PNG students demand PM resigns within 24hrs

6:39 pm on 19 May 2016
Papua New Guinea university students.

Papua New Guinea university students. Photo: RNZI / Johnny Blades

Students in Papua New Guinea are threatening a mass withdrawal from courses if prime minister Peter O'Neill ignores their petition.

They want the prime minister to resign.

The Student Representatives Council at the University of the PNG presented the petition to Port Moresby governor Powes Parkop and other government officials this afternoon during a rally attended by thousands at the Waigani campus.

The vice president of the council said a class boycott that had been running for three weeks would continue while they await a response from the prime minister by Friday afternoon.

Arthur Amos said the student body was united in its resolve that Peter O'Neill resign as prime minister and face allegations of corruption made against him, in court.

"The mass withdrawal it will happen because the entire student body has agreed for the mass withdrawal to happen. That is exactly what we are planning to do if the PM and the government does not comply to our, to the demands that we have mentioned in the petition."

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