Students and Uni-Force clash, university vehicles burnt

University Vehicles burnt by students . Photo Cedric Cotu

Several vehicles belonging to the University of Papua New Guinea were burnt down this morning as students went rampage after a confrontation  with university security guards. Glass windows of the university library and the lecture halls  were also smashed in the rampage. 

The  fight erupted after members of the Uni-Force tried to disperse a group of students drinking near the campus clinic. The fight spilled onto the campus, with students targeting the university property and destroying them.

The latest violence erupts as students prepare to go for classes on Monday.

Police have reportedly entered the campus through the back entrance as the main entrance have been barricaded by students. 

Females are reportedly locked up in their dormitories, while the male students are manning the gates.

Meanwhile, female students at the University of Technology are leading the drive to return to class. The vice-chancellor of the University of Technology in Papua New Guinea says he's confident the majority of his students will return to class this week.

Students across PNG have been boycotting lectures since the beginning of May while demanding the Prime Minister step down to face fraud allegations.

Vice-chancellor, Dr Albert Schram, said UNITECH's female students were leading the return to study.

"The female students all met yesterday and they decided all to go to classes. So that is a very, very positive development. And 40 percent of our student population is female so we have that group already onboard."

Albert Schram estimated the six week boycott had cost UNITECH about $US1.2 million which the university will try to absorb if the government does not provide additional funding