Orals of the entrance examination into the Department of Medecine have been suspended while two students were shot dead Wednesday night.

An eerie atmosphere reigns in the Molyko neighbourhood as the ongoing protest in the University of Buea enterred its fourth day yesterday with the campus deserted by both students and staff. As the stalemate continues, the Vice Chancellor Professor Cornelius Lambi has addressed students who continue to protest following the publication of a second list of candidates for the orals of the entrance examination into the Department of Medecine. In a bid to shed more light on efforts made by his administration to solve the crisis, Professor Cornelius Lambi on Wednesday announced the immediate suspension of orals of the entrance examination into the Department of Medecine, assuring the protesting students that the University with the guidance of the Ministry of Higher Education, will announce a new date for the orals. Executive members of the University of Buea Students' Union (UBSU) welcomed the decision. However, they maintained that only the initial list of 127 successful candidates (in the written part) should be allowed to take part in the orals, for a good working relationship to persist.

In a memorandum rendered public, the students are also making the following demands: Cancellation of the CFA 10,000 francs penalty for late payment of fees, equal payment of CFA 50,000 francs registration for post graduate programmes in all State universities, provision of a working office for the students' union, publication of the result and execution thereof of the committee set-up for the evaluation of "mini-cites" and their rents, absolute immunity for all students of the University of Buea during and after the strike, the payment of Olympic benefits during the inter-universities games of 2006 to participants, etc.

Concessions

On the spot, the Vice Chancellor assured the students of their immunity and the allocation of a working office for the students' union. On the payment of Olympic benefits, Professor Lambi said he will personally ensure that the participants in the inter-universities games get their benefits. Concerning the equal payment of registration for post-graduate programmes, the Vice Chancellor said no student has so far been given an admission letter stating more than the required CFA 50,000 francs, but that some programmes are expensive and require more money. Howevere, he said such programmes will be dropped if the students think the fees are too exhorbitant. Finally, he announced that no student will henceforth be required to pay CFA 10,000 francs penalty for the late payment of fees and students who graduate from the university will be issued the initial transcript for free. But the Vice Chancellor's meeting and concessions to the students did not calm tempers. In running battles with anti-riot police afterwards (Wednesday night), two persons were shot dead and their corpses taken to the mortuary of the Buea Provincial Annex Hospital. CT got their names as Ufeanei I. Abiandown (MT UBO 22752) born in 1984 and Moma Bennett Kenyuson. Since the debut of the strike on Monday, embittered students have destroyed more than 14 cars on campus, billboards, kiosks and other valuable items belonging to the university. As we go to press, the situation remains tense as local administrative authorities are reported to be concerting to find a way out. For the time being, debris litters the UB campus and the ongoing protest is the only item on many lips in Buea.