Wad Madani — The security services of El-Jazeera state, located south of Khartoum, were called to end the clashes between students from Darfur and others supporting the National Congress Party (NCP) at the Gezira University, sources told Radio Dabanga.
About 10 students were injured and a number of Darfuri students were reportedly arrested as a result of the clashes on Monday morning, 3 December.
Witnesses said that the Darfuris were protesting against the decision of the university to charge them tuition fees. According to the Abuja and Doha agreements, students from Darfur are exempted from paying these costs.
An eye-witness told Radio Dabanga that NCP students arrived at the scene by foot and driving 'heavily armed vehicles'. At the same time, security forces reportedly ordered the Darfuri students to leave the university and to not return until further notice.
Dr. Radwan Ahmed, from the dean's department of students' affairs, called the El-Jazeera police to stop the clashes and arrest the students, sources claimed.
According to sources, some of the arrested students are: Abdullah Issa Saleh, president of the association of Darfur students of Gezira University; Isaac Karim, president of the Darfur students association; Taj al-Din al-Amin Baraka; Faisal Ahmed Fadlallah and Omar Suleiman.
'Exemption ended with Abuja'
Gezira's administration declared that the ministry of higher education decided not to exempt Darfuri students from paying their tuition fees of 506 Sudanese pounds, a source told Radio Dabanga.
The decision is valid for students from the current academic year onwards and was made because the 'exemption ended when the Abuja agreement ended', he added.
Dr. Radwan Ahmed explained that according to the decision of the ministry, students who took their certification exams in displaced and refugee camps will be exempted from paying the tuition fees.
He claimed the Darfur Regional Authority supports the decision of the ministry.
Comments Post a comment