of 50 per cent seats to CENTAC quota.
Mr. Karunajothi called for “stern action against the managements which had
shown scant regard for the aspirations of the students, parents and the
government”.
http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=110652
METU students protest against Ankara mayor
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Around 1,000 METU students criticize Ankara Mayor Melih Gökçek’s decision,
with placards in their hands that read, 'METU belongs to us and it will
remain so'
İZGİ GÜNGÖR
ANKARA - Turkish Daily News
Students at the Middle East Technical University, or METU, staged a
protest yesterday against a decision by the Ankara Municipality to demolish
allegedly illegal buildings on the university's campus.
Gathering in the center of the campus, around 1,000 students criticized
Ankara Mayor Melih Gökçek's decision and chanted slogans against him with
placards in their hands that read, “Not METU but Gökçek will be destroyed,”
“METU belongs to us and it will remain so.”
Among the interesting placards were also those which read, “Gökçek, you
are the bulb (symbol of the Justice and Development Party, or AKP);” “The
villas overlooking Lake Eymir from Gökçek Real Estate,” and “Gökçek doomed
Ankara to structures, exhaust and arsenic; the lack of oxygen, however, hit
Gökçek first!”
The AKP-run municipality charged METU a fine of YTL 1.8 million for having
45 illegal structures on its campus and ruled to demolish the buildings
unless they were brought in line with the law. The municipality and METU had
already clashed over a series of matters, including the level of arsenic in
the Kızılırmak River, from which Ankara's drinking water is secured as well
as Lake Eymir, which remains within the borders of METU.
METU rector, Ural Akbulut, said the university's own examination of the
samples of unpurified water from Kızılırmak showed there was arsenic twice
the normal limit. The municipality also wants to open Eymir to public use
while the university resists the plan in an effort to protect a rare large
green space in the heart of the city by allowing only controlled entrance to
the lake.
For university students and Akbulut, the municipality's recent move is a
kind of reprisal for former debates and aimed at grabbing territory from
METU which covers a campus area of 4,500 hectares and forest area of 3,043
hectares.
“The municipality targets territory from our university to make profit
over it,” students said in their written statement yesterday while Akbulut
during a visit to Çankaya Municipality Tuesday said, “It is revealed that
Gökçek eyes our territory. You can't succeed. Even if you do so, you can't
build anything as it is a protected area by laws.”
Çankaya Mayor Muzaffer Eryılmaz said they would finalize the formalities
in order to provide the area with protected legal status while Gökçek said
he had the right to demolish the illegal buildings on campus unless they
were brought in line with the law but he wouldn't use his right, speaking to
TGRT television Tuesday night.
“I am determined to open Eymir for public use,” he said.
What METU-graduate politicians think?
There are 19 METU-graduate deputies in the cabinet including two
ministers: Energy Minister Hilmi Güler and State Minister Kürşad Tüzmen.
Emrehan Halıcı, graduate in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and
Ankara deputy from the Democratic Left Party, or DSP, said the aim shouldn't
be to destroy METU but to multiply it. The municipal decision to destroy the
structures based solely on a technical problem is a pretty radical attitude.
“The former disputes between the municipality and METU raise questions on
whether the current crisis is something political,” he said, adding, “Gökçek
is already a political figure while the universities are the scientific
establishments which work for free speech.”
Problems could be solved in a more conciliatory way, according to him.
For Osman Çakır, graduate in chemistry and Samsun deputy of the
Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, the municipality's targeting a
university which remained among the world's most notable universities, is
unfortunate.
“What Gökçek should do is to promote the university, pride of the country,
and strengthen its competitive capacity,” he said, adding, “The
municipality's attitude isn't well intentioned. Good will and common sense
are needed.” The Republican People's Party, or CHP, deputy Nesrin Baytok, a
mining engineering graduate said, “Gökçek was absent 50 years ago when METU
existed. Did Gökçek remember METU's building plan problem today 15 years
after being elected mayor?”
“Gökçek instead should have rewarded the university for providing Ankara
such an eco-friendly campus and area.”
AKP deputy Abdullah Çalışkan, a graduate in business, said the issue
seemed to be a technical matter and it shouldn't be politicized.
“The issue however has already created a polarization. We don't want, of
course, the destruction of the buildings yet there are laws to be obeyed.
Demolishing them is not a solution. A joint formula could be found,” he
said.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/14/stories/2008081454050300.htm
Andhra Pradesh - Tirupati
Students of TTD-run schools stage protest
TIRUPATI: The agitation launched by the AISF demanding free supply of food
to students studying in various TTD-run educational institutions here has
taken an sad turn on the third day on Wednesday. Led by AISF, they marched
through the streets of the temple city with empty plates. –Special
Correspondent
http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=129419
IIU students continue to hold protests University president denies all
accusations
Monday, August 11, 2008
Myra Imran
Islamabad
Female students of Usooluddin (Islamic Studies) Department at the
International Islamic University (IIU) continue to hold regular protests on
the campus over frequent changes being made in the faculty and course
schemes.
Alleging that such moves were part of a strategy to introduce a specific
religious mindset within the department, the students told ‘The News’ that
contract of about seven senior teachers had either been terminated or they
were transferred to other departments in the past 12 months.
“Most of these teachers were funded by foreign institutions and were masters
in their respective fields,” said one of the students.
Naming some of the teachers, the protesting students said that the most
recent case involved Professor Suhail Hassan who was transferred despite
having served the department for 20 years. He was said to be quite popular
among students.
Similarly, contracts of Professor Nizamuddin Nafeh and Professor Tahir
Mahmood, were not renewed. Also on that list were professors Manshavi, Abdul
Tawwab, Dr. Fazal Elahi and Dr. Aziz ur Rehman.
The students claimed that Professor Hassan was notified of his transfer
while out of town and that too in the middle of a semester. “The faculty of
our department was not informed of the change for several weeks,” they said.
They thought that the move was aimed at reducing the number of principled
teachers from the Academic Council, a 60-member body that rules on academic
matters.
The protesting girls pointed out that since the university was facing
financial problems, therefore the management would never be able to hire
teachers of the same calibre from its own resources. Young teachers with no
experience or foreign ones were appointed in place of known religious
scholars, they said.
They alleged that classes comprising boys and girls were also taking place
in the Urdu Department despite the IIU being a declared non co-education
institution.
The students were also angered by the increase in annual fee that has almost
been doubled compared to last year’s. They believed that the administration
also planned to abolish specialisation at the bachelor’s level.
The series of changes began in 2006 when the name of Usooluddin Department
(USD) was changed to the Department of Islamic Studies. “The USD came into
being in 1981 then why it took the management 25 years to go for name
change,” asked the students.
They said that their course schemes were also changed quite frequently as
compared to other departments and they were all deeply concerned over this
state of affairs.
IIU President Anwar Hussain Siddiqui denied that all this was happening on
the campus. “We changed the name of the department because it was in Arabic
and therefore difficult for the common people to understand,” he said adding
that both names were being used in documentations.
Sidiqui said that the teachers left when their contracts expired or their
original departments called them back. He made it clear that course schemes
were changed on the directives of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and
applied to all departments.
“According to these directives, 60 percent of the course matter would be
directly related to the subject whereas 40 percent of it would be about
general knowledge, things other than the actual subject,” he said, stressing
that the aim was to enhance the knowledge base of students.
He said that the administration wanted the USD students to also know about
people like Ghalib, Mir and Iqbal but a small fraction of the department
wanted to run the faculty on the pattern of a madrassa. “More and more girls
are joining the department from a variety of backgrounds but this
narrow-minded group wants to impose its version of Islam on the department.”
Siddiqui said that almost 18,000 students were studying in the university at
this point of time in different faculties and they came from a variety of
backgrounds. “The course schemes are decided by the Academic Council and it
is not the decision of one person,” he said.
Terming specialisation at bachelor’s level a non-issue, he said that it
starts at the master’s or PhD levels in all universities.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/21/stories/2008082157110300.htm
Schools and colleges closed
Schools and colleges in Bidar city remained closed on Wednesday after a
bandh call was given by members of the district unit of the Students
Federation of India.
In a memorandum addressed to Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, district unit
vice-president of the SFI Uttamkumar Hivoore said the bandh was called to
protest against setting up of foreign and private universities in the
country.
Their other demands are elections for students’ union in colleges and
universities according to Supreme Court’s directions, appointment of
teachers in vacant posts, constitution of a committee against sexual
harassment in educational institutions, and increase in fund allocation to
education sector.
The members submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/23/stories/2008082354640500.htm
Karnataka - Udupi
Students protest
Udupi: The Mangalore University All College Students Action Committee (Sarva
College Vidyarthi Kriya Samiti) staged a dharna in front of the Deputy
Commissioner’s office here on Friday. In a memorandum addressed to Governor
Rameshwar Thakur, submitted at the Deputy Commissioner’s office , the
committee demanded the scrapping of the credit-based semester system by the
Mangalore University. The students took out a procession from the Service
Bus Stand to the Deputy Commissioner’s office.
http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=9867
Philadelphia University students to protest against registration fee hike
Students sign a petition opposing Petra University administration raising
student fees (Photo courtesy of the Petra University student council)
By Thameen Kheetan
AMMAN - Philadelphia University (PU) students plan to stage a sit-in on
campus on Sunday to protest a university decision to raise registration fees
by JD80, with the administration warning that students who block the
university’s main gate will face expulsion.
“It is a violation of the right of passage, security and order to block the
university gate, and we will not hesitate to hand down expulsions,” PU Dean
of Student Affairs Ghassan Abdul Khaleq told The Jordan Times on Wednesday.
In 2006, some 15 PU students blocked the university’s main gate during a
sit-in, an action considered by Abdul Khaleq as a “hostage situation” as
scores of people were trapped inside the university.
“First and final warnings were issued to seven of them but no one was
expelled,” he recalled.
The National Campaign for Defending Students’ Rights (Thabahtoona) issued a
statement condemning Abdul Khaleq’s “threat to expel students for staging a
campus sit-in”, criticising what they referred to as a “martial law
mentality in Jordanian universities”.
“We did not threaten to expel protesting students and we are not against the
idea of a sit-in,” Abdul Khaleq said, noting that the university abides by
“the democratic climate and the freedom of expression [in the country]”.
Abdul Khaleq said the hike in registration fees, which will be implemented
at the beginning of the 2008/2009 academic year, was due to the global
increase in prices which has affected most of the Kingdom’s commodities.
“The difference in fuel prices cost us JD1 million over the last year,” he
said, stressing that the university offers free transportation.
A student activist, who preferred to remain unnamed, told The Jordan Times
that under the proposed hike, students are forced to pay for transportation
through “service fees.”
He added that Sunday’s sit-in will be “enormous”.
Meanwhile, a deal was reached on Wednesday between Petra University students
and administration over fee increases, bringing an end to a two-week crisis
that included protest marches and sit-ins.
Last week, students organised two sit-ins on campus after the university
administration moved to raise tuition by 10 to 15 per cent and introduce new
charges such as a JD120 “service fee”.
Around 900 students also signed a petition calling on the administration not
to increase fees, which included a JD55 increase in bus rates per semester
and the introduction of a JD60 parking fee.
In its statement, Thabahtoona said Petra University administration forced
students to sign a commitment “not to protest against rising fees”.
Protests escalated into marches disrupting classes, according to Dean of
Student Affairs Mahmoud Ata.
“They broke into classes forcing students to come out and join them,” Ata
told The Jordan Times, adding that students also “verbally abused teachers”.
Despite the ongoing tension, a deal was reached yesterday over service fees
and student conduct.
“The university started to cooperate and understand student demands,”
student council vice president Ahmad Isis told The Jordan Times.
He praised an administration decision to drop service fees from JD100 to
JD50 that can be paid in two instalments.
“Students unable to pay can fill out an application to be exempted from the
service fee,” Isis added.
He noted that Petra University President Adnan Badran “had no idea about the
paper students were forced to sign”.
“Today [Wednesday] the commitment was changed; students pledged to hold
peaceful demonstrations and the university promised not to take action
against protesting students,” Isis explained.
The student council vice president condemned the disruption of classes, an
act he blamed on “a small group” not representing him or his colleagues.
Isis added that the student council will issue a statement today condemning
the incident.
7 August 2008
http://www.newkerala.com/topstory-fullnews-7632.html
Student protests intensify in Bihar
Patna, Aug 6 : Student protests here intensified Wednesday as anger seethed
over Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's silence and government's inability to end
the indefinite strike by non-teaching staff of universities and colleges
that has paralysed higher education in the state.
Hundreds of students staged demonstrations and sat on fasts here.
About 33,000 non-teaching staff of nine universities and 250 colleges went
on an indefinite strike from July 1 to demand higher salaries. The strike
has crippled the teaching as well as administrative work in the universities
and colleges.
Despite the new academic session beginning July 1, all the universities and
colleges are closed. It is the first time in the last 10 years when the new
session has not started in July, students said.
The angry students led by different student organisations protested
Wednesday against the police action on students Tuesday. Some students were
arrested and some injured in a police baton-charge, in response to stone
pelting by the students.
A group of students led by the All India Students Federation of India (AISF)
staged a protest at Rajendra Nagar Terminal here that disrupted train
movement for hours. The All India Student Association (student wing of
CPI-ML), the National Students Union of India and Chhatra Rashtriya Janata
Dal also protested.
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the students wing of ruling
party ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), also protested the police action.
Most of the students told IANS here that what angered them was that the
state government has not made any attempt to end the strike. ”The
government's silence is ruining our careers,” they said.
The non-teaching staff of Patna University went on strike June 6, followed
by the staff of Bihar state universities June 25. ”The strike in Patna
University is around 59 days old, but the government is yet to initiate a
dialogue with the striking staff,” students said.
--- IANS
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/07/stories/2008080751230300.htm
Karnataka - Hassan
DYFI protests against police
Staff Correspondent
HASSAN: Members of the district unit of the Democratic Youth Federation of
India (DYFI) took out a rally here on Tuesday protesting against the police
action against activists who were staging a dharna in front of the
corporation office in Mangalore on Monday. Several DYFI workers were caned
during the agitation.
Addressing the protesters at the Hemavathi statue, district president of
DYFI B.G. Girish, secretary Shavell Hameed, Students Federation of India
district president Pruthvi and secretary Ravi Sanenahalli strongly
criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party Government for the police firing on
farmers who were fighting for their legitimate rights. Now, they had
lathi-charged activists in Mangalore when they were protesting against the
privatisation of drinking water supply.
When the protesters arrived at Deputy Commissioner Naveen Raj Singh’s
office, the latter, who came out to receive their memorandum, found a junior
student amidst the crowd. He rushed to the boy and asked him whether he was
aware why the protest was called for. The boy was a PUC student in Sujala
College, but was hesitant to offer a reply. The Deputy Commissioner then
advised student leaders to educate their fellows before bringing them for
rallies.
The agitators demanded the resignation of the Mayor of Mangalore, withdrawal
of the proposed move to privatise drinking water supply, withdrawal of cases
against DYFI activists and suspension of the police personnel.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view/20080610-141817/UP-marks-school-opening-with-protest
UP marks school opening with protest
By Abigail Kwok
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 10:05:00 06/10/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- Militant student groups staged a lightning rally
inside the University of the Philippines in Quezon City on Tuesday to demand
for the rollback and refund of tuition and other fees.
At 10 a.m., student groups Anakbayan-UP Diliman chapter and Student Alliance
for the Advancement of Democratic Rights in UP (Stand UP) went inside the
freshmen orientation to urge students to join protest actions.
Armed with banners that read “fight for education, rollback tuition,” around
20 protesters chanted “rollback tuition” as students were singing the UP
hymn.
“We are calling for the immediate junking of the policy of the tuition
increase,” said Stand UP spokesman Teri Rodon.
The tuition of UP increased from P300 to P1000 per unit, Rodon said.
Earlier in the day, Gem Garcia, spokesperson for Anakbayan-UP Diliman,
alleged that the UP administration was "repressing" student activism by not
allowing the university student council to speak before the freshmen.
"Alam naman natin na marami sa mga estudyante natin ang hindi may kaya sa
buhay. Dagdag pahirap lang ang increase in tution and other fees [We know
that there are a lot of poor students. An increase in tuition and other fees
simply add to their financial burden],” she said.
"Bilang mga scholar ng bayan, dapat maging kritikal tayo at mapanuri [As the
country’s scholars, we should be critical and discerning]," she said.
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