Students protest dismissal of colleague

WESTERN PROVINCE NYAMASHEKE — About 280 students of College Intwari de Mwezi in Karengera sector, Nyamasheke district have protested the expulsion of their fellow student. The school is private with over 800 students. Christian Ntakirutimana, a senior six student of Biology and Chemistry was dismissed reportedly under unclear circumstances. He was the head prefect and the leader of the association of genocide survivor students (AERG). The students, mostly genocide survivors started their protest in the wee hours of the morning with a peaceful march from the school campus to Nyamasheke district offices in Kagano sector. They were blocked by police and army authorities in Bushekeri sector from reaching the district. The students said expelling their colleague was a severe punishment considering his previous conduct. They allege that his expulsion was motivated by ethnic and genocide ideology among the school administrators, a claim the head teacher denies. Sixte Dukuzumuremyi, the school headmaster said Ntakirutimana, was expelled on genuine grounds. He explained the student was found in possession of a mobile phone handset against the school regulations. As you know students are not allowed to own mobile phones at schools, so the reason we decided to expel Ntakirutimana was because he was found with a mobile phone which contravened the school’s rules and regulations. And on top of that Ntakirutimana has had a bad record of conduct in various ways so we wouldn’t tolerate such a student at our school, Dukuzumuremyi said. The students however, insist that some school administrators habour Genocide ideology. They accused one teacher, Emmanuel Hakizimana of uttering remarks to the effect. Hakizimana reportedly told his senior two students that those who were protesting their colleagues’ dismissal were genocide survivor students, who used to get free things from Ntakirutimana, and that they would be expelled too if they didn’t stop crying. Apparently the students reported the matter to the police and Hakizimana was arrested and detained at Karengera police station where he is currently being held. We students especially genocide survivors protested a heavy punishment of dismissal given to our fellow student which is big compared to what he had done. And we believe he was victimized because he is a genocide survivor, one of the marchers said. He added, this really shows that the school leaders habour genocide ideology and ethnic discrimination by giving unequal treatment to students. Another student claimed that genocide survivor students at the school are always given severe punishments whenever they do something wrong as compared to other students. After calling the students to order, the Nyamasheke vice Mayor in charge of social affairs, Catherine Gatete held a meeting with all of them at the school in which students were given time to explain their grievances. The meeting was attended by security authorities and the school managers. Addressing the students, Gatete urged calmness, saying the district and security officials would probe their concerns. The students were urged to always report any genocide and ethnic divisionism cases to the concerned authorities in time. They were asked to fight against genocide ideology and its related crimes. The vice mayor asked the school management to always give equal treatment to all students at all times irrespective of their background.Ends