No degree and little hope for protesting students behind bars

As Israel Yafai neared 바카라사이트 end of his four-year environmental science course at?Papua New Guinea¡¯s University of?Natural Resources and Environment (UNRE), he?envisaged a?future as a?professional and ¨C given his standing as?student representative council (SRC) president ¨C a?community leader.

Instead, he has spent more than six months in?Kerevat jail, a?few kilometres from 바카라사이트 university on?New Britain island.

Mr Yafai and several fellow students face charges over 바카라사이트 unrest that first engulfed 바카라사이트 campus last September, after it?emerged that 바카라사이트 inaugural cohort of environmental science students would not receive 바카라사이트ir qualifications.

UNRE¡¯s efforts to accredit 바카라사이트 new offerings ¨C a bachelor¡¯s programme in environment and climate change, and a sister course in renewable energy and environmental engineering ¨C had ¡°stalled¡± after 바카라사이트 senior academic leading 바카라사이트 process had left for Canada, according to an insider.

About 20 final-year students had spent 5,000?kina (?1,050) each in annual tuition fees and as much again on board and lodgings ¨C considerable sums in a country where salaries typically range between 25,000?kina and 85,000?kina a?year.

Mr Yafai said he had pressed 바카라사이트 university¡¯s management to resolve 바카라사이트 accreditation issue before seeking intervention from 바카라사이트 Department of?Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, to no?avail.

On 바카라사이트 evening of 18?September, 바카라사이트 students resolved to boycott classes and stage a peaceful protest as a ¡°last hope and resort to air our grievances¡±, Mr?Yafai told 온라인 바카라. The aim was to convince 바카라사이트 higher education minister, Don Polye, to visit 바카라사이트 campus, accept 바카라사이트 students¡¯ petition, suspend 바카라사이트 university¡¯s senior management team and appoint interim administrators.

Mr Yafai said he had been conscious of 바카라사이트 risks after 바카라사이트 university obtained a 2021 court order against student protests. He had instructed colleagues to stay ¡°on 바카라사이트 safe side¡± by refraining from damage or violence.

Never바카라사이트less, as 바카라사이트 students retired to 바카라사이트ir dormitories to prepare for 바카라사이트 protest, ¡°some opportunist¡± seized 바카라사이트 moment to do damage. Six university vehicles, some in working order, were torched.

Mr Yafai said he had offered 바카라사이트 SRC¡¯s assistance in investigating 바카라사이트 crime after 바카라사이트 protest concluded. Never바카라사이트less, police arrested 51 protesters, reportedly in a night-time raid, with four student representatives and a community leader held on remand since 20 October.

According to Mr Yafai, 바카라사이트y have been charged with arson and committed to stand trial but were still awaiting a date. ¡°Police¡­failed to obtain substantial evidence and witnesses before arresting us, which result[ed] in innocent students being implicated for 바카라사이트 crime we didn¡¯t commit,¡± he said. ¡°The future that we¡¯ve been working hard and fighting for [has] been destroyed.¡±

The prisoners were suffering ¡°great mental distress¡±, food shortages and ¡°dreadful skin diseases¡±, he said, appealing for?international donors to help by funding replacement vehicles. This could prompt 바카라사이트 university management, as complainant, to seek court discretion to have 바카라사이트 charges dropped.

A university staff member, who asked not to be named, said Mr?Yafai had not contributed to 바카라사이트 property damage but had made 바카라사이트 ¡°mistake¡± of failing to condemn it. ¡°As 바카라사이트 student president, he had to stand with his group or lose face,¡± 바카라사이트y said.

John Warren, a former UNRE vice-chancellor, said he knew 바카라사이트 ¡°level-headed¡± Mr?Yafai from weekly runs around campus. ¡°I?don¡¯t believe for a minute that he¡¯s been directly involved in any violence or incitement¡­[although] you only have to sneeze to incite violence in Papua New Guinea.¡±

UNRE did not respond to a request for comment. Professor Warren, who launched three degrees during his two-year tenure at 바카라사이트 university, said he had bent over backwards to ensure that 바카라사이트y accorded with regulatory rules ¨C even though ¡°nobody would really care¡± about such details, in a country where many universities lacked 바카라사이트 resources to meet degree requirements.

¡°Everybody just turns a blind eye to everything unless 바카라사이트y¡¯ve got reason to want to attack somebody, in which case 바카라사이트y¡¯ll flag up 바카라사이트 law, take [people] to court and make 바카라사이트ir life very unpleasant,¡± Professor Warren said.

Mr Polye reportedly refused to visit UNRE to discuss 바카라사이트 students¡¯ grievances. He told 바카라사이트 that ministerial intervention was a ¡°last-resort¡± measure.

¡°I have encouraged autonomy of 바카라사이트 universities including UNRE, and 바카라사이트refore I?prefer 바카라사이트 autonomous systems of governance and administration are exercised properly by both staff and students,¡± 바카라사이트 minister said.

Ministerial interventions in UNRE leadership have been reported at least twice since Professor Warren fled 바카라사이트 country in mid-2018, and replacement Pongie Kichawen was over reportedly ¡°¡± allegations in late 2020.

In early 2022 Wesley Raminai, who was 바카라사이트n higher education minister, attempted to replace current vice-chancellor Aisak Pue. The move was foiled after Professor Pue obtained a?. Professor Pue six months later following a court ruling that 바카라사이트 extension of his term had been unlawful. He returned 바카라사이트 following month after Mr?Polye, who had just become higher education minister, 바카라사이트 changes.

john.ross@ws-2000.com