Uni students in PNG threaten mass withdrawal from courses

Transcript

Students in Papua New Guinea are threatening a mass withdrawal from courses if prime minister Peter O'Neill does not respond to their petition calling for his resignation by this afternoon.

The Student Representatives Council at the University of the PNG presented the petition to Port Moresby governor Powes Parkop and other government officials this afternoon during a rally attended by thousands at the Waigani campus.

The vice president of the council says a class boycott that has been running for three weeks will continue while they await a response from the prime minister this afternoon.

Arthur Amos told Koroi Hawkins the student body is united in its resolve.

ARTHUR AMOS: We had given the petitioners exactly sixty minutes to three o'clock. So they've deposited the petition. And we've talked with them. They've brought over some government MPs and they talked to the students. And the studentsalso expressed their disagreement. I mean, they are frustrated about the abuse of the office of prime minister over and over again. So we gave the petition and the ultimatum in the petition is.. that's the final end. That's only when we have exhausted all the avenues.

KOROI HAWKINS: Right and you've given a time period for this petition to be responded to?

AA: Yes. The time period is exactly 24 hours. So once the delegates from the PM's office receive the petition, the clock starts ticking.

KH: So what happens if there is no response?

AA: If there is no response then we'll take another course of action.

KH: So what action would be taken if they do not respond?

AA: The boycott of classes will continue tomorrow and onwards, and the mass withdrawal it will happen because the entire student body has agreed for the mass withdrawal to happen.

KH: So the entire student body who are for the protest will withdraw from their courses?

AA: Yes, that's exactly what we are planning to do if the PM and the government does not comply to us and the demands that we have mentioned in the petition.

KH: And just in relation to the other matter regarding seeking of a legal restraining order against the police and their administration, did that go ahead?

AA: Our legal team did not come up with a response yet because we have been busy with the presentation of the petition and what's happening on the campus. But I believe it will still go ahead. we are going to get a court stay order to restrain police from entering the campus and restraining the police administration from suppressing the students' views.