UB SUSPENDS CLASSES AFTER STUDENT STRIKES

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GABORONE 000096

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/S, AF/PD, CA/OSC, DS/IP/AF, DS/DSS/OSAC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ASEC CASC SCUL SOCI PHUM BC
SUBJECT: UB SUSPENDS CLASSES AFTER STUDENT STRIKES


1. SUMMARY: Students at the University of Botswana (UB) are unhappy
over changes in government policy regarding their monthly
allowances. The UB Student Representative Council (SRC) organized a
series of demonstrations to protest the changes, and an attempted
march from the university to Parliament on February 2 was stopped by
riot police. The UB Vice Chancellor announced February 4 that the
university would "suspend lessons indefinitely" due to the unrest.
One American university has suspended its exchange program with UB
and flown its students home. At least 23 other American
undergraduates are still enrolled at UB, although many of them have
moved to off-campus housing. END SUMMARY.

Students Angry about Allowances
--------------

2. In Botswana, university students receive a monthly allowance
from the government that is supposed to cover their cost of living
(food, clothing, transport, toiletries). Students who live in
campus dormitories receive 150 pula per month (approximately $19),
but are given free room and board, while students living off campus
are supposed to receive 1,920 pula per month (approximately $246) to
enable them to pay for food and lodging. Botswana's Ministry of
Education announced in late 2008 that the rules governing
disbursement of monthly stipends for university students would
change beginning in January 2009. The government will no longer pay
an allowance to any student who has exceeded the normal time for his
degree due to failing courses. One way that this change is being
enforced is that payments were suspended to any student who began
his program in 2004 or earlier (meaning they are now in year 5 or
more at the university.) Students are also unhappy that the
Ministry is reportedly making it harder for students to live
off-campus and thus receive the higher monthly allowance. They
claim that many students who have notified the university that they
live off campus are still being paid the lower on-campus allowance
rate and they cannot make ends meet.


Students Protest the Alleged Injustice
--------------

3. In January 2009, the SRC filed an urgent application with the
High Court in Lobatse alleging that the Ministry of Education had
"breached its contractual terms" with university students by
changing allowance regulations. The High Court rejected the
students' application on January 29, saying that it was not urgent
and should be handled using normal court procedure. On January 30,
the SRC declared that students were "on strike," and angry groups of
students reportedly entered classrooms, the cafeteria, and other
campus buildings trying to force non-participating colleagues
(including American students at UB on various exchange programs) to
join them. The protestors planned to march from the university to
the Ministry of Education to present a petition, but their
application for permission was denied by the police due to lack of
sufficient advanced notice. The students decided to march without a
permit, but were turned around by armed riot police.


4. Students continued to disrupt normal campus activities the week
of February 2. SRC members allegedly patrolled campus to prevent
students from attempting to attend class while others entered
dormitory rooms to try to force students to join them in protest.
UB students tried to march again on February 2. They had hoped to
convene in front of the Parliament, where Finance Minister Gaolathe
was presenting Botswana's 2009-2010 budget, an important annual
event with President Khama and other VIPs in attendance. However,
they were again stopped by riot police. This time, however, the
police-student confrontation grew violent, with students throwing
stones and police using their batons. SRC leaders told the media
that they believed the police used excessive force, which reportedly
resulted in student injuries including broken bones. According to
media accounts, a number of innocent bystanders were also caught up
in the clash, which occurred near Gaborone's Main Mall. Class
boycotts continued February 3-4, and on February 4 the Vice
Chancellor announced that the UB had suspended lessons
"indefinitely." The University Council was expected to meet on
February 5 to determine the length of the closure. UB sources also
told us that two members of the SRC have been expelled and the other
members have been suspended.


American Students Move Out, Lay Low
--------------

5. The University of North Carolina-Greensboro chose to withdraw
its four students from the UB after the protests began on January

30. All four students have departed Botswana. Several other
exchange programs continue to operate, including the Consortium for
International Educational Exchange (CIEE) and Associated Midwestern
Colleges (ACM),which together have 23 American students at UB.
Most foreign students have reportedly been moved away from the main
UB campus, either a conference facility located in Mogoditshane
(approximately 20 minutes from Gaborone) or to local hotels. Some

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foreign students have chosen to stay in their dorms at the main
campus. The Consul has been in regular contact with the
University's Office of International Exchanges and Partnerships and
the leaders of the US-sponsored exchange programs. The Embassy also
issued a Warden message on February 2 warning citizens about the
unrest and asking that they avoid the area around the university
campus. In addition, PAO met with university officials on February
4 and decided to postpone a Black History Month film festival at the
university, which had been scheduled for February 9-13, until the
security situation improves.


Comment
--------------

6. COMMENT: The GOB probably made a tactical error by announcing
changes to its student stipend policy in the middle of an academic
year and just before the festive season. Students had little time
to understand the new rules before they took effect, and this may be
why they have reacted so strongly to changes they perceive as
unfair. However, in the current climate of belt-tightening and
deficit budgets, it is hard to imagine that the GOB will give in to
student demands and either pay to allow failing students to repeat
semesters or allow more students to live off campus despite the
availability of cheaper on-campus accommodation. Many workers in
Botswana, especially domestics, laborers, and other
non-professionals, make less than 1,900 pula per month, and there
seems to be little public sympathy for the students' demands. It is
therefore hard to see what the students will gain from this protest.
Many commentators believe that if the university removes some of
the rowdier SRC ringleaders, campus will settle down and classes
will resume soon. Post will continue to maintain close contact with
both university officials and the leaders of U.S. student exchange
programs to ensure the safety of Americans at university of
Botswana, and we will send additional warden messages as required.
END COMMENT.


NOLAN