Media Statement Federation of University Teachers’ Associations

Easter Sunday of 2019 is destined to be yet another day of devastation that our country will have to remember in the years to come. As we approach 10 years living in a country that is not at war with itself, we were hopeful that we had put the days of mass destruction, bomb blasts and explosions, behind us for good. Yes, there were problems; yes, there was much we could do better; yes, there was lot more work needed for ensuring reconciliation, justice and peace, but we did believe that the worst was behind us. The tragic events of yesterday, have proved otherwise.

As university teachers, we appeal to our fellow citizens, not to let the incidents of yesterday define who we are. We can be better than this and we will be better than this. Let us reach out first and foremost to the victims of yesterday, their families and communities and to our neighbours and all our fellow citizens. Let us come together in our moment of grief and do what we can to comfort and support each other. As the long lines at the National Blood Bank showed yesterday, and on numerous occasions before, we are more than capable of coming together in times of crisis and tragedy. Let us not allow the rhetoric of hatred, division and communalism to keep us apart.

We appeal strongly to our leaders to rise above petty political divisions, and to demonstrate genuine statesmanship. We have suffered too long because of the squabbles and power struggles of our leaders. Indeed, power struggles and pettiness of the political leadership in this country is responsible for much of the suffering of our people. We urge you not to use the tragic events of yesterday for political advantages but rather to reveal the truth to the people and to ensure that victims and their families are supported. There is much work to be done to recover and move forward from this tragedy and that and nothing else, should be the priority for our leaders. As the university community, we appeal to all students, teachers, non-academic staff and administrators to come together and stand against violence and extremism in all its forms within and outside our universities.

We express our sincere condolences to those who lost their lives in the Easter Sunday attacks and extend our best wishes for the speedy recovery of all those who are injured. We also extend our support and appreciation to the medical and security personnel who are working on our behalf during these difficult times.

Rohan Laksiri                          Prof. Rohan Fernando

Secretary/FUTA                     President/FUTA