Massive Demonstrations at Sana’a University [Archives:2000/18/Reportage]

By: Hassan Al-Zayidi
Last Wednesday, thousands of students went out in a demonstration assembling in front of the Commerce Faculty, Sana’a University. They submitted a memorandum, of which Yemen Times received a copy, to the director of the university and the members of the council requesting them to stipulate a deadline to the elections for “Union of Yemeni students”. They demanded a favorable response to the recommendations of the Preparatory Committee to hold elections within the next two or three weeks. They also requested the withdrawal of arbitrary increase of registration fees on higher studies and the arrest of the police officers who attacked and brutally beat a student preventing him from entering the college campus.
Mr. Ali Al-Jaradi, member of the Preparatory Committee for Elections, said “The University Council reached a decision on Saturday 432000 to hold students’ elections for the Union of Yemeni Students within a month after the Easter festivals. The Supervision Committee headed by Dr. Fadal Abo Ghanem, vice Director of Sana’a University, was in charge of following this up. This was the result of the extensive meetings of the university union and its branches held Sunday, 2022000 with 54 out of 76 members present.
However, the Supervision Committee headed by Dr. Fadal has never held any meeting despite the members insistence to hold it, mainly because Dr. Fadal ignores decisions of the University Council thinking that his partisan abidance has the priority. To make things worse, the department of students’ affairs is handled in accordance with decisions of the Central Committee of an influential party.
The Preparation Committee as well as the students are going to continue exercising pressure using legal means until students’ constitutional requests are met. We do call all organizations concerned to cooperate with us. If the university administration does not respond positively, we will go to the court.”
It is worth noting that thousands of students assembled on Wednesday 1242000 at the university of Commerce to assert their democratic rights and hold the elections.
On the other hand, students preparing for higher studies staged demonstrations two weeks ago earlier protesting and condemning the new fees increase mounting to YR 700,000 for M.A and YR 1 million for doctorate. They also condemned the university’s arbitrary decision to prevent some students from continuing their studies as a result of their difficult financial situations.
Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Makaleh said in a press conference that the decision for fees hike was imposed on the university by the Ministry of Finance.
Many lawyers, students and educated people view this decision as a violation of the constitutional provisions contained in articles no 24, 32 which envisage that educational and social services are to be provided by the government free.
Members of the Congregation Party for Reform “Islah” in the university are the most active for these elections. Habib Al-Ariki, spokesman of the Islah students’ department, said “We feel that the ruling party represented by its supporters are standing as a stumbling block not to hold these elections because of their fear of the results. It exploits the official institutions and its supporters to interfere in the university affairs and create obstacles before the elections.
I believe that the administration is procrastinating to have a chance to continue its corrupt practices without much resistance. If there is a strong and active students’ syndicate, it will certainly prevent such practices.
Members of PGC are not participating in these demonstrations though they have some seats in the Union. They actually behave in accordance with self-directed instructions of their party.
“We feel that there are some attempts to trample our political rights at the university, therefore we are against the decision of the university dated 432000 which envisages the stopping of the political and partisan activities. This is a distinct violation of the constitution and plurality that we claim to protect.” Said Saif Al-Zabidi, independent student at the Faculty of Education, “Elections are a must and we have to hold them. They are the only way through which we can ask for our rights: books, labs, etc.
Besides, they make democratic values take roots in essence. The university administration is always ignoring our rights due to some partisan or self interests.” he added
Dr. Fadal Abo Ghanem, vice Director of the University and chairman of the PGC, told Yemen Times “There are no procrastination in holding elections. The University Council recommended department of students’ Affairs to prepare a note to the Ministry of Insurance and Social Security and the Ministry of Education. The protesters and trouble-makers have to participate in the Preparation committees going to be formed there because the current Preparation Committee is parochial and represents only one party. The University is determined to have committees and elections inclusive of all the departments.
The current demonstrations are motivated by political and partisan forces which will negatively affect the electoral atmosphere.
On the other hand, employees at Sana’a University are still wearing red cards and warning that they, in all the governorates, will go out on a strike starting from 2752000 if their 20% enhancement in allowances is not paid. It is worth noting that this increase has been paid to all the employees working with the authority.

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