13 Jul 2016

ni-Vanuatu students repatriated from PNG

10:57 am on 13 July 2016

ni-Vanuatu students are being repatriated from Papua New Guinea, after months of protests and tensions at universities there.

The Daily Post newspaper reports that twelve students from the University of PNG in Port Moresby and nine from Unitech in Lae, will return to Vanuatu today.

However, twenty five students at the University of Goroka will continue with their studies there.

Students in PNG have been protesting for months at the refusal of the prime minister, Peter O'Neill, to stand down from office to face corruption allegations.

The protests have turned violent, including an incident where police opened fire on marching students in Port Moresby, injuring many, and one at Unitech where a student was killed in a night of clashes.

The University of PNG earlier this month announced that the academic year has been cancelled.

Last month, the Solomon Islands repatriated its students studying in PNG.

Get the RNZ app

for ad-free news and current affairs