Jaffna VC assured to reconstruct war memorial as N&E observe hartal

As a hartal campaign is being observed in North and Eastern provinces today against removal of a war memorial inside Jaffna Universty premises, the university students called off their fast campaign after Vice Chancellor assured them that war memorial will be reconstructed at the same place adhering to proper procedures.

The Vice Chancellor Prof S.Satkunarajah visited the protesting students in front of the university early morning today and assured them the monument will be rebuilt soon. Thereafter, he led the students to destroyed memorial and laid a symbolic foundation stone for the new monument with religious prayers. 

Meanwhile shops, markets and private institutions in the two provinces closed today marking the hartal campaign condemning the removal of the monument from university premises. Earlier Civil society groups, Tamil political parties and Student Unions called for a hartal campaign today condemning the move by university administration. 

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) also extended its support for the call and urged its party workers to join the protest in solidarity. 

On Friday, a tense situation erupted outside the gates of the Jaffna University as the war memorial erected inside the university premises was demolished by the university authorities under the tight security of security forces.

The memorial erected by the student union was destroyed by the university administration on the basis that no approval was obtained to build it.

University students and the public gathered in front of the university on Friday night when the authorities locked the university premises, preventing students from entering. Throughout Friday night, students and residents protested demanding that the authorities should stop destroying the memorial. Pix by N.Lohathayalan