ABIDJAN, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- At the proposal of the minister in charge of higher education of Cote d'Ivoire, the National Security Council (CNS) decided Thursday on "the dissolution of all student union associations" to purify university campuses and combat violence in schools, according to a statement from a CNS meeting chaired by President Alassane Ouattara.
The government had temporarily banned the activities of student and school unions nationwide following the assassination of two students, members of the Student and School Federation of Cote d'Ivoire (FESCI), by individuals identified as also being members of this student association, founded in the early 1990s as a student union, some members of which have gone on to be involved in politics.
The government measures also include the opening of a judicial investigation and the expulsion of all individuals living irregularly in university campuses.
According to the CNS, these measures resulted in the arrest of 17 students, including the general secretary of FESCI, the expulsion of approximately 5,000 individuals living irregularly in the university towns of Abidjan, Bouaké, and Daloa, the seizure of a large amount of weapons and grenades, and the destruction of many illegal businesses.
At the end of its meeting, the CNS noted with "satisfaction" the "significant results" of the implementation of government measures and decided to "maintain and vigorously pursue" all sanitation measures for university campuses "in order to eliminate all illegal practices."
According to the CNS, these operations in the university towns have allowed the campuses to "regain the necessary calm for the smooth running of academic activities." ■
