Two sections of Moratuwa Uni. closed after fresh clash

January 17, 2013, 12:00 pm , the island

by Dasun Edirisinghe

 The Engineering Faculty and the Institute of Technology, of the Moratuwa University were once again closed indefinitely yesterday following a fresh clash between students of the two divisions on Wednesday night.

University sources said that four students had been hospitalized, after the clash and two of them were discharged after treatment.

Vice Chancellor of the University Prof. Ananda Jayawardena told The Island that of the two still in hospital, one was warded at the Colombo National Hospital and the other at the Colombo South Teaching Hospital, Kalubowila, he said.

The Engineering Faculty and Institute of Technology were closed on Jan. 02 after a clash and re-opened a week later to hold examinations. The Engineering faculty was re-opened only for final year students.

Prof. Jayawardena said that the cause of the latest clash was also an argument following a minor accident similar to that of two weeks back.

"We declared the university premises and hostels out of bounds for students of the Engineering Faculty and those following the National Diploma in Technology, to prevent further incidents," he said.

Prof. Jayawardena said that an inquiry into the previous incident was yet to conclude and a fresh inquiry would be held into Wednesday night’s incident.

However, the Engineering students claimed that around 40 NDT students had attacked them with clubs and iron bars at the male hostel.

The spokesman for the NDT students association told The Island that the dispute was a long-standing one as the Engineering students wanted the Institute of Technology moved out of the university.

Both sides had lodged complaints with the university administration and the police over the incidents.

The organisation for Equal Rights launched a signature campaign, at the Lion’s Auditorium, in Rajagiriya, to demand the release of four Jaffna University students held in detention. President of Inter University Students Federation signs the petition.

Pic by Kamal Bogoda, the island

Cops fail to stop protesting U’grads storming Matara town

* Students protest against attack on Union president

January 17, 2013, 10:28 pm , The Island

by Dasun Edirisinghe

All efforts by the police, to stop protesting Ruhuna university undergraduates from entering the Matara town yesterday, were unsuccessful.

Angry undergraduates caused chaos in the Matara town and refused to put down a dummy of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

They marched in protest against Wednesday night’s assault of the student union president by an unidentified gang.

Convener of the Inter University Students’ Federation Sanjeewa Bandara told The Island that the resident of the Students’ Council Harsha Gunawardena was brutally assaulted, at the entrance of Venura Edirisinghe Hostel in Welewatta, by an unidentified gang which had arrived in a black defender jeep.

"Our member is still warded at the Matara General Hospital," Bandara said.

He alleged that they have evidence to prove the attackers were government sponsored thugs.

This is not the first attempt to attack anti – government students, Bandara said adding that on several occasions, in recent months, their members had been harassed near the Eliyakanda Hostel in Matara.

Bandara said that undergraduates of the Rajarata University too, protested opposite the university against the assault of their counterpart in Ruhuna.

"We will protest opposite all universities today against the attacks on student leaders by government sponsored thugs," Bandara said.

Vice Chancellor of the University Prof. Susirith Mendis said that a student was hospitalised with minor injuries and the university was conducting an investigation into the attack on a student at the hostel.

However, he said that the university administration would not justify politically motivated demonstrations or protest marches.

Matara police are also conducting a separate inquiry into the incident.