Ammon News - AMMONNEWS -Almost 62 per cent of violent incidents at the Kingdom’s universities are tribal related, while 60 per cent are related to sexual harassment against girls, according to a study.

Conducted by researcher Mahmoud Jundi, the study showed that 51 per cent of violence on campus is related to “injustice” in implementing laws, while only 2.2 per cent is related to a lack of adaptation to the university environment.

The survey sample included 600 students from six of the country’s universities, three public and three private.

Jundi, who holds an MA in peace and conflict studies from the Hashemite University, said the study was conducted in response to campus violence, which has recently become a phenomenon in the country’s higher education institutions.

The study, a copy of which was sent to The Jordan Times, showed that 2.14 per cent of the violent incidents on campus involved the use of weapons, while university property was damaged in 3.13 per cent.

In his research, Jundi said the recurrent violence will negatively affect the international ranking of Jordanian universities.

According to statistics released by the National Campaign for Defending Students’ Rights (Thabahtoona), 50 fights were recorded at the Kingdom’s universities in the period between January and April 2012, while 30 fights were reported in the March-April period this year.

Some of the brawls led to the death of students, while others resulted in their imprisonment.

On April 2, classes were suspended for a week at Mutah University, 130km south of Amman, after 21-year-old Osama Duheisat died and several others were injured in clashes between students from different tribes.

A brawl between students from two different tribes resulted in the suspension of classes for over a week.

Four students and one university employee were injured in the fight that took place near the western gate. Guns were fired during the incident, resulting in four injuries, while one person was stabbed with a sharp tool.

Fifteen men, including students who allegedly took part in the brawl, have been charged by the State Security Court with carrying out “terrorist acts” and face life imprisonment if convicted. Some of them, however, were later released.