4/04/2005
Students Win in Kurdistan : Controversial University will be closed down
Students demonstrating infront of "The Future University".
After two months of peaceful demonstrations and strikes by the students at the University of Suleimani, the Kurdistan Regional Government in Suleimani has decided to close down the controversial private Future University.
Peyamner.com quoting Beyar Abdulla, the speaker of the students at the Suleimani University has announced that the decision has been made today.
There were claims that "The Future University" was accepting any students to study Medicine, Pharmacy and Engineering as long as they had the money to pay, which is around $3000.
Yesterday there was a big downstairs infornt of the Kurdistan Government's cabinet building and students said they got the permit to stay on the streets for 72 hours. They were joined by students from other universities in Kurdistan such as the Salahaddin University in Erbil (Hawler).
I first reported the plan to open this university in August 2004. In February, students became angry after reports that The Future University is not accepting students based on their academic capabilities but rather on their financial ones.
Some of the independent newspapers in Kurdistan have regarded this victory as a major win for democracy in Kurdistan and as a turning point for the creation of a civil and democratic society in which the power of people is to be respected.
