By Tabora Bojang
By the time we went to press last night, paramilitary police used tear gas to disperse students who spent the day protesting at the University of The Gambia Kanifing campus.
During the fracas, a number of students fainted and were taken to the nearby Kanifing Hospital.
Consequently, the armed police were able to escort the vice chancellor out of his office where he had been holed in since mid morning.
The students were protesting against the “unfair dismissal” of two senior lecturers.
Dr Alieu Gibba and Associate Professor Matarr Njie were dismissed recently after the UTG management accused them of tarnishing the image of the institution by peddling unfounded allegations in the media.
Aggrieved by these actions, members of the University Staff and Faculty Association began an indefinite sit-down strike yesterday after they accused the management of failing to comply with their demand to reinstate the two lecturers.
With just a week before students begin exams, the strike has paralysed learning activities at all schools in the university.
The two dismissed lecturers have over 400 students, most of whom were out at the protest yesterday to express their dissatisfaction about the ongoing developments. They charged that management is trying to “undermine their studies” after making a decision to replace the two dismissed lecturers with new lecturers who had to re-do assessments.
The peacefully protesting students also vented their disappointment with the University Students Union and the Economics and Management Students Association (Ecomansa) which they accused of failing to stand with students when they are needed most.
The protesters who described themselves as concerned students gathered at the UTG Kanifing Campus holding placards and banners reading: “We demand justice for Dr Gibba and Professor Matarr Njie!”; “An attack on lecturers is an attack on students!”
As the protest gained momentum, Kanifing regional police commissioner Samba Jawo arrived at the scene to compel the protesters to go outside the campus to negotiate with him but the students refused his offer.
Moments later, another commissioner, Adeline Basange and Police spokesperson Assistant Superintendent Modou Musa Sisawo also arrived at the ground and held a brief meeting with the vice chancellor.
After their meeting with the university authorities, Commissioner Basange addressed the protesters: “We are able to talk to the vice chancellor but he is requesting to speak to the leaders of the group.”
The students refused the offer and asked that the VC come down before they would submit their petition to him.
As tension continued on the ground, the students became more aggrieved and attempted to force their way into the VC’s office.
While this push-and-pull was ongoing, armed paramilitary personnel arrived at the campus led by Superintendent Sarr.
The officers then occupied the entry points to the VC’s office to prevent students from forcing their way.
Sporadic clashes erupted between the police and students who vowed to continue the protest until the VC speaks to them.
The police warned the students that they were protesting without a permit which they claimed was a violation of the law. “We could have chased them away using force because they have no legal rights to be here,” PRO Sisawo charged.
However, the protesting students argued they did not violate any law since they only gathered in their campus as students.
After more than six hours into the protest, the acting registrar of the university, Bobo Baldeh, met the protesters who read out and handed their petition to him.
But the students persisted, insisting they speak directly to the VC.
