ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Security forces in Sulaimani have attempted to disperse student protesters on Wednesday by using tear gas in the University of Sulaimani, resulting in a number of students receiving treatment from medical staff deployed to assist those affected by the violence, live footage has shown.
The protests, now into their fourth consecutive day in Sulaimani, initially began as a call on the government to reinstate their student allowances, which have been cut since 2014, and have escalated across the Kurdistan Region with further protests on Wednesday in Erbil, Kalar, Rania, and Halabja.
There was heavy security presence outside the University of Sulaimani, with Rudaw reporter Horvan Rafat being removed from the scene by security.
Students also held protests in the Region's capital of Erbil, but were heavily controlled by security forces. Footage showed the Hawler Medical University campus completely surrounded by security, with media coverage of the hundreds of demonstrators within prevented.
A source from inside the Hawler Medical University, who preferred to stay anonymous, confirmed the situation to Rudaw English, adding that security is not letting students out in large groups and classes were being held as normal with those not attending marked as absent.
Yesterday, students in Erbil gathered in front of the ministry of higher education and scientific research to call for the reinstatement of allowances and for the government to provide more services for them. Today, greater numbers joined them, continuing to peacefully make their grievances heard.
The government used to pay a monthly allowance of 60,000 to 100,000 dinars per student. This was one of the expenses the government cut when it introduced austerity measures like salary cuts to cope with the financial crisis caused by the war with ISIS, low oil prices, and budget disputes with Baghdad.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on Wednesday said they will discuss the protests and students’ allowances during today’s weekly cabinet meeting.
The KRG’s internal forces, called Asayish, issued a statement on Wednesday saying that there were “some people and sides trying to misdirect the protests for political gains by creating chaos and tension.”
During Tuesday’s protests a video of man, reportedly a student, arrested and surrounded by at least seven security forces went viral on Kurdish social media. When he is on the ground, one security officer kicks him hard in the head. The clip sparked widespread rage among young people especially, sparking calls for the perpetrator to be punished.
Asayish added in their Wednesday statement that “following the publishing of the video in which someone hurts a protester in an illegal and inappropriate way, our directorate investigated and arrested that person.”
Security forces also used tear gas and rubber bullets on Tuesday as thousands of university students marched through the streets of Sulaimani. Students in Sulaimani were confronted with force on Monday, with riot police using tear gas and electric batons.
Additional reporting by: Layal Shakir
