Peradeniya Alumni condemn student vandalism

Following a resolution passed by the Council of Management of the Alumni Association of University of Peradeniya Colombo Chapter at its last meeting on October 19, the association strongly condemned the actions taken by the students’ action in regard to the naming of a University hall.

“We the members of the Alumni Association of the University of Peradeniya Colombo Chapter, vehemently express our dismay and revulsion over the desecration of the plaque of the hall of residence named after Sir Ivor Jennings, the Founder Vice Chancellor of the University of Peradeniya (then Ceylon) the day before it was due to be unveiled, by some student vandals belonging to a student union manoeuvred by a political party that pays lip service to democracy and good governance,” general secretary Godwin Perera said in a statement. The statement said the reasons given by the students of the said union to justify their stand, that Sir Ivor was a white man and an imperialist agent who viewed Sinhala people and their culture with disdain and therefore does not deserve such honour, exposes the height of absurdity and stupidity of their parochial thinking.

“We the members of the Colombo Chapter of the AAUP join hands with all right thinking people of this country in unreservedly condemning this dastardly act of these students in no uncertain terms,” it said.