Remove unruly UPNG students

THE reaction by a faction of unruly male students on Tuesday when the University of PNG (UPNG) female students were protesting against sexual harassment and abuse on campus has revealed something interesting. Now the whole of Papua New Guinea, and the world, know that there is a disease at the university’s Waigani campus that has been festering for years. It is like a tumour that has been sitting there and just taking up unnecessary space. The protest by the female students was successful in that now everyone knows that this disease exists. Now, the UPNG administration, Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology and, possibly, the Office of the Prime Minister and Police Commissioner, particularly the sexual violence unit, should work together and assist the university identify those who were part of the immature and primitive stone-throwing crowd on Tuesday and send them off to where they belong, either in the bush or behind bars. UPNG, as the country’s premier university, has no place for hooligans and primitives who cannot be rational in their approach. I cannot believe that these male students cannot reason with words when the females were protesting. What they did is the highest form of cowardice. A male student on social media said many people were also living with their relatives and friends on campus. It is highly likely that those illegal people are also the ones moving around in droves and harassing females and other students. As a former UPNG student and tutor, it is common knowledge that some of the most unruly students on campus inciting fear and threats on campus are students who are failing. Those are the type of people who do not have a future in the academic world. They are in the wrong place. They are hooligans and primitives who are living among young intellectuals. So, the authorities must identify them and weed them out.  They should not be allowed to live another week on campus. Like a tumour that needs to be removed, the authorities should do the right thing and identify the ring leaders and weed them out. It is very likely that you may find some criminals among the unruly crowd too.  UPNG has been a place that troublemakers often go to to hide from the law. For the female students and the male students that stood by them, I urge you to continue the protest. Be wise, stick together, strategise again and continue the protest. There are police officers, lawyers, politicians and us, the public, who will come to your aid. Such unruly individuals have no place in the top institution in the country.  Now is the time for you to stand firm and continue the fight to end sexual harassment and abuse in your institution. Be strong in your fight.

Say No To Violence