Students at
the University of Swaziland (Uniswa) are to go to the High Court to get the examinations
taking place this week declared void.
Armed police
have been guarding
examinations halls after students protested that the examinations should be
postponed.
Police also
raided students’ dormitory rooms using teargas and arrested student
leaders. Students report they were later beaten up at police stations.
Students have
been protesting about slow payment of allowances and poor conditions at the
university. Teaching was disrupted during the semester just ending and students
say classes should have continued until courses were completed before exams took
place.
Maxwell
Dlamini, Presidents of the Uniswa Students representative Council, said, ‘We
are preparing a mother of all court battles that will seek to render the examination
null and void on the basis that they were held under an unconducive and unenabling
environment and outside the rules and regulations governing examinations.
‘Not only
were students harassed, tortured, beaten, piled up at Block S [dormitories], but
they were stopped from studying by police officers who kicked them out of their
rooms and classes where they were studying.
‘This led to
students to be emotionally, psychologically, physically and physiologically traumatised.’
In an appeal
to students published on Facebook, Dlamini said, ‘Students are urged to
remain calm, cool and collected and must assist us with pictures and videos of what was happening before the exams to build a strong case.
remain calm, cool and collected and must assist us with pictures and videos of what was happening before the exams to build a strong case.
‘We also
request students to open up cases of harassment against the cops to help strengthen
our case.’
He added, ‘We
will do all we can and possible to protect and promote the interests and rights
of each and every students, hence we will make sure that even those who didn’t
write the
exams are given a chance to do so.’
exams are given a chance to do so.’
See also
POLICE
UNIVERSITY VIOLENCE WAS A ‘WAR’
STUDENTS UNDER SIEGE BY ARMED POLICE
POLICE FLEE
ROOMS AS POLICE ATTACK
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