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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 FREETOWN 000232 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/W, INR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SOCI PINS SL
 
SUBJECT:  School Violence: A Dangerous New Trend 
 
REF: 05 Freetown 167 
 
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Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.  A spate of violent demonstrations by high school 
students may be the start of a dangerous trend.  There 
have been five separate student demonstrations in less 
than a month, one of which resulted in the shooting death 
of a student.  Government officials have expressed 
concern over the violence, but the social conditions that 
are contributing to the trend will be difficult to 
address.  End summary. 
 
----------------------- 
Students On The Rampage 
----------------------- 
 
¶2.  On February 9, students from Yoni Bana Secondary 
School at Mile 91 in central Sierra Leone rioted when 
police arrested their senior student prefect for 
allegedly beating a fellow student who lived in the 
school principal's residence.  When the magistrate judge 
refused to grant bail, an irate group of students took 
their principal hostage and forcibly marched him three 
miles to the police station, which is also used as the 
magistrate court.  The students insisted that their 
prefect be released from custody, but the police refused. 
An advance security vehicle in a vice presidential convoy 
that happened on the scene stopped and attempted to 
restore order by firing warning shots.  One of the 
demonstrating students was killed, allegedly by one of 
the warning shots.  This infuriated the students, who 
stormed the police station, overpowered the officers, and 
forcibly released their colleague.  The students then 
burned the police station, two police motorbikes and a 
police vehicle.  Mile 91 police requested reinforcement 
from a nearby town to quell the situation and later 
arrested 15 students. 
 
¶3.  On February 13, students from St. Joseph's Secondary 
School, an all-girls' Catholic school in Freetown, 
violently demonstrated after learning the Ministry of 
Education sacked one of their school principals.  (Note: 
Most high schools have two principals - one for the 
junior high school and another for the senior high 
school.  End Note.)  The students, who blamed the senior 
high school principal for orchestrating the sacking, 
demanded that the Ministry fire her instead.  The 
students threatened to close the school and threw rocks 
and other objects at the school building. 
 
¶4. On March 2, students from Albert Academy School in 
Freetown went on the rampage, throwing stones and other 
objects at the school building and injuring a teacher. 
The angry students claimed that most teachers do not show 
up for class.  Police made no arrests but restored calm 
the following day.  Most parents are still apprehensive, 
however, and have been reluctant to send their children 
back to school. 
 
¶5.  On March 7, students from Collegiate Secondary School 
in Freetown went on strike, complaining about the lack of 
pipe-borne water, deplorable sanitary conditions, 
classroom overcrowding and the lethargic attitude of 
teachers.  Pandemonium ensued in the vicinity of the 
school and six students were arrested for misconduct and 
breach of public order. 
 
¶6.  On March 9, students from high schools all over 
Freetown rioted after an annual inter-secondary school 
athletic meet organized by the Ministry of Education. 
Students threw rocks and other objects at each other, 
jumped on vehicles, hit and robbed passers-by and sang 
lewd songs.  Fifty-four students were arrested and 
charged to court for riotous conduct, unlawful possession 
of marijuana and other offenses.  (Note: Violence at this 
particular event has become an annual ritual, but seems 
to be getting worse.  End note.) 
 
------------------------------ 
Government Reacts With Concern 
------------------------------ 
 
FREETOWN 00000232  002 OF 003 
 
 
 
¶7.  Police Inspector General Brima Acha Kamara said in a 
press conference that the police will take "tough action" 
against school indiscipline and that any student caught 
behaving in a disorderly manner will be arrested, 
investigated, and then prosecuted.  Assistant Inspector 
General for Police Operations Richard Moigbe was more 
conciliatory and said that he has ordered local 
commanders to engage students and teachers of all 
secondary schools in their area of operation to identify 
the growing problems in the schools and find permanent 
solutions to them.  Moibge also said that though the 
students may have genuine complaints about what is 
affecting them negatively, parents and guardians must 
caution them to desist from violence. 
 
¶8.  Education Minister Alpha Wurie expressed concern over 
the violence in a radio interview. He attributed this 
development to several factors, including the civil war, 
as some students have been either victims or perpetrators 
of heinous war crimes.  Wurie also blamed the upsurge of 
student violence on the lack of guidance counselors to 
help students who are traumatized and prone to violence. 
Wurie urged parents to teach their children good 
discipline for the good of the nation. 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
Proud History Of Student Demonstration Sours 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶9.  Student demonstrations are not a new phenomenon in 
Sierra Leone, and college students have historically been 
a force for positive change.  In 1977, university 
students demonstrated repeatedly against the one-party 
government of President Stevens and eventually forced him 
to conduct early elections.  In 1996, students 
successfully demonstrated against President Kabbah for 
attempting to give ex-President Momoh a yearly stipend, a 
bodyguard, a gardener and other benefits.  In August 
1997, two students were killed during a demonstration 
against the Armed Forces Revolutionary council (AFRC) 
junta, which had seized power from President Kabbah. 
 
¶10.  Recent student demonstrations, however, differ in 
their tendency to quickly descend into violence.  The new 
trend began last year when Fourah Bay College students 
demonstrated to protest poor terms of service for 
university employees (reftel).  The protests started as a 
peaceful march but later became violent.  This year's 
violence has come from younger students who have even 
less ability to peacefully channel their dissatisfaction 
with authority. 
 
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Comment 
------- 
 
¶11.  Much of he blame for students' violent conduct can 
be traced back to the ravages of Sierra Leone's 11-year 
war.  Most secondary school students would have been 
between eight and ten years old during the peak of the 
war.  Many of them and their families suffered serious 
human rights violations and others were combatants 
themselves.  These children remain extremely vulnerable. 
Violations aside, the war interrupted the schooling of 
children nationwide.  Traditional values, social fabric, 
and social norms were all casualties of war.  Anger and 
frustration now often manifests itself as violence 
throughout society, and children have picked up on this 
and mimic it. 
 
¶12. Also, now that the war is over, the Ministry of 
Education is viewed as one of the most corrupt 
ministries. (Note: The Anti Corruption Commission has 
identified the Ministry of Education as one of its 
"hotspots" of corruption.  End Note.)  This means that 
youth are exposed daily to authority figures who abuse 
their authority and they see how it negatively affects 
their daily lives and their education.  Underpaid, and 
often unpaid teachers notoriously neglect their classes 
and supplement their incomes with after-hours tutorials 
for those who can afford to pay.  School conditions are 
frequently abysmal, adding to students' legitimate 
grievances. 
 
FREETOWN 00000232  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
¶13.  The political and economic prospects for youth do 
not offer much to look forward to.  Although most policy 
makers and donors see the youth as the force that will 
make or break Sierra Leone's current peace, there is 
little opportunity for youth to find jobs that will 
contribute positively to society and there is no 
comprehensive youth employment program.  The younger 
generation is not well represented in the ruling party, 
either - the old guard maintains control of the affairs 
of the state.  Youth have no real positive outlet through 
regularized sports or other activities.  For example, 
secondary school students practice all year for only one 
day of inter-school competition, the Secondary School 
Sports Day.  Anger among youth is also coming out as 
angry street slang.  One example is "Ya na bar we go 
pwell ya" meaning "You are treating the country like a 
beer bar, so we will brawl in it and destroy it."  This 
slang is not only targeted at government officials, but 
anyone on the street who appears successful or rich. 
 
¶14. These incidents, though isolated, may be an 
indication that worse outbreaks are to come.  If the 
present political, social, and economic conditions 
remained unchanged, anger and frustration will 
undoubtedly continue to increase.  Fixing the country's 
broken institutions and giving the younger generation 
hope that their situation will improve is the only way 
forward.  Government officials are, for the most part, 
saying the right things.  The country's future depends on 
them putting their money where their mouth is.  End 
Comment. 
HULL