BURKINA FASO: STUDENT DISTRUBANCES LEAD TO CLOSURE OF

UNCLAS OUAGADOUGOU 000600

SIPDIS

AF/W FOR EMILY PLUMB
AF/PD FOR DAPHNE TITUS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SOCI ASEC UV
SUBJECT: BURKINA FASO: STUDENT DISTRUBANCES LEAD TO CLOSURE OF
UNIVERSITY OF OUAGADOUGOU


1. Summary: On June 28, the University of Ouagadougou canceled
classes, postponed final exams, suspended all student services and
dismissed students from its residence halls until further notice.
According to university authorities, the student demonstrations that
took place on the university campus on June 17 have made it
impossible to hold classes at this time. The Academic and
Scientific Council is scheduled to hold a meeting on July 14 to
decide if the university should open to business before September.
The University of Bobo-Dioulasso and University of Koudougou were
not affected by the closure. End Summary.

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Origin of the Conflict
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2. On June 17, students rioted on the university campus when their
request to meet with the president of the University of Ouagadougou
to demand better services was rejected. The university called the
police and gendarmerie forces to maintain security, which led to a
clash between the students and security forces. According to
reports, 34 students and 14 gendarmes were injured as a result of
the conflict. Security forces quickly arrested 35 students and
charged them with assault, battery, and destruction of public and
private property. On June 26, after a two-day trial period, 31 of
the accused students were acquitted and 4 were sentenced to six
months in jail.

3. Since January 2008, students have demonstrated several times to
demand for a number of benefits including:

-- Hepatitis B and Meningitis vaccinations for medical interns at
Yalgado Hospital;

-- Larger and better equipped lecture halls and laboratories;

-- Higher allowance and more scholarships for doctoral students,
whose tuition averages about FCFA 500,000 per year;

-- Permission for students who fail their exams more than twice to
continue their education; and,

-- Hire more instructors.


4. In response to these demands, the government stated that it has
used its limited resources to improve learning conditions at the
university. During the 2007-2008 academic year, the government
provided FCFA 8.5 billion of financial aid to 27,300 students out of
the total of 50,000 enrolled. The government also spent FCFA 3.329
billion to construct and renovate lecture halls and classrooms at
the Universities of Ouagadougou, Bobo-Dioulasso and Koudougou.

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Student Protestors and Burkinabe Politics
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5. While the demonstrations took place on the campus of the
University of Ouagadougou, the discussions seem to have political
undertones. The organizer of the demonstrations, the Association
Nationale des Etudiants du Burkina (ANEB),the most powerful student
union in the country, has been accused of being associated with the
communist party by its rival, the Mouvement des Etudiants du Faso
(MEF). In turn, ANEB accuses MEFA of being the right hand of the
ruling regime, associated with Burkina Faso President Blaise
Compaore's ruling political party, the Congress for Democracy and
Progress (CDP). Meanwhile, student members of the CDP have condemned
the demonstration and claim that opposition political parties are
responsible for the university disturbances.


6. Comment: If the Academic and Scientific Council is unable to
resolve the stalemate, it could lead to further disturbances in the
near future.

JACKSON