Togo students strike over use of riot police
LOME, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Students at Togo's university began a
72-hour
strike
on Wednesday to protest against the use of riot police to break
up a
protest
over grants, witnesses said.
The stoppage at the University of Benin in the capital Lome was
widely
followed, they added.
The incident at the heart of the dispute took place on Monday
when riot
police
broke up a campus protest by students whose names did not appear
on
lists
published by the university authorities showing who would get
grants.
Student leaders said police injured several students, some
seriously,
and made
an unspecified number of arrests.
The government, in a broadcast statement, urged the students to
return
to
class saying grants were neither a right nor a salary and took
account
of the
merit and social situation of individual students.
Out of 14,000 students at the university, 11,285 receive some
form of
state
help.
Togo must hold presidential elections by August.
President Gnassingbe Eyadema, black Africa's longest serving
leader, is
widely
expected to stand. Eyadema, who seized power in 1967, won
turbulent 1993
elections boycotted by the main opposition and by foreign
observers who
alleged irregularities.
20:57 01-21-98
Copyright 1998 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
Republication or
redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or
similiar
means, is
expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of
Reuters.
Reuters
shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or
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inserted
by AOL.Togo students strike over use of riot police
LOME, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Students at Togo's university began a
72-hour
strike
on Wednesday to protest against the use of riot police to break
up a
protest
over grants, witnesses said.
The stoppage at the University of Benin in the capital Lome was
widely
followed, they added.
The incident at the heart of the dispute took place on Monday
when riot
police
broke up a campus protest by students whose names did not appear
on
lists
published by the university authorities showing who would get
grants.
Student leaders said police injured several students, some
seriously,
and made
an unspecified number of arrests.
The government, in a broadcast statement, urged the students to
return
to
class saying grants were neither a right nor a salary and took
account
of the
merit and social situation of individual students.
Out of 14,000 students at the university, 11,285 receive some
form of
state
help.
Togo must hold presidential elections by August.
President Gnassingbe Eyadema, black Africa's longest serving
leader, is
widely
expected to stand. Eyadema, who seized power in 1967, won
turbulent 1993
elections boycotted by the main opposition and by foreign
observers who
alleged irregularities.
20:57 01-21-98
Copyright 1998 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
Republication or
redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or
similiar
means, is
expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of
Reuters.
Reuters
shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or
for any
actions taken in reliance thereon. All active hyperlinks have
been
inserted
by AOL.
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