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Indybay Feature

Two Exams-Three Months/ Right to Education in Palestine

by Zajel / An-Najah National University (youthexchange [at] najah.edu)
They had no alternative but to remain idle, with approximately 60% of the students having to leave Nablus and return to their homes in the different cities and villages of the West Bank. They had hoped that the curfew would soon be lifted and they could complete their exams. It hasn't happened.
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Two Exams-Three Months!

Confusion and darkness are the main topics any student at An-Najah University can talk about these days. The 9000 students of A.N.U. have been forced to stay at home since 21st June 2002, when the Israeli Occupation Forces imposed the current curfew on the city of Nablus. Students were finishing their final exams on that day, with only two remaining, and then not less than 1000 young men and women would have graduated. But then total curfew was imposed.

They had no alternative but to remain idle, with approximately 60% of the students having to leave Nablus and return to their homes in the different cities and villages of the West Bank. They had hoped that the curfew would soon be lifted and they could complete their exams. It hasn't happened.

University Administration had not anticipated the longest and most strict curfew in modern history-a curfew imposed for 90 days is unprecedented, and a humanitarian crime in itself! Officials had expected that Israeli forces would withdraw from the city long ago. But now, as days turn into weeks, and as the Israelis have not made any mention of withdrawal, we have adapted our lives to the tight constraint. Curfew is lifted for a few hours once a week (if we're lucky), giving the 180,000 citizens of Nablus the opportunity to get some food, get medical help, whatever they can, and then prepare themselves again for the boredom, tension, frightened irritable children, no work, no money, a life in limbo, with nothing to look forward to but a few hours of the same, a week later. Inevitably, there is hunger and malnutrition.

The University administration exhorts its students to be ready to do their exams on the first break of the curfew. Thousands of students have, with difficulty, come from their villages and cities, places which have suffered from the very hard imposed siege by Israeli occupation for two years. Our students have had to pass through mountains and valleys, sometimes on foot, other times riding animals (donkeys or horses) as cars cannot navigate such agricultural roads, especially considering the damage done to many roads in between West Bank cities and villages, as well as because of the many Israeli occupation checkpoints. Palestinian citizens are, at present, prevented from any kind of travel at all, for any reason. Our homeland has been split into tiny cantons or ghettos; family and friends cannot even visit between neighboring villages and cities, making life next to unbearable. Without justification, punishment is inflicted collectively, on all our people. They call it their "fight against terror"!

Following arrival of the students, Israeli Occupation Forces began another military campaign against the city of Nablus. Bombing and demolition of homes, shops and streets in the Old City went on for days, while people were under 24 hour curfew, trapped inside. Those students who had come with hopes of completing their final exams, again returned home, financially poorer, and psychologically damaged.

On top of this, they then had to endure insult and humiliation at the Israeli Army's checkpoints. They suffered fear and horror as they left the city in the early mornings, prepared to accept any means of transportation on the long and arduous journey to their homes. Several days were often required, just to travel to the Jenin or Ramallah areas. Many stops were made in villages along the way.

Many of those students were/are in very serious psychological condition. One of the students from the College of Pharmacy, a girl by the name of Manal from the village of Kofor Al Labad has nightmares every night. She sometimes sees Israeli soldiers following her in the mountains, while she is coming to the city of Nablus. Other nights her nightmare has her running from her village to the University. She is late, afraid that she will miss her exams.

Again, and after the curfew had stretched into two months, An-Najah University Administration announced, via radio and television, that all students who can possibly come, may write their two remaining exams in the one day that the curfew will be next lifted, even for a few hours. The same scenario had happen once again.

Thousands of students came from their villages and cities, optimistic that they would complete their term as required, by June 23rd. Not surprisingly, the Summer Session seems to have been cancelled this year.

Students stayed 8 days in their accommodation in Nablus , waiting for the curfew lift. Many of the students lost their accommodation, and were forced impose on friends, who were already living in inadequate and overcrowded flats. There are, on average, ten students in each flat, struggling in a very difficult study atmosphere. Students review and revise their materials several times. It is both stressful and boring to revise material for more than 80 days, all the while fully expecting that tomorrow you might be able to attend the exam.

This kind of endless waiting makes all students confused, worried, demoralized and sometimes angry. One thousand (1,000) students still need to write those two exams in order to graduate. Others have delayed personal projects until after graduation. Some have not had a vacation or been able to visit their families in Jordan.

Speaking about Summer vacation-students spent it at home confined under curfew, like all other Palestinian citizens in West Bank towns.

On the morning of Thursday, August 29th, it was announced on Israeli radio that curfew would be lifted on Nablus that day, starting from 1:00pm. Students, teachers and other employees rushed to the University, happy to be able to finally finish the last remaining two examinations. Their smiles did not last long.

Incredibly, Israeli Occupation Forces announced that the curfew was in fact NOT lifted, and that everyone should go back home. Beyond disappointment, many students just cried and some girls were wailing. They were dreaming of the day that they could return to their beloved University, never again having to face the presence of Israeli soldiers, tanks, and all the rest of it.

Good News!: On September 9th, day 80 of the curfew, our students finally succeeded in completing their exams. Much better late than never!

Now, Year 2002 Graduation Ceremonies are another matter.
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