Six university students in
Swaziland were arrested at a court house when they went to give support to one
of their leaders charged after a protest over poor educational standards.
It happened on Wednesday
(13 September 2017) at Malkerns Circuit Court where Sibusiso Siyaya, the
President of the University of Swaziland (UNISWA) student representative
council, faced a charge of obstructing police.
The students were taken for
questioning at Malkerns police post, according to the Swazi
Observer on Thursday. The newspaper
reported that Siyaya confirmed the incident. Police would neither confirm nor
deny the arrests.
Siyaya appeared in court
charged with obstructing a police officer who was trying to arrest another
student. He was bailed until 1 November 2017.
On Sunday the Sunday Observer newspaper in Swaziland
reported that Siyaya had been threatened with a beating and verbally abused on
Friday when he went to Malkerns police post to inquire about the wellbeing of
students arrested during protests at UNISWA. The police action had been
recorded on a mobile phone.
Students are protesting a
number of issues including:
·
Lack of accommodation for more than 600
students who are mostly those doing their first year.
·
Release of book allowances currently not
accessible at the bookshop, although lectures have begun.
·
Refectory prices were abruptly increased
without any consultation.
·
The university never signed a circular
which was distributed to all tertiary institutions by the Swazi Government which
meant sponsored students would be paid directly from the Ministry of Labour. Students
and not through the university administration.
·
Government-sponsored students have not received
meal allowances, although the university opened three weeks ago.
·
Reverse a decision by UNISWA to ban student
body meetings.
See also
POLICE ‘TORTURE’ STUDENTS IN CELLS
POLICE
BEATING THREAT CAUGHT ON AUDIO
SWAZI STUDENT LEADERS ARRESTED
PROTESTS CLOSE SWAZILAND UNIVERSITY
http://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2017/09/protests-close-swaziland-university.html
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