Southern students calls for relocation of universities before referendum

October 19, 2010 (JUBA) – The union of Southern students at the three Southern universities in Khartoum on Tuesday called on the regional Government of Southern Sudan to speed up relocating them to their original locations in south before the south votes on independence in January.

Speaking at a press briefing in Juba, student union leaders from the universities of Juba, Bahr el Ghazal and Upper Nile which were relocated to the north at the height of the civil war, said students were uncomfortable at the prospect of continuing their studies in the north should the south secede.

Post-referendum issues such as citizenship rights of southerners remaining in the north and northerners in the south, if the south secedes, have yet to be resolved.

The students asked that the universities be returned to their original locations before referendum takes place in just over 80 days time.

Majer Agany Aguto, a second year student at the University of Upper Nile’s Faculty of Medicine, told press that students from southern Sudan from the three southern universities met in Khartoum to discuss challenges facing them.

“All the students met and discussed our challenges before we all agreed to send a 7 member delegation with petition prioritizing immediate relocation of these institutions from the north to the government of southern Sudan,” said Aguto.

Aguto who spoke on behalf of the delegation said that Southern Sudanese students in Khartoum suffer intimidation by security agents, and general discrimination because of their skin colour.

The 7 member delegation includes:

Aguer Bol Kuir – University of Upper Nile’s Faculty of Medicine
Paul Malual Ajak – University of Juba
Michael Ngor – University of Juba
Andrew Ariik Arok – University of Juba
Ohisa Charles – University of Juba
Joong Anthony – University of Bahr el Ghazal.

The student delegation presented a petition asking the government to quicken the relocation of the three universities from Khartoum to their original locations in the South to top regional officials.

The delegation suggested shutting down the universities if the government was not able to move them fast enough.

In the event that the universities are closed, then the Southern Sudanese students currently pursuing studies in those universities should be enrolled elsewhere to continue their studies either locally or abroad, the student representatives said.

The students requested the government facilitate their relocation from Khartoum to the South by providing money for transportation costs.

The students said they would like to participate fully in the referendum by mobilizing their communities and peers, supporting the voter registration process, and casting their votes.

They pointed out that the academic programs in some universities, would not allow students to fully faculty the opportunity to participate in the referendum. For instance, the University of Upper Nile, has a term from November 2010 to March 2011.

Agany said that there is already a lot of tension in Khartoum and that the Southern students are desperately seeking all means possible to come back home so they do not caught up in political tensions.

On 10 October around 40 southerners demonstrating for separation were chased away from a pro-unity rally organised by Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party. Some were hit with batons and arrested.

In 2005 when the leader of the SPLM died in a helicopter crash some southern Sudanese in Khartoum reacted violently and were subsequently targeted by some northern groups.

The students said that they did not want to be caught in a situation where they would become victims of political tension between the two regions in the event that the referendum vote comes out in favor southern secession from north Sudan.

The petition entitled, “immediate relocation of southern universities from Khartoum and plights of students,” was addressed to:

• First Vice President of Sudan and President of the Government of Southern Sudan – Salva Kiir Mayardit
• Vice President of Government of Southern Sudan – Riek Machar Teny

Also copied into the petition were:

• Speaker of the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly – James Wani Igga
• SPLM Secretary General and GOSS minister for Peace and CPA Implementation – Pagan Amum
• Minister of Internal Affairs – Gier Chuang Aluong
• Federal minister for Higher Education and Scientific Research – Peter Adwok Nyaba
• Minister for Higher Education in the Government of Southern Sudan – Joseph Ukel
• Chairperson of the Education Committee at the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly – James Duku

(ST)