Lesotho / Journalist injured during police-students clashes

 

 

MASERU, Lesotho, October 26, 2009/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Informative newspaper reporter Mapamela Khanyela suffered minor injuries when armed police opened fire at the striking students at the National University of Lesotho (NUL) on 22 October 2009.

 

Khanyela told MISA Lesotho that he went to cover students’ strike, and was standing behind a group of students when police shot at them. Khanyela was admitted at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Roma and later discharged with injuries.  Khanyela believes he was not the target of the police but he became a victim when the police tried to diffuse the situation which had gone out of control.

 

Students had barricaded the campus roads while also burning tyres. NUL students went on strike after learning that their books, food and accommodation allowances had not reached their individual accounts from the National Manpower Development Secretariat (NMDS). This was despite earlier promises by the NMDS.

 

Campus security and police were called in to defuse the situation. Local media allege that one student had died in the process, while close to 17 people were injured.

 

SOURCE 

Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)