Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
The Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) has strongly condemned Police for mishandling and brutalizing the rights of students at the Copperbelt University (CBU) who were simply exercising their democratic right to demonstrate and protest.
YALI President Andrew Nthewewe says they are concerned that the Police who are supposed to protect the rights of the people should behave in such a barbaric manner.
He has warned Polic
e that their unbecoming behaviour is unacceptable and will never be tolerated in a democratic country.
Mr Nthewewe says the blood of any single student lost as a result of this behavior will be directly upon the heads of those in high command and that the people will hold them accountable.
He states that YALI is alive to the fact that higher learning institutions have been facing various challenges which the Minister of Higher Education has not dealt with effectively, adding that this serves as a time bomb that the Minister should not continue putting his head in the sand and wish that problems will simply go away.
Mr Nthewewe has since demanded the immediate suspension of the Police command in charge of the operation at the Copperbelt University pending a thorough investigation.
He adds that the officers who will be found guilty should be fired from the service immediately and prosecuted in their personal capacity so as to set a precedent.
Mr. Nthewewe further stated that government should ensure that the victims who are in hospital are taken care of by the State and if there is need for further specialized treatment the state should immediately evacuate the students outside the country for specialized treatment.