Unitech Forum ends in clash

The University of Technology came to stand still yesterday  as students clashed at the University campus. Certain factions of students started a brawl that went out of control  after an organized forum by the SRC. Students involved directly in the confrontation used sticks as weapons and were armed with bush knives resulting in one of the male students being stabbed twice and was rushed to the hospital. 

The forum was staged to give the directive on whether the students would return to classes as agreed to with the administration or continue with the boycott of classes to which the regional representatives from all four regions pledged their support to the SRC to continue with the boycott of classes during the forum. 

With the concern of saving the academic year, the SRC had resolved to let students go back to classes for the next three weeks and continue with their fight after examinations. 

“Our concern here is the academic year” SRC President David Kelma told the students. “It’s not that we are trying to stop the fight here. So that’s why to consider a win win situation, we came up with that option and that is to allow the 3 weeks to pass and after exams we continue with the fight, the tents will remain and we continue with the fight. That’s the point the SRC is making clear here” Kelma told the student body. 

It was after this declaration and a further emphasis on the SRC’s decision by a female representative when things spiraled out of control beginning with tones of verbal disagreements and escalated into a physical battle. The clash was contained however, tension on campus still remains. PNGFM/ PNG Today