University reopens, but students boycott exams

Togo's main university has reopened after being closed for most of May following student demonstrations to demand better grants and living conditions, but the students at the University of Lome have now decided to boycott their end of year exams. The protest action is being taken to demand the release of several student leaders jailed after the earlier disturbances. "We will take no exam until our jailed comrades are freed and our claims are justifed," Jean-Paul Oumolou, the students' spokesman told IRIN on Monday. On 24 May, nine people, including six students, were jailed for up to 18 months for organising the demonstrations which led to the university being closed on 2 May. It reopened on 27 May, but six days later, Polo Nindjisia, a student leader, was arrested by plain clothes security personnel as he was urging engineering students not to take their exams. Last week, only five of the 400 law students at Lome University turned up to sit their exams. Several other faculties are due to hold exams in the coming days, but one lecturer told IRIN "These exams will nto be credible given the insignificant number of students who are sitting them." The student disturbances have been taking place as President Gnassingbe Eyadema, who has ruled this small West African country with an iron hand for 37 years, is holding talks with the European Union aimed at a resumption of aid which was cut off in 1993.