Students at Gonder University’s main campus have been on hunger strike since Friday. The students decided to go on a hunger strike to protest the arrest of six of the student association’s leaders and members.
Eyewitnesses told ER that the chairman of the student association, Ato Temesgen, and two of his deputies, Ato Berhanu and Ato Abraham are in jail accused of organizing students protests.
Meanwhile, the local EPRDF office gave AK-47s and handguns to some students at the university who are EPRDF cadres and members, violating the university’s rules, and further aggravating the tension. The cadre-students are carrying their guns from class to class.
The university students said they will continue to protest and refuse to take exams until EPRDF troops leave the university campus and the cadre-students are disarmed.
Right now, the university is surrounded by heavily armed troops and police.
Fearing that other schools will join the protest, EPRDF security forces are rounding up students in the Gonder area schools. Prisons are now crowded with students, the local people told ER.
The administrator of Lay Armacho, Ato Getnet, in particular, has become notorious in arresting and abusing students.