By Mua Adams
The University of Buea, Cameroon, UB, that saw
the light of day in 1993 as a move to
decongest the lone and pre-independent state university, University of Yaounde,
UNIYAO, has been hit by a major crisis of unprecedented proportion- with
students striking and asking to be given their original Anglo-Saxon university
status.
After the first UB strike of 1995 that grossly
paralysed the institution, the university was again hit by another strike in
November 2009 where active students said to be members of opposition political
parties such as SDF, UNDP and others were at the forefront of the
demonstrations.
Amongst the supposed leaders of the
strike were some student leaders and opinion holders like Paul Shipuh, Tabogo
Eno-Jah, Ako Stanley, etc who narrowly escaped arrest and whose whereabouts are still unknown.
At a time when universities world-wide are
fast becoming real centers for dialogue and advancement of academic and
intellectual debates, the University of Buea, U.B, has grown virile, despotic
and criminal.
The students of UB have been and are reportedly
being denied basic right of expression: the free-will to present their plight,
their leaders caught, molested, tortured and detained, students fleeing to
unknown destinations and abandoning studies, students killed and their bodies
used for rituals.
It is today 16 years, since the university of
Buea was created but unfortunately, the university appears to have been
turned into a wartime zone with students reportedly intimidated, some tagged secessionists,
imposed draconian laws, levied at will,
molested and student union leaders haunted and students forced to flee, abandoning
studies.
The UB crisis of this November is the outcome
of a government’s insensitivity to the cries of her people. The substance of the
strike is the request from the students to have the Anglo-Saxon status of the
university maintained and not rubbed into mud. According to the striking
students, the French system is systematically infiltrating the UB and causing
much harm to the originality and authenticity of the much-cherished Anglo-Saxon university. The students also
drew the attention of the authorities that-be that exams were being sold and
leaked to students. The students’ union body, which is supposed to be a
democratically-elected body, was under the influence of authorities and this,
too, did not go well with the students who wanted an independent body that can
face the school administration with courage and conviction. The students also
protested and demonstrated against the psychological torture of their student’s
union leader, Paul Shipuh, who was repeatedly summoned for interrogations and
other tactics of intimidation.
The protests and demonstrations also frowned
at the growing phenomenon where marks were traded for cash or kind at the price
of excellence. The strong military presence on campus and the sudden closure of
all petty businesses offering photo-copying services, fast-food and
facilitating their academic work also caught the condemnation of the students
as they protested asking for something to be done.
While protesting peacefully by way of sit-downs
on campus and chanting songs of liberation, the leaders still found time to
table a memorandum to UB authorities.
Amongst other things raised, the memorandum
called for: UB authorities not to meddle into student’s union affairs of the
UBSU; the re-instatement of the original
Anglo-Saxon status of the UB; produce draft
transcript for students free-of-charge or cost-free; the provision of students’
answer sheets to manage mistakes and fraud; the cancellation of all forms of
taxes levied on exams; a well-spelt out calendar of students’ activities a; an
improvement on the security services on campus; a halt on the harassment of
students’ leaders and opinion-holders; the re-opening of all the campus
businesses; the creation of an atmosphere of peace and love on campus.
While the dust was yet to settle with the
students and authorities trying to break an even ground of dialogue and peace,
a truck load of armed-uniformed men and women stormed the UB campus describing
the students as instruments of manipulation by politicians and enemies of the
state. In the raid and stampede that followed, 19 students and 14 lecturers
were reportedly arrested and taken to unknown destinations with scores of others
wounded, beaten and forced to flee with injuries.
Amongst the many students that suffered huge
bodily injuries and were reportedly detained included Ayuk Tang, Wabi
Frankline, Kenyu Serge Herve, Tata Kwami Mbinglo, Tchaumou Marie Loue.
After the strike, we also gathered that some
students were black listed by authorities and are being sought for by security forces.
They included: Mua Atumked, Ako Claude Enobi, Tabogo Eno-Jah, Bessong Tiku, Nkongho N. Nkongho,
Enow Peter, Ernest Acha, Eyambe Ebai, Erickson Abumbi, Jotso Lawrence Peligne,
Kingsley Sheteh Newuh and a host of others.
In the light of the unfolding drama, classes
and activities have been grounded. Anxiety has gripped the entire nation as the
fate of the students arrested and charged with secession and belonging to the
radical wing of the SCNC are on the balance. Parents are confused as they do
not know the whereabouts of their children.
Some students are rumoured to be crossing the
boarders to neighbouring Nigeria, Tchad, Gabon as the government Gestapo crack
force is at work haunting for student-activists and suspected leaders.
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