Students Clash With Police

In a sign of rising social tensions in Gabon, local police clashed with university students demanding a federal scholarship allowance. According to the leaders of the demonstration, students have been waiting for their grants to be disbursed since the beginning of January 2009. The government had agreed to pay each beneficiary of the grant CFA66,000 (US$140) per month, but has not honoured its commitment since December 2008. Although we do not think the demonstrations will lead to a wider backlash against the government, the incident is symptomatic of the many challenges facing Ali Ben Bongo's newly elected administration.

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