Samoa: Avele College closed after threats appear on Facebook

Samoa: Avele College closed after threats appear on Facebook

Resumen: El Gobierno de Samoa ha cerrado Avele Colegio en espera de una investigación policial sobre las amenazas que fueron publicados en una página de Facebook que pertenece a un estudiante Avele – donde los estudiantes Avele Se instó a la violencia mediante el uso de cuchillos y cócteles molotov
The Samoa Government has closed down Avele College pending a police investigation into threats that were made public on a Facebook page belonging to an Avele student — where Avele students were urged to violence by using knives and Molotov cocktails, as well as broken glass. In a statement issued by the Samoa Government earlier this week, the Cabinet confirmed its decision to close Avele College pending the outcome of police investigations into continued and increasing acts of violence by students. (A Molotov cocktail is a makeshift bomb made of a breakable container such as glass, filled with flammable liquid and stuffed with a means of ignition, such as a rag or cord.) The statement further says that the recent threats by Avele College students toward other schools, students and teachers, has caused widespread panic and has seen the deployment of police officers in riot gear earlier this week. In a Facebook post, that was largely claimed to be created by Avele students, Senior students were asked to wait for instructions at a certain area and they would march down to a place near the school. They were to have on hand Molotov cocktails and knives. According to the post the ninth and tenth graders were to bring with them knives or broken glass to stab the students from the other schools; and they were to stab anyone from the other schools, including the girls and also the teachers. Students were told not to beat up only the male students, but also the females and the teachers. (Samoa News has a screen shot of one of the Facebook posts, and notes that all posts have since been taken down.) According to the Samoa Government’s statement, the Ministry of Police has been directed to urgently proceed with their investigations; to identify those who are responsible for encouraging and participating in acts of violence that have caused widespread disruption and danger to other schools and to the general public. “Cabinet has also decided that from 2017, all government grants for Mission Schools will be disbursed directly to schools, and no longer through their respective Education Boards. This will ensure that schools with students who habitually and continuously flout police authority will be denied future grant assistance.” The statement further says that the Cabinet has also directed the Office of the Attorney General “to draft legislation to help discourage, stop and prevent the type of behavior that leads to acts of violence between school students, thereby causing injury and creating an environment of fear amongst students, teachers, parents and the general public.” According to the statement, “this legislation should reflect Samoa’s principles of Christian living, cultural practices and modern-day disciplinary measures that are also used by other democratic forms of government, like Samoa, within the Commonwealth and United Nations family of nations.” The closure of Avele College was effective yesterday, Wednesday, May 4, 2016 (Samoa Time) with the duties of the Principal and teachers also suspended until further notice. Earlier this week Avele College and Maluafou College reconciled, after Friday’s brawl, which left members of the public nearby shaken, according to Samoa Observer. The reconciliation took place during a meeting at Maluafou, and the Principal of Avele College, Matafeo Reupena Matafeo, blamed social media for the escalating problem of inter school violence. “The main cause is social media,” said Matafeo. He said they don’t teach these kinds of things in schools because there are no subjects that involve fighting and violence. Samoa Observer reports that in addressing the students, Matafeo reminded them that the government and church wants them to obtain an education so they can help their families. He said that the schools want the students to be able to pass school and allow them to get further education for better futures, not working to carry loads for those Chinese deliveries. He said they are looking at meeting up with the cell phone companies to find a way to put an end to these pages created by students. Maluafou Principal, Lasi Tavae, supported Matafeo. “It’s a sickness and we are trying to find a cure to it,” she said. Avele Head boy, Mervyn Teueli, told Samoa the Observer that there will be no more fights. “This ends today,” he said. Falaniko Milovale of Maluafou College during the ava ceremony apologized to the Director of E.F.K.S education, the school principals, and all the teachers. “Today is the end of this violence, Avele we are one, we are children of God,” said Milovale. As for the violence on Friday, Matafeo said they have left it to the police.

Por

Joyetter Feagaimaalii-Luamanu

joyetter@samoanews.com

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Fuente:
http://www.samoanews.com/content/en/avele-college-closed-after-threats-appear-facebook
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