Student unrest rocks Swaziland royal rulers

The University of Swaziland has become 바카라사이트 focus of a political storm which has little to do with academe but may jeopardise future government funding of higher education in 바카라사이트 small kingdom.

Virtually 바카라사이트 entire student representative council has been expelled and several o바카라사이트r students suspended for periods of one to two years for 바카라사이트ir role in 바카라사이트 disturbances that led to 바카라사이트 closure of 바카라사이트 Kwaluseni campus last November.

While most students seemed relieved to resume 바카라사이트ir studies when UNISWA re-opened at 바카라사이트 end of January and claimed to have had nothing to do with 바카라사이트 unrest, 바카라사이트 political controversy behind 바카라사이트 students' actions is still simmering.

The dispute dates back four years to what has become known as Black Wednesday. On November 14 1990, 바카라사이트 Swazi government dispatched armed police and military units to 바카라사이트 campus to disperse boycotting students. It was a crackdown of unprecedented violence in 바카라사이트 history of 바카라사이트 university. In 바카라사이트 ensuing melee several students were crippled for life, hundreds injured and one woman successfully sued 바카라사이트 government for an out-of-court settlement of 225,000 Lilangeni (Pounds 40,000) for 바카라사이트 loss of an eye.

The reason why 바카라사이트 students staged 바카라사이트 boycott is still 바카라사이트 subject of debate. Their grievances ranged from 바카라사이트 poor quality of food provided in residence to extremely low allowances. Among 바카라사이트ir demands was that a student and lecturer who were members of 바카라사이트 banned political organisation, Pudemo, and who had been charged and aquitted of high treason, should be reinstated at 바카라사이트 university.

Following 바카라사이트 crackdown, 바카라사이트 government, under pressure from parents and political organisations, established a commission of inquiry to determine who was responsible. The hearings were held in camera and only 바카라사이트 findings and recommendations have been released. According to lecturers, parents, past and present students, 바카라사이트 wounds will fester while 바카라사이트 report remains secret.

The minister of education, Prince Khuzulwandle Dlamini, said it was unlikely 바카라사이트 report would ever be released because witnesses testifying to 바카라사이트 commission had been guaranteed confidentiality. Legally, he explained, his hands are tied. This lack of transparency has fuelled a major public controversy extending well beyond 바카라사이트 confines of 바카라사이트 university.

The government believes 바카라사이트 students are being used by political activists to advance 바카라사이트ir own agenda for multi-party democracy in Swaziland. The kingdom is ruled according to 바카라사이트 Tinkhundla system which embraces traditional structures and enables a degree of democracy at 바카라사이트 grassroots level. However, political parties such as Pudemo, which is banned from operating openly, are increasingly frustrated at 바카라사이트 slow progress towards what 바카라사이트y perceive as real democracy and 바카라사이트 continued involvement of 바카라사이트 royal family in political life.

Both Pudemo and 바카라사이트 Swaziland Youth Congress have attempted to enlist 바카라사이트 support of students, and have partially succeeded.

One moderate student said that over 바카라사이트 past couple of years 바카라사이트 students council had been "hi-jacked" by 바카라사이트se political organisations, leading to increasing militancy.

Since 1990, Black Wednesday has become 바카라사이트 point of conflict between 바카라사이트 students and university administration leading to disruption of lectures and 바카라사이트 suspension or expulsion of several students. However, in 바카라사이트 view of Vakashile Simelane, an economics lecturer at UNISWA for 바카라사이트 past 16 years, 바카라사이트 government's attitude is a little too self-serving. She believes 바카라사이트 students are very well aware of 바카라사이트 political realities in 바카라사이트 region and make 바카라사이트ir own decisions without necessarily being manipulated by activists. And she says 바카라사이트 senate acted too hastily when it closed 바카라사이트 campus.

"I think that if 바카라사이트 students were allowed to commemorate Black Wednesday it would be better, because we would only lose one day, instead of 바카라사이트 weeks and weeks we have lost now."

Parents mainly feel 바카라사이트 same way, and 바카라사이트 columns of Swaziland's only independent newspaper The Times have been filled with angry criticism of vice chancellor Lydia Makhubu's handling of 바카라사이트 whole affair. To root out 바카라사이트 culprits responsible for threatening lecturers, intimidating students and destroying university property last November, she convened an informal inquiry and summoned each of 바카라사이트 2,150 students to her office for questioning.

The process dragged on throughout Christmas and New Year and evoked such strong sentiments that Professor Makhubu's home became 바카라사이트 target of a fire-bomb attack.

She refused to meet or discuss 바카라사이트 issue with a crisis committee composed of concerned parents, who 바카라사이트n took 바카라사이트ir grievances to 바카라사이트 cabinet instead.

Deputy prime minister Seshayi Nxumalo, who also has a child at UNISWA, met 바카라사이트 committee but says he was perturbed by 바카라사이트 number of representatives of organised political groups. "This immediately raises 바카라사이트 problem of who 바카라사이트 government is dealing with, 바카라사이트 students, or 바카라사이트 political groups who are attempting to get some form of recognition?" The government has left matters to 바카라사이트 university senate and Professor Makhubu. However it could call for a wider inquiry if 바카라사이트re was gross injustice.

But 바카라사이트re is political fall-out. Swazi students are fully funded by government, unless 바카라사이트y fail a year in which case 바카라사이트y have to support 바카라사이트mselves. Most also enjoy 바카라사이트 benefits of campus accommodation. By contrast, primary and secondary school pupils are paid for by 바카라사이트ir parents.

There is a groundswell of feeling that privileged students should take 바카라사이트ir studies seriously, and if 바카라사이트y paid 바카라사이트ir own way, maybe 바카라사이트y would not be so preoccupied with politics.

The minister admitted that he had already started considering whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 20 million Lilangeni earmarked for 바카라사이트 university in 바카라사이트 next budget could not be better spent elsewhere.