News
Peradeniya canteen where violence raged, no more any one clan’s turf
View(s):By Senuka Jayakody
A canteen at the University of Peradeniya where some students are said to have faced physical violence and verbal abuse, must be accessible to all, administrators have decided. This follows a meeting between teachers and students.
The dining facility of the faculty of arts where a recent bout of violence took palce, is popularly known as the ‘gemba’ canteen.
On September 14, around 3.30p.m, a group of law department students, had been forbidden by arts undergrads from entering the canteen, trigging violence. Three students were suspended and later arrested by police.
The proctor of the university, Prof. Thilaka Wijetunga Bandara, said alleged offenders can be issued with a written warning, imposed a two-week or a four-week punishment, or even be expelled. “All students should be able to go to any canteens, or even milk bars, given this economic crisis,’’ he said.
According to him, only a few students in one or two groups are involved in ragging. About 1,000 have joined anti-ragging groups.
However, Prof Bandara said lecturers do not support any student groups, saying, “regardless of ragging and anti-ragging, we support zero-ragging”.
“The University of Peradeniya is a beautiful university, which is being labelled as a bad university because of the actions of a few students,’’ he said. Prof. Shyama Banneheka, president of the Federation of University Teachers Association, said, “we do not entertain raggers or anti-raggers”.
“Students should have all rights and the freedom to hold one’s own opinions, while the university does not accept ragging,’’ he said.
Prof. Banneheka added that in the period after the coronavirus disease pandemic, the incidence of ragging has reduced because the level of personal contact is less.
The Inter University Students Federation, said in a statement on September 26, “that universities should be free of such incidents’’ and “ragging should not exist within the university culture”. Convener Mr Terence Rodrigo, suggested that there are those who focus on such incidents to create a generally bad impression of students, to further their own political gains, which require the elimination of student movements from universities.
The police media spokesman, Nihal Thalduwa said the students were allowed bail and handed over to the Reconciliation Board, which is yet to announce its decision.
| Undergrad abuse is criminal and has caused deaths In state universities of Sri Lanka, ragging, where undergraduates are involved in physical or psychological cruelty under the guise of ‘initiation’ sometimes, is simply abuse and is a violation of human rights, which also encourages sexual and gender-based violence. Ragging was made a criminal offence under the Prohibition of Ragging and Other Forms of Violence in Educational Institutions Act No. 20 of 1998. It defines ragging, as “any act which causes or is likely to cause physical or psychological injury or mental pain or fear to a student or a member of the staff of an educational institution’’. The act imposes jail terms for those convicted — up to 10 years for some offences. The University of Peradeniya drew wide attention in 2002 when undergrad Ms Rupa Ratnaseeli who became paralysed by ragging in 1975, took her own life. Similarly, in 1997, Mr S. Varapragash died from kidney failure after being abused at Peradeniya University. The Government and education authorities have taken legislative, administrative, and institutional initiatives against ragging, but incidents continue to surface. | |
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