PETITION AGAINST THE VICE-CHANCELLOR ON ACTS OF VICTIMISATION,
INTIMIDATION, AND THREATS ON STUDENTS LEADERS IN UB.
We write to react on victimization, intimidation, threats on the life of students’ leaders academics and on the disciplinary panel called up by the Vice-Chancellor on Tuesday, 16th Match 2010 at 11:00 am ref no: 2010/027/UB/REG.On the 24th February 2010 the Vice Chancellor published a list of fourteen (14) student leaders to appear before a disciplinary panel on the issue of purportedly gross acts of indiscipline and disruptive behaviour carried in/out of Campus on the 3rd, 11th and 12th February 2010.
Sir, we will like to call to your attention that, the actions of the Vice-Chancellor from February 2009 right up to this moment has been one of victimization intimidations, threats on leaders life, building of discord between students and an overall attempt to dissolve the Students’ Union, UBSU. Sir, It should be noted that, students who have stood against his Machiavellian principles have been victims to his oppressive administration. My predecessor Fred Woka Nguve on December 2009 forwarded a concise report to your office, the actions of the Vice-Chancellor to enumerate his negative deeds on student leaders. To this he has continuously reminded us of dealing with us after all the Prime Minister was his classmate so nothing could be done to him.
We would like to call to your attention, the activities which occurred on the 3rd, 11th and 12th of February 2010 , but first we think it is necessary for your office to be reminded that the Students’ Union, UBSU which you approved in 2005 has a workable constitution which has been in force since its creation not up to recently that the Vice-Chancellor Prof P.K Titanji, and some of his cohorts, the Registrar Prof Samson Abangma and the Director of Students’ affairs Dr.Ludwig Metuge sat and drew a new constitution for the Union without the consent of the students. This the students refused to accept and this has been the bedrock of our problems.
On the 3rd of February 2010, the newly elected Students’ Representative Council met at amphi 150 C at 2PM to access the activities of the Union to which Councillors at the end of the session voted a head of the Union Electoral committee to run Union elections and scheduled election of Council bureau on Friday 5th
February 2010.To our greatest dismay the Dean of Faculty of Science Prof Therese Akenji was at the Chemistry Laboratory with some hand picked students whom she had bribed, conducting election of Faculty of Science Students Executive against what is uphold in the Union’s Constitution. Councillors went there and stopped the election process, we later converged and continued our Council session .To this the Vice Chancellor has handpicked some of the councilors and summoned them to appear before a disciplinary committee. The same is true in the Faculty of Arts and other faculties where the Vice-Chancellor through his deans handpicked Faculty executives in the name of Election.
On Friday 5th February 2010, the Students’ Representative Council met and elected new Faculty executives and those to manage Council as enshrined in the Union Constitution, a practice which has been done since the creation of UBSU. We used this forum to denounce all elections conducted by the Vice-Chancellor
because they are against the letter and spirit of our constitution. The University administration was duly informed prior and after the Council session on the recent electoral developments.
The Cameroon Constitution gives room for freedom of Expression and association. The Vice-Chancellor has deliberately refused to give dialogue a chance in the University of Buea reason why
there have been tensions on the University campus from lecturers, non-academic staff and students alike. To this the Council agreed that our grievances shall be made public on the 11th of February through
placards, however through intervention from the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Control Prof Ntoko Mesape, we decided to match without those placards until when the Vice-Chancellor came in with Police officers.
On Thursday 11th February 2010, students in the University of Buea went out to perform their civic responsibility and to participate in the 49th anniversary of the Youth day. It is customary that the UBSU leaders always lead the students in UB during such events. On this fateful day while the Union leaders were already
in the line matching, the Vice-Chancellor instructed Police commissioners who disrupted the match past for about five minutes, removed us from the matching line, arrested and detained us. The Commissioner for state control service Buea (police de police) advised the Deputy Vice-Chencellor Prof Ntoko and the director of students’
affairs Dr.Ludwig Metuge to have a dialogue with the students in which he will like to be present, he again warned that the administration should not always be calling them to arrest students whereas it is in
their position to dialogue with the students. The Higher Education Ministry had to intervene for our release
We refused to accept this illegal and arbitral arrest orchestrated by the Vice-Chancellor on students who were performing their civic responsibility and even against the Cameroon Penal Code. On many thoughts we decided to forget and bury our differences on this illegal detention. But we are shocked that the Vice-Chancellor who has to answer charges for arresting us instead went ahead using his office to call for a disciplinary panel even after stopping us from performing our civic responsibility.
Sir, peace in the University of Buea is most cherished by students but this is not appreciated by the Vice-Chancellor as he has always moved ahead to jeopardize this move.
We would like to remind the Honourable Minister that the Students’ Union have a workable constitution that the students have been respecting but we were shocked, that on Friday 12th February 2010, the Vice Chancellor summoned his handpicked Faculty and departmental executives (14 in number who actually turned up) to vote a 15 man UBSU President and Executives contrary to what upholds in UBSU constitution where such election is done by universal suffrage by the entire student body. The students considered this as an insult and
total infringement on the student’s right.
The Vice-Chancellor did not stop there; he went ahead and brought two trucks of police on campus to intimidate the students so as to run his election on that Friday 12th February 2010. The students again protested and said elections must be done by universal suffrage as it has always been. Based on this, the Vice
Chancellor has summoned student leaders who said election must be done correctly to face a disciplinary panel. This is sheered victimization and intimidation especially to student leaders who have an interest to
run for the UBSU Presidential election come match 2010.
Sir, is it a crime for students to stand for what is right? Why should the Vice-Chancellor always interfers on UBSU activities?
We strongly write to you to petition the actions of the Vice-Chancellor and his move for a disciplinary panel and for our honorable minister to inform the Vice-Chancellor to remove his hands from UBSU activities and only come in as partners in administration while allowing students to run their elections as demanded by their
constitution.
We as students in the University of Buea stand for durable peace therefore we plead to all forces: Presidency of the republic, Governor SWR, Pro-Chancellor UB, National commission for Human rights, State Counsel, Commisioner for state control service Buea, SYNES UB, Addec Yaounde, Deputy Vice Chancellors, Deans, MayorBuea, South West Chiefs, Media to please help the Vice-Chancellor if durable peace must hold in UB.
Meanwhile the UBSU Presidential elections shall commence within the first week from Match 2010 as stipulated in the UBSU Constitution. We hoped that the Vice-Chancellor would not interfere in his ADOLF HITLER style of administration in the running of UBSU Elections for this will cause an unpleasant atmosphere at the
University campus- a situation we do not wish to occur. Attached is a copy of the said disciplinary panel. We have documentary evidences on all points raised up.
God Bless Higher Education Family.
For the Students and Union, UB
Signed: Arrey Besong T.M
Chairman, Students’ Representative Council
Cc:
-Presidency of the Republic
-Governor,SWR
-Pro-Chancellor
-Vice-Chancellor
-State Counsel,Buea
-Honourable Member of Parliament, Buea Urban and Rural
-Mayor Buea Municipality
-Commissioner for state Control, Buea
- National Commision of Human rights Buea
-South West chiefs
-Global Conscience Initiative
- Deputy Vice-Chancellors
- Registrar
- Deans/Directors
- SYNES, UB
-ADDEC YDE
