2016 UPNG Protest

Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science & Technology, Francis Marus, this morning made an official visit to present the cheque.

Marus states that the prolonged boycott in the university has brought severe repercussions to all higher education stakeholders, which included physical and emotional damages to both students and staff.

“Institutional buildings and properties valued over billions of kina both in UPNG and UNITECH were destroyed due to the students’ unrest and boycott.”

(A student leader told Loop PNG that students are still frustrated following the shooting of their colleagues on June 8.

“In the history of UPNG, we successfully held the most non-violent protest for the last eight weeks.”

He said the students displayed maturity, professionalism, diplomacy and most importantly, patriotism.

“Instead of working with the students and bring peace after allowing the police to come in and shoot unarmed students, they send the Uniforce to harass them.”

"No classes until the UPNG administration reconciles with us," a student leader told Loop PNG.

Violence erupted around 8am today when Uniforce guards allegedly forced students to go to class.

However, a Uniforce staff told Loop PNG that a group of students tried to prevent their colleagues from attending classes this morning.

"Uniforce tried to stop them when fight broke out," he stated.

At least three UPNG vehicles were burnt while a guard was reported to be injured.

Students still need to confirm injuries at their end.

The students have not been attending classes for up to six weeks now after they first boycotted classes on May 2.

Classes were then suspended for an indefinite period by the university council on May 20.

The suspension lasted for 10 days and students were asked to return to classes to continue semester one on June 13, which was a public holiday.

This was so classes would kick off on Tuesday, June 14, while the medical students were told to commence classes on June 6.

Sydney-based Papua New Guineans were joined by students, academics, unionists and NGOs to call for an immediate stop to the repression and for student demands to be met.

“The recent event in Port Moresby between the University of Papua New Guinea students and the Royal Papua New Guinea constabulary (RPNGC) is uncalled for in any democratic nation,” stated Stanley Kumasimba Wamaware, a PNG student from the University of Sydney.