July 06, 2016

Papua New Guinea cancels academic year following corruption protests

editor:	Vanessa Ellingham

The University of Papua New Guinea has cancelled the academic year following two months of anti-corruption protests which left at least five dead.

Led by the Student Representative Council, most of the university's students have been boycotting classes since May in protest at the Prime Minister, Peter O'Neill's, refusal to stand down from office to face corruption charges.

Four students were shot dead by police during one of the protests in June as students attempted to march on parliament in support of a no-confidence motion against Mr O'Neill.

Disallowing students to continue their education while turning a blind eye to police violence and politicians' corruption is a toxic cocktail of human rights abuses meted out by the Papua New Guinea government.

Prime Minister O'Neill should know that the world is watching. There will be foreign relations consequences for these abhorrent abuses.