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N. Bahr el Ghazal students in Kenya unveil plan to form union

September 24, 2014 (JUBA) – Students from South Sudan’s border state of Northern Bahr el Ghazal who are studying at various higher education institutions in neighbouring Kenya have unveiled a plan to form a union.

The primary objective of the union is to represent and promote the interests of the university and college students in various capacities.

According to Chol Duang, provisional secretary for information and media relations for Aweil College and the University Students Union in Kenya, the union was initiated by members of Aweil college and university students studying in Kenya following a meeting on 20 September.

“They (students) have formed a student body which shall address student affairs, particularly Aweil University students living and studying in various universities of Kenya,” Duang told Sudan Tribune on Tuesday.

“This is the first university students union to be formed by members of Aweil living in Kenya,” he added.

“Successfully, they (students) all agreed to the formation [of the union].

He said an interim administration was appointed to head the drafting of the union’s constitution, collect student data, set up a union account and inform the wider Aweil student community studying in various towns in Kenya.

What motivated the formation of the union remains largely unclear, with observers unable to say whether the body has political interests and support back in South Sudan as parts of government efforts to counter the mushrooming anti-government campaigns by opposition activists in neighbouring countries.

The government believes pro-democratic reform campaigns are being supported by rebels under the leadership of former vice-president Riek Machar and the group of former political detainees.

The push for democratic reforms in the country has met with strong resistance from the government.

However, most analysts and student activists have pointed out that in most cases student unions are run exclusively by students and operate as independent bodies, with their primary objective to represent students, both within educational institutions and externally on local and national issues affecting education.

Others have argued that some student unions are politicised bodies, and often serve as a training ground for aspiring politicians.

Political commentator Dut Garang said it would be premature to speculate on the motivations for the newly formed body in Kenya until more details were known.

“We cannot confidently say without evidence that they are part of the government initiatives and attempts aimed at countering negative narratives in the media by other groups who have already declared their objectives to support the government and the opposition,” he said on Wednesday.

“We have to wait and see what they will be. Their activities will determine their colour,” he added.

(ST)

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