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.

Moratuwa Eng. Faculty, Tech. Institute reopen after clash

January 11, 2013, 11:32 pm

By Dasun Edirisinghe, the island

 The Engineering Faculty and Institute of Technology of the Moratuwa University reopened on Wednesday after being closed last week, following a clash between students of the two divisions.

However, Vice Chancellor Prof. Ananda Jayawardena told The Island that the Engineering Faculty opened only for its final year students.

"We will open the faculty for all students next week," he said.

Prof. Jayawardena said that the situation was back under control, but the investigation was still continuing.

"We opened the faculty for final year students of the Engineering faculty first as examinations are on," he said adding the Institute of Technology opened for all students.The university premises and hostels were declared out of bounds for students attached to the Engineering faculty and Technology Institute to prevent further clashes after last week’s clash.

Eight students of the Engineering faculty and one National Diploma in Technology (NDT) student were hospitalized after the clash, which erupted in the university premises following an argument over a minor accident.

 

Peradeniya increases intake by 760

January 8, 2013, 9:29 pm , the island

By Cyril Wimlasurendre

KANDY – The University of Peradeniya had increased the intake of new students this year by 760. This number is in addition to the usual 2,500 new entrants, Vice Chancellor Professor Athula Senaratne said.

The additional 760 students would be taken, in complying with the Supreme Court order, issued following the 2011 Z-score calculation fiasco, according to Professor Senaratne.

The new term for the freshers will begin in March this year.

He told a media conference that a number of welfare programmes for the new entrants had been designed with the cooperation of the students council of the University.

No more ragging at Peradeniya - VC

January 6, 2013, 11:07 pm ,The Island

By Cyril Wimalasurendre

KANDY – There would be no more-ragging in the Peradeniya University from the beginning of the new term for the freshers, assured its vice chancellor, Professor Athula Senaratne on Saturday.

Addressing a media conference Prof. Senaratne said that the decision to do away with ragging was taken with the agreement of the students unions of the university.

The union leadership also agreed with the proposal to refrain from ragging new-comers in order to prevent hardship to the new-comers and also to prevent the discredit brought to the prestigious university, the vice-chancellor added.

Should Tamils be Loyal Sri Lankans?

By Prof S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole, sundayleader

It is important for Sri Lankans to see that Jaffna attack in the context of an indeciplined military

Minorities are easy targets in a Sinhalese polity believing that no one else belongs. As Tisaranee Gunasekara has noted, UPFA ministers have attacked the Chief Justice for having Tamil lawyers – although Neelakandan voted for the BASL resolution against the Ban Ki Moon Report, it did not help him.

Thrishantha Nanayakkara has drawn our attention to an ITN programme where Minister Wimal Weerawansa makes much of the Court of Appeal bench ruling on the CJ matter consisting of two Tamils and a Muslim (whereas it really had one of each community, including a Sinhalese).

The Muslims too are caught up as hate campaigns are launched against halal food (ignoring that the rest of us have Poya food imposed on us by closing meat stalls on full moon days) and Muslims being successful at Law College entrance exams (ignoring that Muslims have preserved multilingualism, giving them an edge in English medium exams and those requiring wide reading).

Jaffna University

As Jaffna University is attacked and Douglas Devananda’s appointees manage it, the President has complained privately that Douglas with his thuggery is costing him support and he is looking for other Tamils to join him. The President is play-acting: his brothers speak against the 13th Amendment in general; he for it in India; and Douglas for it among Tamils. They are as thick as thieves and cannot afford to let go of each other because of each other’s dark secrets they carry.

Unfortunately some Tamils believe this charade. When Douglas’ VC was caught between army orders to reopen the university and adamant students who refused to resume classes before their arrested colleagues are released, she was desperate as her reputation among Tamils sank low. Believing that Douglas had lost clout, it was to the SLFP’s Jaffna organizer Angajan Ramanathan and Mr. Ramachandran (I believe from Germany) who runs ‘Tamil Buddhists’ that she turned. The meeting they arranged through Gotabaya with Jaffna Commander Hathurusinghe resulted only in her eating his Palahaarams (viands) as noted last week.
By-passed, an angry Douglas issued orders at his Pre-Council Meeting. At Saturday 29th University Council his appointees thundered: “Douglas can deliver. You should have called an emergency meeting.” Douglas then attended a meeting on Thursday with the Minister for Higher Education where the VC was asked to reopen after Thaipongal and bring the arrestees’ parents to Douglas who would ask his friend the President to release them. Will the President countermand his brother Gotabaya for Douglas? Is it a game to enhance Douglas?

Giving hope that Sri Lanka is still a viable nation, southern students Wednesday distributed posters in Colombo in support of their Jaffna colleagues, even as the Federation of University Teachers’ Associations planned a delegation of 20-30 members at January’s end to Jaffna, joined by the Inter-University Student Federation. As I feared that the government may use the IUSF presence to launch another attack, the IUSF president Sanjeeva Bandara himself was attacked in Kelaniya on the 30th. He has blamed the army.

Tamils Helpless

In the meantime Tamils without access to the law and order machinery or to the administrative apparatus in a Sinhalese state, continue to suffer. Bishop Rayappu Joseph of Mannar was questioned by the CID in an attempt to silence outspoken Tamils. Thuwarakeswaran, the brother of UNP MP Maheswaran who was shot dead in Colombo, had acid thrown on him at the Nallur Temple. Uthayan reports that in his police complaint he has identified the assailant as Governor G. A. Chandrasiri’s personal secretary and former military officer Jayakody who had fled the scene with four others and stated that Jayakody had been following him. The poor terrified fellow is in hiding.

Striking terror among Tamils, four-year-old Surendren Sudanththini was raped and her body recovered on the 28th from a well in Mandaithivu, controlled by Douglas and the Navy. Elsewhere, Dr E. Shivashankar, who went with a Tamil girl tricked into the army and her parents from Kilinochchi (Rudrapuram) after her OL exam, was detained on a certificate declaring the doctor insane! ENT Surgeon Dr Thirumaaran, who earlier had his arm slashed, has fled Jaffna.

Today as schools reopened there are reports that soldiers will compulsorily teach Sinhalese to Tamils in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu. TNA MP Sritharan has questioned how Grade 6 qualified soldiers can teach. Education officials ran away from reporters pleading ignorance. The gimmick was sanctioned by a Presidential Working Group.

Paranoid Government

A young man, who placed flowers on his mother’s grave in Northeast Jaffna on Dec. 26, the anniversary of her perishing in the tsunami, was arrested, accusing him of celebrating the LTTE although it was December not November. I was invited to a Christmas party by Tamils from Windsor Canada and Detroit Michigan. As the meeting began a person suddenly called for 2 minutes’ silence for all who had died in May 2009. I saw no harm. Of the 70,000 estimated to have been killed by government forces in the UN Petrie Report, there were hardly 10,000 LTTE, the majority being children and the uncommitted forced to bear arms. It can therefore be safely surmised that most of the 70,000 killed by our army (whether in cold blood or by asking them to shelter in protected areas and then bombing them) were innocents. Those standing up continued to talk and were disengaged as at Tamil functions.

A general attack on Tamil university students by the army is, in my mind, as absurd as if the Canadian Government had decided to bomb that hall where we stood up to commemorate the dead in the name of fighting a banned terrorist organization. It is important for Sri Lankans to see that Jaffna attack in the context of a berserk military continuing its genocide.

Brigadier Ravi Ratnasingam

Ravi Ratnasingam has received headlines after his visit to North America during Christmas. Reports suddenly allege that he played a part in the massacre of 70,000 as the commander of Vavuniya from 2001.
From Royal College, he is one of few Tamils in the army and had a good reputation – especially in rehabilitation work in the Wanni after the war. His wife is an old girl of CMS Chundikuli and from Somasundaram Avenue. They are both extremely well-liked.

But to a private party thrown to him in New York, Major General Shavendra de Silva who is accused of war crimes flew all the way from Geneva. This association does no good for a Tamil who has helped many people get released from detention.

A pattern is emerging where the army is trying to find scapegoats for its criminal activity. Is the Tamil Ratnasingam being set up to take the fall for de Silva? We see the same thing in Jaffa where Hathurusinghe has suddenly said that about “1,000 ex-LTTE cadres have evaded rehabilitation and are currently engaged in criminal activities in the North.” This runs counter to his statement two years ago that the EPDP is responsible for criminal activities in Jaffna at a time when it was said that with so many checkpoints no robber can move about without army connivance, and he was trying to extricate the army.

Canada

In Canada for Christmas as Sri Lanka goes downhill, I must confess to second thoughts about having returned home. A few of us who had been happy in Sri Lanka returned. Today many of us have gone abroad again; at least our children have. I am pained for our failed dreams of home.

That pain and regret were underscored when the Rector of St. Paul’s l’Amoreaux in Scarborough, the Rev. Canon Dean Mercer, before pronouncing the benediction at the Tamil New Year Service conducted by Jaffna’s Rev. Isaac Selvaratnam and Batticaloa’s Mr. Vivekanandan, said this:

“The Canadian tradition at New Year was to make merry. After Tamils and West Indians came, I am glad it is now to be present in the House of God as the New Year dawns.”

Our talents and culture, so rudely rejected in Sri Lanka, are welcomed and used with appreciation, making me ask “Where is home?”

Start lectures or face closure: SB tells Jaffna Uni.

SundayTimes

By Chris Kamalendran
Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake warned that the Jaffna University would be closed if academic activities did not recommence tomorrow. “I have told the university authorities that, willingly or unwillingly, we will have to close the university, even for one year, if campus activities are not normalised,” Mr Dissanayake told the Sunday Times.

The Minister on Thursday met the university’s� Vice Chancellor (VC) Vasanthy Arasaratnam and Deans of the Faculties, and directed them to resume academic activities. However, they pointed out that, though they were ready to resume lectures, students were not attending.

Students have vowed to boycott lectures until four students including the secretary of the students union, who were arrested and sent to Welikanda camp for rehabilitation recently, are released. The VC had explained that the offices were functioning, but students have kept away citing lack of security in addition to demanding the release of the students. Students claim that they may be arrested if they return for lectures.

Minister Dissanayake had reportedly told the authorities that students should return for lectures and the matter of the release of the students would be decided by the Defence Secretary. Mr. Dissanayake said the students security concerns wouldhave to be taken up with relevant authorities.

The meeting was attended by Minister Douglas Devananda, Higher Education Ministry Secretary Dr. Sunil Jayantha Nawaratne and Jaffna Security Forces Commander Maj. Gen. Mahinda Hathurusinghe. Jaffna University Teachers Association President A. Rasakumar told the Sunday Times that, usually, when a person was arrested and sent for rehabilitation, a letter is issued to that effect, which had not been the procedure regarding the four students.

“Majority of the students are worried they� too would face similar situations,” he said adding that the exams have already been delayed due to the previous closure of the university due to the strike by academics, and the Arts Faculty exam is scheduled for January 16.

Meanwhile, the Federation of University Teachers Association (FUTA), in a statement, expressed concern about the recent beating, harassment and arrests of students in Jaffna. The FUTA has called on the government to either charge the detained students in court or release them forthwith.

The organisation said of the nine students detained, six have were released, while three remain in custody since December 10.FUTA said it condemns the use of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) to deal with a problem requiring political effort and a political settlement.

Moratuwa University: Re-opening closed sections decision on Monday 

January 4, 2013, 10:18 pm , the island

By Dasun Edirisinghe

The date for re-opening the temporarily closed sections of the Moratuwa University will be decided after a meeting between two the student factions and officials on Monday.

Vice Chancellor Prof. Ananda Jayawardane told The Island that the university’s Engineering Faculty and Institute of Technology had been closed indefinitely following a clash between students of the two institutions on Tuesday night.

The university premises and hostels had also been declared out of bounds for students attached to the Engineering faculty and Technology Institute to prevent further clashes.

Prof. Jayawardane said that the university administration had already launched an inquiry into the incident, in which several students received minor injuries.

There was no damage to property. Those found guilty, by the inquiry, would be punished, he said.

Prof. Jayawardane said however, special lectures conducted by foreign lecturers and projects of the Engineering Faculty and the Institute of Technology would continue as usual although the premises had been declared out of bounds for students.

"The other faculties of the university function as usual," he said.

Two undergrads suspended, three still warded

Ruhunu university clash:

January 4, 2013, 10:06 pm

By Dasun Edirisinghe, the island

The Ruhuna University administration has suspended two undergraduates following the preliminary investigations into Tuesday’s clash between two student factions.

Vice Chancellor Prof. Susirith Mendis told The Island that according to their investigations, those two undergraduates had been directly involved in the clash.

"Both of them were 2nd year students of the Management and Finance Faculty," he said.

Prof. Mendis said that according to the university regulations, they would be served with charge sheets before the second round of the investigations.

He said that three undergraduates injured in the clash were still in the Matara Hospital.The police were conducting a separate inquiry into the incident, Prof. Mendis said, adding that the University administration had also recorded statements from several eyewitnesses, including a lecturer and undergraduates.

Meanwhile, undergraduates staged a protest on Thursday against the suspension of two students.

President of the Students Council Harsha Gunawardena said that they had held a discussion with the Vice Chancellor and other officials after the protest opposite the administration building.

City of universities; my lost dream in Sri Lanka

January 4, 2013, 8:17 pm , the island


by Prof. Chandima Gomes
Head, Centre for Electromagnetic and Lightning Protection Research
Universiti Putra, Malaysia

Cycling from university home through the woods, on a breezy and colourful day in September 1995, in Uppsala Sweden, I was wondering when I could do the same in Sri Lanka; I mean, cycling through a City of University.

Since then I drew up a plan; a mega plan of developing a City of Universities in a beautiful landscape. At that time I did not have the least idea of leaving Sri Lanka for good. Thus, I built up my dream city in Sri Lanka. Just to start with, I thought of the forest patch north of Lunugamvehera reservoir. Then I designed everything for my dream city; from buildings to cycle paths. During the 15 year period from 1995-2010 I visited over 30 countries and on every visit I collected something fruitful from each region and added that into my dream city.

By 2010, I completed the conceptual plan of the City of Universities. However, before I could even self-enjoy my dream, I realized that Sri Lanka is not ready at all for this project. How can one propose a multi-university township in a country where even the phrase "private university" may trigger mass protests, general strikes and even threats of committing suicide?

In the present context, we have no time to waste wrestling over a concept that is well accepted in almost every country other than Sri Lanka. Thus, I had no option but to pack my dream and just witness even countries like Bangladesh racing towards success in the education industry while Sri Lanka is struggling to define words and phrases.

In 2011, in Kathmandu, I met a top brass officer from an African nation with whom I casually discussed this idea over a cup of tea. He was highly excited and asked me to provide him a one-page concept paper. To make a long story short; in February 2013 we will initiate this project in a picturesque landscape in Africa at the foot of snow-capped mountains, with the fullest patronage of the state.

Today, while revisiting my dream in a lazy nap, I thought of inking my plan, that I developed for Sri Lanka for 15 long years, so that one day, someone may be courageous enough to give it serious thought.

A good practice of late Ranasinghe Premada was to baptise any project that comes to his mind with a suitable name even before a line is drawn in that regard. I always used to follow this practice. Thus, first of all I gave my project the name "City of Universities".

Simply the idea was to invite five world class universities to establish their institutions; call it a branch or a campus; in a suitable area in Sri Lanka. The sixth university will be developed by the funding of local and foreign investors with government pumping sizable seed money. This will be a private-state ventured new university in Sri Lanka.

These universities will be built in a new township with all facilities available in any European city, thus, it will be a standalone country within a country. A mechanism is proposed to make it a duty free region, such as, Lankavi resort in Malaysia. The whole idea was to attract students and intellectuals from any part of the world who will enjoy the best luxuries available in Europe or USA at a cost much less than what they spend in those countries.

The universities will be provided with a centralized library, student and staff quarters and a teaching hospital which can be accessed by all universities. A school that offers both international and national curricula is also a need.

To attract scholars from all corners of the world the library could be built as one of the biggest in the world. I proposed a new library concept which I baptised as "Live lib". The idea is to collect several millions of plants, insects, minerals, metals etc,so that when someone is reading on the Brazilian Lily, for instance, he can go to the plant itself and get firsthand experience; may be riding a segway. Such collections may not be possible within couple of years; however, once it is initiated we may get many investors and scholars to use the facility.

To give a chance to local students who cannot afford, I proposed signing an agreement with five foreign universities to provide a 10% quota to local students with partial scholarships. The rest of the expenses of those students could be borne by the government. For the sixth university this quota could be increased to 30%-40%.

To make the city live and also for it to earn its income, I proposed a water theme park and adventure/ amusement park in the vicinity of the lake. Again, going beyond the themes of today’s such parks we can construct a glass hotel in the lake, thus, one can experience the deep lake life while having a coffee in the bedroom. For the project in Africa, I am proposing a caged hotel where animals can visit and watch human beings drinking coffee and staring at them with big wide eyes, just few feet away from them.

To cater the needs of the citizens, a gigantic megamall and a five star hotel are proposed at the city centre. Let’s make even the oddest item in a European mall available there. With cinema halls, opera halls, amphitheatres, art galleries etc. are available there; even locals will flock in masses in the city.

A landscape of about 10,000 hectares; a flat land, possibly bound by a lake from a side was needed to be selected. I just thought of the forest area to the north of Lunugamvehera reservoir with Rathmal Weva in the middle as shown in the diagram. This is a thinly populated forest patch at the moment.

To minimize the environmental effects and cut down fuel cost, a comprehensive cycle path and walkway systems were planned. With heavy parking fees for cars and free parking space for bicycles, one could easily induce the bicycle-culture in the COU. Discounts could also be given for students when they buy bicycles. Year long summers and less rain (than in wet zone) in this area is another blessing for promoting the cycle culture.

A nearby airport and a sea port were important needs for the project. By the time I developed the concept, those were just dreams. But today there is an airport within easy reach to the proposed COU (Mattala airport) and within few tens of kilometres one can reach Hambanthota port. Highways could be implemented from the COU to both ports as well as to other major cities.

In Africa, we are planning a free trade industrial zone back to back with COU. Apart from developing industries, the main focus of this industrial zone is to establish university-industry links.

There were many more features in my dream. Even proper usage (not disposal) of garbage, energy generation for the city by sewage, distributed generation of electricity by various alternative sources, generation and multiplication of jobs for the citizens etc. were in the plan. COU is a country within a country which benefits the entire country.

I am happy that my dream will be coming true somewhere in the world, but I could have been happier if….

Ministers manipulating system for personal agendas – FUTA

Law College entrance controversy

January 4, 2013, 10:07 pm , the island

by Dasun Edirisinghe

Commenting on the controversy over the Law College entrance examination results, the Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) yesterday claimed that it was another example of politicians abusing the system.

FUTA President Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri told The Island that it was unusual that a majority of students from a particular ethnic community had topped the results list of the Law College entrance examination last year, but it could definitely be another deliberate manipulation of the examination system.

Several political parties and civil organizations have been attacking the law entrance results list, on racial grounds, but no one made a fuss when several mal practices in the Sri Lankan examination system during the last few years, he said.

"We have a system that can be easily abused by politicians of the ruling party," Dr. Dewasiri said, adding they used the systems at their disposal to fulfil their personal agendas.