Anti-SAITM protest march reaches Colombo

4 August 2017 10:05 pm - 9 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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The five-day protest march launched by the ‘SAITM Virodi Sisu-Jana Vyaaparaya’ demanding that the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) be abolished, reached Colombo today.

About 4000 protestors participated in the march which started from Kandy on Monday.

Concluding the march in front of the Colombo Fort Railway Station, Medical Student's Action Committee (MSAC) Convener Ryan Jayalath said they would take crucial decisions with regard to the SAITM issue if the government continued with its suppression on anti-SAITM forces.

“We are forced to take tough action in the future. Our struggle gets more strong with the suppression of the government. The government is conspiring to legalize SAITM with ‘the Second Phase of the 77’s Revolution’,” he added.

He said that they would continue their struggle until they succeed in their mission and added that trade unions including the doctors were forced to take trade union action due to such steps taken by the government.

Addressing the gathering, Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) Secretary Dr. Haritha Aluthge said that the SAITM should be immediately abolished and there should be no other interim solutions.

“The SAITM will be definitely abolished and we will not step back from this struggle against the SAITM until we will reach the final destination,” he added.

Meanwhile, Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) Leader Prof. Tissa Vitharana said he was pleased to see the university students, trade unions and peoples’ attempting to abolish the SAITM.

“The government is always attempting to privatize or sell national assets. This could not merely be considered as a struggle against the SAITM, but a struggle to stand against the state policies,” he added.

Several trade unions representing health care services, teachers, university lectures and representatives of several political parties were also participated in this protest march. (Kalathma Jayawardhane)

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Comments - 9

dhan Saturday, 05 August 2017 06:16 AM

Tell through past experience, this won;t sort out until few of you died,are you ready.You are right by trying to put the pressure until you meet the demand. but rajitha marks time until you come to a position now enough,so goto collective trade union action doctors only,are not enough powerful,and the government is now detest by all

Hubert Saturday, 05 August 2017 07:41 AM

Wretched IUSF dancing to the tune of private media and ill gotten money of Rajapakse's

malij Saturday, 05 August 2017 08:30 AM

Even communist countries like China, Cuba are having private medical schools now. Our children go to countries like Bangala desh, (which was far behind Sri Lanka couple of years ago) to study medicine. Only here in Sri Lanka we are having these problems thanks to some washed out leftist political parties who have been rejected by people, an association called GMOA led by egocentric lunatics and set of thieving,bastards called JO who wants to grab power by any means,are agitating to abolish SAITM. When SAITM was created during the time of last regime, non of the above hero's had the backbone to protest.

Patient Saturday, 05 August 2017 08:49 AM

Why does the GMOA doctors form a political party, win an election and carry out all their opinions immediately thereafter without wasting our time with strikes, talks and walks?

symbol Saturday, 05 August 2017 05:18 PM

AND - their symbol to be a CHAMBER POT

Antics Saturday, 05 August 2017 09:30 AM

" we will not step back from this struggle " Please do so - and provide us with this ( almost daily) entertainment after dinner (ie watching your antics on TV ) Antics - noun - ie - foolish, outrageous, or amusing behaviour

ABOUT TIME Saturday, 05 August 2017 09:34 AM

HAUL THEM TO COURT AND ASK THEM WHY THERE CANNOT BE PRIVATE MEDICAL COLLEGES ?

Dee Saturday, 05 August 2017 05:17 PM

Asked an odd guy why Saitm is not good. He had no clue, he thought it is an act that suppressed medical college.

Professor J.Jinadasa Saturday, 05 August 2017 10:27 PM

These anti SAITM protesters are jealous of others studying medicine and the protesters must be jailed.

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Anti-SAITM protest march reaches Colombo

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