Pera students protest again

25 January 2012 09:40 am

The Students of the Peradeniya University staged a protest today against summons issued to 24 students of the university.  The students of all nine faculties comprising around 3,500, protested at the Galaha Junction today demanding that all charges against the students be dropped forthwith. The students have been issued summons due to a complaint made against them alleging their involvement in ragging.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror online President of the Engineering Students Union, Buddhi Senanayake said that all charges levelled against these students are baseless. “The students were innocent and were never involved in any sort of activity that the authorities are alleging. The allegations are cooked up to paralyse the student’s movement in order for the authorities to have their own way,” he said.

The students of the Arts Faculty boycotted the lectures today and students of other faculties also boycotted lectures for a few hours in support. Sources say there was heavy military presence in the vicinity.  Senanayake further said that the students would not give up their fight until their demands are met. “The authorities want to destabilise the students and privatise education, these are all measures taken towards this. We will fight four our rights and if the demands are not met we will take stern action in the future,” he said.

All Student Unions functioning within the university were suspended with immediate effect from December 21, 2011 subsequent to a protest march that was to be staged by the unions. The March which was scheduled to be held on December 21, was suspended following a court order issued against it The suspension was removed by Vice Chancellor of the Peradeniya University Prof S.A. Abeykoon from January 1. (Hafeel Farisz)