The Military Expansion into Education

Download PDF version-February 16, 2013

Militarisation, or securitisation, in Sri Lanka is not necessarily restricted to the formal military structure; its orientation is far more pervasive, as can be evidenced in the recent developments in the education sphere. Already existing imbalances and practices in the education sector have been exacerbated by the military ideology imposed upon it by the Sri Lankan government.

Shamala Kumar (kumar.shamala@gmail.com) is a member of the Peradeniya University Agriculture Teachers’ Association and University Teachers for Democracy and Dialogue (UT4DD).

Little has been done to contain the bloated military structure in Sri Lanka even though over three years have passed since the government formally declared victory in the 30 years of civil war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a separatist group which fought for a Tamil homeland in the North and East of the island. In fact, militarisation is a frequent charge made against the government today. The repressive structures that make institutions vulnerable to militarisation, however, emerged far earlier than this government and have been a conduit for militarised processes to operate. Within higher education, the state’s administrative processes, and student and staff hierarchies and actions reinforce these repressive structures. This article explores the nature of militarisation and forms of repression in the educational sector of Sri Lanka in recent years, with a special focus on higher education.

Generally, the country has experienced a growth in the military apparatus through the progression of three decades of war and over successive governments. In the 1980s, at the war’s inception, the military consisted of 30,000 personnel. Now, despite the no-war situation, this figure has ballooned into hundreds of thousands.¹ While the military’s involvement in active combat is now minimal, their presence has expanded to various other activities such as the maintenance of tourist destinations, mega construction projects, agricultural projects, vegetable stalls and city beautification. The military of the post-war era is a very different entity to its war-time, combat-intensive counterpart. Today, with escalating trends born years earlier in the North and East of the country during times of war, the military is becoming increasingly embedded into society. It seems to have penetrated many facets of civilian life, in all regions of the country, and become an integral part of civil life. Full Story>>>

HOSPITAL STAFF RESPONSIBLE FOR AMPUTATION OF LAW STUDENT’S ARM - REPORT

February 15, 2013

The committee inquiring into the amputation of the law student’s arm has found that the staff of the Matara Hospital are responsible for the blunder, the Health Ministry said.

The report compiled by the three-member committee, which was submitted to the Secretary of the Health Ministry on Tuesday, was handed over to Minister Maithripala Sirisena yesterday.

According to the report the specialist doctor, intern medical officers and nursing staff of the hospital who were involved in treating the law student are responsible for the medical mishap.

The Health Ministry stated that they will be served with charge sheets and that the Public Service Commission has been notified to take disciplinary action.

Achala Priyadarshini was admitted to the Matara Hospital on January 17 with fracture injuries in her left hand, after falling down a flight of stairs at her home.

There her hand was bandaged and when she informed hospital staff of continues pain they had injected her with the pain killer ‘Pethidine’.

However, as her condition worsened she was transferred to the Karapitiya Hospital and again to the Colombo National Hospital for further treatment.

Upon being admitted to the Colombo National Hospital, doctors had diagnosed that the only way to treat her at the current condition was to amputate the hand and they had proceeded to do so.

Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena had instructed the Secretary to the Health Ministry, Dr. Nihal Jayathilake to appoint a committee and conduct an immediate inquiry into the incident.