Soso says student protest perpetrated by political interest, calls for Highlands leaders to meet
Ms Soso also appealed yesterday to the warring students to get their priorities right and concentrate on their studies rather than engage in the boycott which she said was being perpetrated by political interest nationwide at the country’s universities.
“You should think of the sacrifices your parents put in to get you to where you are and refrain from engaging in extracurricular activities that only jeopardises your future,” she said.
Ms Soso said the situation at University of Goroka was the first of its kind where students from the Highlands region fought each other and called on her colleague governors to meet in Goroka and resolve the matter once and for all.
“It is a very sad situation where students from the Upper Highlands region clashed with students from the Lower Highlands region, resulting in casualties totaling over 50 and not 20 as reported yesterday,” Ms Soso said, adding it was the first of its kind.
She said some of the injuries were very serious and called on her colleague governors to gather for an emergency meeting to find amicable solutions and draft a way forward before things got out of control.
“The Goroka situation calls for political intervention and I want us to resolve this as a matter of urgency for the good of the students, their parents and the people of Goroka town and Eastern Highlands as a whole,” she added.
Ms Soso appealed to local residents of Goroka not to take sides as there were students and staff from all across PNG as well as overseas who work and study at the campus.
She commended the police for their quick action which brought things under control but warned police not to use excessive force to hurt the general public.
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