FUTA FURIOUS OVER FUTILE AGREEMENTS
Says govt. trying to provoke academics and students to create a negative image
The government had attempted to provoke the university lecturers and the student bodies so as to carry out a sinister campaign against the country’s local university system, the Federation of University Teachers Associations (FUTA) charged yesterday.
FUTA President Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri said that the Colombo University’s refusal to permit media into the university premises on Thursday to hold a press briefing was an attempt to create further havoc in universities.
“They take tough action to show the world. It is meant to create a mindset that is conducive to setting up private universities. The people outside Sri Lankan look at these matters in a narrow way and misinterpret our actions. They are carrying out a sinister campaign,” Dr. Dewasiri charged.
He said it was due to this reason that protesting university students faced suspensions or were arrested like in the case of the Inter University Student Federation and the Inter University Bhikkhu Union Conveners who were recently arrested following student protests.
However, he said that the union alliance would not take action. “We wont fight back because there is no point. There has been a serious violation of the agreement. But they are attempting to agitate us more and we will not give in,” he said.
“Many of the conditions in the agreement signed between Minister
Many of the conditions of the agreement signed with Minister Basil Rajapaksa that FUTA had agreed to last year following the end of a 100 day countrywide university strike been violated
Basil Rajapaksa and FUTA last year following the end of a 100 day countrywide university strike, have been violated,” he said. However, that too was in an attempt to provoke the university lecturers, he said.
“It was agreed with Minister Basil Rajapaksa and university Vice Chancellors after the strike was over last year that we would hold a senate meeting to discuss university autonomy but that meeting never took place and it was the first violation of our agreement and was one of the the biggest violations of the agreement,” he said.
He added that according to the agreement university lecturers were expected to receive an additional 25% of their basic salary as an allowance due to the additional intake of students last year. However, the monies were never paid, he said.