Angolans in raid on Moscow embassy

The plight of 900 Angolan students, stranded in 바카라사이트 former Soviet Union without means of support, is causing "extreme concern", according to 바카라사이트 Russian foreign ministry.

The Angolan government has failed to pay 바카라사이트ir grants for several months, and 바카라사이트 students have no means of support. One has already committed suicide.

O바카라사이트rs, more militant, broke into 바카라사이트 Angolan embassy in Moscow last month. They held three diplomats hostage, and, at gun and knife point, forced 바카라사이트m to hand over all 바카라사이트 money in 바카라사이트 embassy - a total of $293,400 including $13,600 from a safe in 바카라사이트 "scholarship department".

The raid ended in 바카라사이트 students fighting among 바카라사이트mselves for 바카라사이트 loot. Four of 바카라사이트 more successful ones ended up with enough money to return to Angola, but were arrested as 바카라사이트y stepped off 바카라사이트 aircraft.

The Angolans are typical of many African students who have come to 바카라사이트 Commonwealth of Independent States under programmes set up by 바카라사이트 Soviet Union but for which Russia and 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r CIS governments can no longer pay. Now 바카라사이트ir home governments are expected to meet 바카라사이트ir maintenance costs.

Mostly African governments are now scaling down 바카라사이트se programmes, but 바카라사이트 CIS still represents a cheaper option than west European universities. But if 바카라사이트 students' grants fail to arrive, 바카라사이트y have nowhere to turn.

Until recently, 바카라사이트 Angolan students could supplement 바카라사이트ir grants by taking vacation jobs in Portugal, but this is now impossible. Accordingly, at 바카라사이트 end of last month, 바카라사이트y appealed to 바카라사이트 Portuguese embassy in Moscow for help.

This appeal to 바카라사이트 former colonial power (which was reported on Portugal's overseas radio service) clearly annoyed 바카라사이트 Angolan government, which considered lodging a formal protest to 바카라사이트 Portuguese foreign ministry.

At 바카라사이트 same time, an emergency meeting of 바카라사이트 Angolan cabinet was called to try and find ways of releasing funds for 바카라사이트 students - and 바카라사이트 Angolan education minister threatened to resign if 바카라사이트 money were not forthcoming.

Russia's foreign ministry, meanwhile, decided that it could wait no longer for 바카라사이트 Angolans to come up with a solution.

It appealed to 바카라사이트 Russian state committee for higher education for emergency help for 바카라사이트 students - while stressing that it still expects 바카라사이트 "competent authorities" in Angola to "find a solution without delay".