A beaten female student of the University of Juba. (-)

The head of South Sudan Students Union said at least 24 female students from the University of Juba are being treated for severe wounds after they were arrested and beaten by police for protesting on Wednesday.

This follows the release of over 70 girls who were detained by police after riots erupted in the hostel between the female students and the university administration over alleged hostel fees.

Khamis Othow Omot, the Chairperson of the National Students Union, said violent police action led to several injuries among the students.

The injuries include broken teeth and broken bones in the legs and ribs.

Police was not immediately available for comment and several phone contacts to the police spokesperson, Major General Daniel Justin, were not successful.

The students’ chairperson said he contacted the university administration for clarification.

According to him, the Dean of Students refused to comment on the matter, while the university vice chancellor’s response was positive and supportive.

“On Wednesday noon, the students’ hostel was surrounded by the police who arrested about 73 female students and they were taken to Buluk,” Othow narrated.

“About 24 of them were beaten and left with broken bones on their legs and hands others with broken teeth and three in critical condition.”

“First, I communicated with the Dean of students to intervene and release the student and take them to the hospital but he refused and said he would try.”

“I tried to call the Vice Chancellor of the University for Administration and Finance his respond was positive and he said he is sorry for that and he supported by providing a bus to transfer the student from police detention to hospital and other to hospital.”

The female students raised concerns regarding what they term as a significant increase in the hostel fees over the years; from 6,000 South Sudan pounds in 2021 to 10,000 in 2022, 20,000 in 2023 and 50,000 in 2024.

Some female students, who spoke about the issue to Eye Radio, said they accepted the increase in the hostel fees but demanded that the university administration carries out maintenance work on the campus.

Natasha (not her real name) a student of second year, said the students demanded for upgrading of the dormitories after the university imposed the 50,000SSP  per student.

“The students stated that they would not accept a fee increase without necessary improvements to the building,” she said.

She narrated that the condition of the hostels is deplorable, adding that there are neither bathrooms nor electricity, and that students take shower in the yard.

“Initially, the administration appeared to understand our demands, however, the next day, they arrested the girl who spoke on our behalf and issued her a notice of dismissal from the university.”

According to Natasha, the supervisor of the hostel locked the students out after which security officers infested the scene and “beat us, and forcibly took us to the police headquarters in the Buluk.”

About 300 female students are residing in the hostels and facing numerous hardships, said Stephanie (not her real name) a student of Rural Development.

“For years, we have been paying 20,000 as fees, which the administration claimed was for the development of the university. Despite our payments, there has been no maintenance or improvements to our living conditions,” she said.

“We still lack necessities such as lighting and sanitation. This year, the administration announced an increase in the fees to 50,000. This time, we collectively refused to pay.”

“We pointed out that for years, despite paying the fees, no maintenance work had been done on the buildings. We demanded transparency and asked where our money had been going.”

Meanwhile, the Center for Peace and Advocacy (CPA) has condemned what it termed as the unlawful arrest of female students by the police over unpaid hostel fees.

CPA Director Ter Manyang expressed deep concern over the lack of proper procedures followed during the arrests.

In a statement seen by Eye Radio, Manyang has called on the Inspector General of Police to take immediate action and hold accountable the officers who used excessive force against the students.

CPA has urged the University of Juba to consider the ongoing economic crisis faced by many families in the country.