One girl dead, two wounded in Rumbek protest shooting
October 17, 2015 (RUMBEK) – Authorities in South Sudan’s Lakes state shot dead one girl-student and wounded two others when protest erupted in Rumbek Secondary School, in Rumbek town, the state capital, over poor learning environment, pitting rival students on Wednesday.
The students union in the state also accused the headmaster of dismissing several teachers without clear charges and lack of students feeding.
According to director general in the ministry of education in Lakes state, Alfred Agolder Mathou, he however said the protest by the students came as a surprise as the state ministry of education promised to resolve the matter.
He said that minister of education Dut Makoi Kuok is currently in Juba conducting meeting with ministry of higher education and how Rumbek Secondary school’s challenges can be addressed.
“Now we are trying to get solution into Rumbek secondary school problem – our minister of education is engaging higher education ministry in Juba to address things related to food and teachers in Rumbek secondary school,” Alfred told Sudan Tribune on Friday.
During the protest, security forces in Rumbek responded by firing live bullet, wounding three students on the spot. One girl is confirmed dead after battling with gunshot wound as her family struggled to send her to Juba for medical care but died in Rumbek airport.
Activist Moses Ater blamed the state government for having low attention to education activities in Lakes state. He noted that the minister was putting much attention into politics and random dismissal of teachers from various school levels. He also regretted the death of female student, saying investigation should be urgently carried out to establish facts surrounding the shooting.
“The girl who was wounded in Rumbek senior secondary school shooting is dead – it is very regrettable and state government should have to take urgent step to find out those soldiers who carried out shooting in Rumbek secondary school during the protest,” he said.
Abdullahi Ali, the director general of education in the national ministry of education, said officials within the ministry sat and resolved to reopen the school on Friday. He urged the students to remain calm as the ministry looked into their grievances.
“They have to be calm. Everything is going to be solved. If everything is to be taken by force, I think that is not the right way. We at the ministry, the Honourable John Gai, the Deputy minister Bol Makueng, the advisers and the rest of the staff of the ministry are working hard to see these problems are solved in the near future,” he said.
(ST)