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I think that I am getting a rare opportunity to live through a "women's
movement" and it is quite exciting. In this male dominated society I
have gotten used to, [I have become] annoyed with the many comments made by
my fellow men about women and their roles in society.
This past Saturday I believe that finally the women decided when
too much was indeed too much. There was a meeting held by DURUSO, which
is the so-called Student Government Association, [where] someone said that
there [were] not enough women and that they should be present. With that
statement about 300 men descended upon Hall 3 (an all female dorm) and
tried to force the females to their meeting. What followed was something
that makes one sick to the stomach.
Windows were broken as men were trying to get into the rooms to
force the women [to attend]. One Ghanaian student's door was kicked in
and she was told, "Had we known you weren't Tanzanian we wouldn't had
kicked it in," which, of course, shouldn't be tolerated by any woman. A
pregnant woman was dragged two flights of stairs as she screamed and
pleaded for them to let go of her. Many of the American female students
told us of their roommates hiding under their desks in total fear.
Thankfully, for the first time ever the women took this as a sign
and held their own rally and wrote a letter to the administration as well
as to DARUSO. As a result, today there was a faculty meeting to discuss
what is to be done, and tomorrow night there is a rally for all female
students at Nkrumah Hall to address the incident.
This is the first time that I have ever seen the beginning of a
movement like this and I hope that it doesn't die out like I have been
told it will. I guess that is all...:) John
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First Online Edition: 22 July 1997
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 1996 15:48:31 +0300 (GMT+0300)
From: John Hobgood
To: Friends/Family
Subject: Women at the University of Dar es Salaam
Last Revised: 19 March 2001