MORE THAN 100 VARSITY STUDENTS SUSPENDED: IUSF

Political victimization, says student union Authorities say they engaged in violence

The Inter-university Students’ Federation (IUSF) said yesterday that as many as 118 university students had been suspended from their studentship during the past few months due to their alleged involvement in various violent activities.
IUSF Convener Sanjeewa Bandara told the Daily Mirror that 32 of these suspended students are from the Sri Jayawardhanapura University, two from Kelaniya University, 13 from the Rajarata University, two from the Sabaragamuwa University, two from the Institute of Indigenous Medicine, three from the Ruhuna University and 56 from the Buddhasravaka Bhikkhu University.

Mr. Bandara cited all these suspensions as attempts by the government to suppress the rights of students with dissenting political views.
Asked for a comment Students’ Affairs Director General Keerthi Mavellage said that action had been taken against them due to their alleged involvements in violence. He said that these students had instigated violence at their universities.
“We have suspended them for varying periods of time. Some have been suspended for three months and the others for one month,” he alleged.

P’deniya undergrads stage demo

November 2, 2011, 9:43 pm

By Cyril Wimalasurendre

KANDY – Over a thousand undergraduates, of the University of Peradeniya, staged a massive demonstration against the police arresting four undergraduates, including two monks, in connection with a protest rally held when Higher Education Minister S. B. Dissanayake visited the Peradeniya University Campus last year.

The demonstrating undergraduates prevented the movement of motor vehicles on the Kandy-Galaha Road at Galaha Junction.

Malabe PMC clarifies

November 2, 2011, 9:44 pm

The Management of the Malabe Private Medical College denied the contents of the story ‘Students leave Malabe PMC’ published in The Island of October 28.

A clarification issued by the management states: The Management of the Malabe Private Medical College strongly denies the contents published in ‘The Island’ of 28 October headlined ‘Students leave Malabe PMC’.

The Management states that South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) has not received a single complaint from students, parents or general public up to date on any matter regarding their classes. The matters cited by some organizations are those meant to disrupt the smooth functioning of the Institute and also to mislead the public at large.

"The statement made by the Assistant Secretary of the GMOA at a press briefing cited that the Malabe PMC is not well equipped with necessary facilities to conduct Clinical Training. The Management wishes to bring to your notice that prior arrangements were made with the relevant authorities to have clinical training at three Government Hospitals and Private Medical Institutes. In fact the SAITM was prepared to develop the three Government Hospitals to Teaching Hospitals, but it was the GMOA which opposed the same when students arrived at these hospitals," the Malabe Hospital management said.

"The statements made by the assistant secretary of the GMOA are set to mislead the students and the public. The GMOA is aiming at disrupting the smooth functioning of SAITM which is dedicated towards serving students who are with qualifying standards but unable to find entry in to state universities due to its limited resources.

"SAITM’s vision is to produce educated men and women of character and to serve the country by producing the country’s requirement of quality Engineers and doctors which the government alone can not fulfill".

The management says that the time has come for the GMOA to act in a more responsible manner without making baseless allegations and without spreading false rumours."