Prof Channa Jayasumana Secretary, National University Teachers’ Association

22^nd May 2018,

Prof. Ratnam Vigneswaran,
Vice chancellor,
University of Jaffna,
Thirunelvely, Jaffna.

Dear Prof Vigneswaran,

Jaffna University-do not let racist politicians to destroy the future of Jaffna youth and the University.

We, as responsible university academics in Sri Lanka have noted with dismay the involvement of the Jaffna University students during the recent so called Mullivaikkal Remembrance Day” observances.

While the general population of Jaffna was mostly uninvolved, the Jaffna University students were acting like unofficial private army of the chief minister of the Northern Province CV Vigneswaran and transgressing the law of the country by commemorating members of a banned terrorist organization. People in the south hold intelligent youth of the northern peninsula in high esteem. However, their recent behavior showed that they are being misguided by crafty racist politicians such as CV Vigneswaran, who himself never studied in the North. In fact, not a single member of Hon chief minister’s family has studied in the North. He is sending the intelligent youth of the north and east to the dungeon while his family members are safe abroad or in Colombo. Our understanding is that recent incidents create unsavory picture about University of Jaffna among the majority of Sinhala and Muslim people in the country.

End of the internal armed conflict widened the path for the young people in North and East to obtain university education. Otherwise they would be conscripted by the terrorists and living in a bunker, suffering immense difficulties, under the command of a thug. Those misguided youths should be thankful to the political leadership and Sri Lankan forces that ended the armed conflict and made it possible for them to reap the benefits of higher education freeing them from battlefront.

We observe that greedy politicians are pushing the misguided youth to another reckless program. Further, We feel that they are abandoning the golden opportunities presented to them by the people of Sri Lanka. We do hope that you would take our letter seriously and discuss this matter with senior responsible academics in the University. Offer guidance to Jaffna University students and teach them reconciliation and harmony.

Thank you,

Prof Channa Jayasumana

Secretary,

National University Teachers’ Association