No hand in Jaffna Twitter campaign - Students’ Union

By  Arthur Wamanan and Sandun Jayawardana

Sunday, 25 May 2014 02:14

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The Jaffna University Students’ Union has denied any knowledge or involvement in the Twitter campaign against alleged threats to students and lecturers. Speaking to The Nation, President, Jaffna University Students Union, P. Subhakar said that they were unaware of such an online campaign. He, however, stated that the two-day strike organized by the students ended on Friday (May23).

Recently, University officials announced that campus would be closed during the fifth year commemoration since the end of the war.
“We have called on the University officials to refrain from declaring holidays in May and November in future, as it could hamper the relationship between Tamil and Sinhala students on the campus. We need to have a cordial relationship. However, those who wish to remember the dead can do so. But there is no need to close down campus,” he said.

A Twitter campaign, under the hashtag ‘Hands Off Jaffna Uni’, was launched last week to coincide with a two-day strike called by students on Thursday (May 22) and Friday (May 23) to protest alleged death threats leveled at some lecturers and students of the university. The campaign is continuing and has attracted support from the Tamil Diaspora and those in Tamil Nadu.

Leaflets allegedly left on campus last week spoke of serious measures against those who attempt to revive extremist sentiments within the campus. A group calling itself ‘Nation Protection Force’ (Thesam Kaakkum Padai) issued a ‘final warning’ stated that several students, lecturers, deans and journalists had been identified of trying to instill extremist sentiments among others.

Meanwhile, Military Spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya strongly refuted allegations leveled by some that the army was behind the death threats and was also attempting to ‘interfere’ in the university’s affairs.
“We’re not as petty-minded as they think we are,” he said, rejecting allegations of military interference at the university.

Referring to the Twitter campaign #HandsOffJaffnaUni, Brigadier Wanigasooriya said there was nothing wrong with the campaign since the army had no intention of getting involved in the university’s activities.
“At any event, the army has no access to the university premises and has no deployments anywhere nearby. What happens within the university is the responsibility of campus authorities,” he added.    
Referring to the ban on public commemorations in the North during Victory Day week, the military spokesman said that was put in place as certain sections were attempting to ‘celebrate terrorism’ which could not be allowed as it would be tantamount to ‘acceptance of terrorism’.

“There is a larger agenda here among some to get the Army out of Jaffna, which will not happen. The armed forces are there to protect national security which is a central government function”.
Brigadier Wanigasooriya further said the army wanted universities to function unhindered as universities were places that produce future developers of the nation.
When contacted, Police Spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana said Police had so far not received any complaints regarding death threats leveled at lecturers and students at the university.