Monrovia – The Liberian Student Union (LINSU) says the decision taken by the University of Liberia administration to suspend student politics at the State-run university undermines the student union’s calls for all tertiary institutions of learning to conduct democratic elections within 60 days.
LINSU on January 7, 2019 called all on the administration of higher learning institutions to conduct election for students’ government within 60 days.
“By directive of the National Executive Committee of LINSU, all universities and colleges as well as high schools in the country are hereby mandated to peacefully conduct ‘Smooth & Democratic Elections’ on their various campuses in sixty-day grace period. Failure on the part of any institution to abide by this mandate, LINSU will not hesitate to suspend said member institution,” said Mohamed Kamara, president of LINSU.
Report by J. H. Webster
The University of Liberia administration suspension of student politics came as a result of clash among members of the Student Unification Party, one of the students based political party at the University of Liberia.
The political rally of the SUP on Friday January 11, 2019 turned into chaos, causing the disruption of classes at the main campus on Capitol Hill.
Speaking hours after the administration’s decision, LINSU president condemned all act of violence but said the administration of UL needs to rethink their decision and reverse the ‘temporary’ ban on student politics.
“We ask the UL Authority to rethink their decision, let it be emphatically clear that LINSU condemns all forms of violence by students at the state run university and further request that they behave in the ideal manner and fashion appropriate for students in our fast evolving global village,” LINSU president Kamara said.
He added: “As LINSU struggles to protect and defend the rights of every student across the length and breadth of the republic, we aspire to do so in whatever means possible void of violence, hooliganism and gangsterism.
“Finally, we want to reiterate our call for Popular Democratic Elections at all tertiary institutions and hope to sit with the University of Liberia authorities in the soonest possible time to discuss the uplifting of the suspension as well as activities leading to the conduct of a free and fair democratic elections,” LINSU president added.
