They also used water cannon and fired stun grenades
and rubber bullets during the protest that lasted about four hours. The pupils had
pelted police officers with stones and blocked the road with burning
car tyres and broken school furniture.
It happened at Dvokolwako High School on Monday
(15 July 2019). The
Times of Swaziland reported, ‘The pupils were baying for the staff
member’s blood on allegations of witchcraft.’
The Swazi
Observer reported the accused staff member was said to be responsible
for the death of four pupils and three teachers since 2013.
The Times reported, ‘The
Operational Support Services Unit (OSSU) officers came armed to the teeth and
they brought along a water cannon, which was used to disperse the rioting
pupils.
‘Amid all that tear gas canisters, rubber bullets, stun grenades and
live rounds of ammunition flew in the air while the pupils who were rioting ran
helter-skelter.’
It added Pupils had boycotted morning assembly and the school authorities
called the police who came ‘to ensure peace and order, to drive the pupils out
of the school’.
The Observer reported, ‘The situation went out
of hand when police officers arrived at the school. Witnesses said after the
pupils were sent home, the police arrived and chased after some pupils who were
singing and dancing outside the school premises. After the police chased after
them, it is said others were left behind and they started to hurl stones and
pelted the windows.’
This was not the first time that police in Swaziland
attacked children at their school. In May 2019 police
fired rubber bullets and teargas at pupils at Mhubhe High School at Ngculwini when they protested about sexual abuse on them by a
teacher.
In March 2014 police
armed with batons attacked pupils at Mbabane Central High School and
detained about 100 of them when they boycotted classes after they were denied
the opportunity to take part in sporting activities by their school. The school
said they suspended sporting activities because too many students were failing
exams and needed to focus more on their studies.
In June 2013 police fired live bullets when children boycotted
classes in protest against alleged corruption at Mhubhe High School in
Ngculwini. Gunshots were fired at the pupils after police drove them away from
the school, but they tried to return.
In March 2011 police reportedly assaulted pupils of
Mbukwane High School after the children took part in a demonstration. The Observer reported at the time police went to
the homes of the pupils, took them to the police station where they were
interrogated ‘before being beaten up’.
In the same year, 12 schoolchildren at Kubongeni High
School, accused of being leaders in a class boycott, were
beaten up by police officers with batons, in their own school, in front of
the school’s principal. The pupils were called individually into the school’s
staffroom where the police officers and their principal were. Pupils said they
were then assaulted with batons and fists.
Local media reported the school became suspicious that
the pupils were about to organise another boycott, so the police were called.
See also
Swaziland
police fire rubber bullets at schoolchildren protesting sexual abuse by teacher
Another
police attack on children
Police
shoot as children protest
Swazi
police assault school kids
Pupil
leaders beaten by police
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