People want classes to start

People at a gathering in Mendi, Southern Highlands, last Friday called for police protection against harassment and attacks on university students who want to resume studies.
Representitives of the State, Southern Highlands government, students, parents and the community wanted immediate resumption of lectures with police protection in the universities.
Hundreds of people gathered at Momei Oval to receive Southern Highlands and Hela students who travelled from the University of Technology and University of Goroka following student clashes last week.
To prevent the attack of Hela and Southern Highlands students, Imbonngu MP Francis Awesa hired buses and transported them to Mendi.
Awesa used K37,000 for the students’ transport and food.
He told the gathering that the students’ education and future should not be jeopardised.
Awesa assured the students that he would raise their grievances with Prime Minister Peter O’Neill upon his return from Europe.
Most of the students claimed they wanted to return to lectures but a handful of students were threatening and preventing them from doing so.
They called on members of Parliament to encourage students from their respective electorates to help restore normalcy and resume studies.
“Anyone threatening students and preventing them from attending classes should be arrested and charged,” one of the students said