University students and academics should speak out courageously!
University students as well as academics in Sri Lanka continue to be threatened by criminals with political patronage for being courageous to speak out on behalf of the people. Also, none can expect those who are docile to question as to why we who produce the best expertise for national development should be at the receiving end of criminals, and criminal investigation units who are yet to apprehend criminals who have eliminated inspiring professionals including journalists.
In Sri Lanka, a few years back, the writer who was a signatory to a civil society petition asking the government to protect the life of an internationally known Sri Lankan civil rights activist was interrogated by a Criminal Investigations Unit for two days as to what association he had with the eminent activist. The docile for a moment were shocked. They thought that for the interrogators, the academics were the wrong doers in speaking out against death threats.
We, the members of the national university academia and our students are proud to be inspired by courageous, liberal minded men and women who will strive to neutralize the intentions of the autocratic . We assure the society in which we live that we will raise fundamental questions courageously on behalf of the ordinary people. We know that we will be remembered by generations to come, since the silent majority expects us to speak out, irrespective of the political party in power. Surveillance University students and academics are mindful that there are those even in universities, who wish to normalize a culture of surveillance, monitoring and control. Being simple minded, some have requested for sophisticated equipment like CCTV cameras, focused on academic departments. Academics who are met by people from different walks of life need not be monitored by anyone, as they do not carry weapons with them. If at all, such equipment should be fixed only at the entrances to public institutions, if there is such a need, to help the security departments.
Today, these security departments within the Universities are no longer controlled by neutral university security staff. They haven’t got adequate man power or the infrastructure to detect suspects or life threatening objects. While all that happens, students and academics are intimidated by criminals who receive patronage from the most lawless elements in the land,with political patronage. Criminals are glorified, while not even the former Chief Justice or even the former Army Commander General SarathFonseka are able to live without death threats.
We, of the Federation of University Teachers Associations will remain influential with pro- gressive minded people locally and internationally, as we are respected for our sincere thoughts. We and our students are not habitual creatures who want to waste public funds for personal pleasure. We only wish to express disgust in the strongest possible non-violent means against those who thrive on injustice in this country, protecting internationally known criminals as the best possible national assets. Equal opportunities We repeatedly state that all schools and universities in this country should be treated equally as the bulk of the schools haven’t got even lavatory facilities, laboratory and library facilities. The majority of schools haven’t got teachers not only to teach English, Science and Social Studies, but even proper Sinhala, Tamil and Buddhism. This is because those in power have undermined the study of Humanities and Arts, due to their incapacity to appreciate the true purpose of education.
We look forward to the day that the political regime in Sri Lanka will understand the true purpose of primary, secondary and tertiary education, believe in respecting minimum United Nations Benchmarks, not only for Education, but also in other sectors, believe in autonomy and independence of Universities and appoint men and women who truly respect the values that were to be inculcated by the founding fathers of the early University of Ceylon.
Vibrant, pulsating academic life
To sum up, some thoughts expressed by Dr. Manmohan Singh, at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, as reported by Hindu Newspaper of 5th, November, 2005, will be helpful for anyone who is not clear as to what is expected of a university. The message is especially relevant for those who run universities today, as Dr. Singh was the Prime Minister of the largest democracy in the world at that time. Though his speech remained disrupted by the shouting and fights happening in the gallery, Dr. Singh carried on praising the University for its “vibrant, pulsating academic life brimming with ideas and thoughts’’, which he pointed out were traits of an outstanding institution.
He further said, “I do sincerely believe that a University is built on the foundation of liberalism. It can never thrive without the assurance of a liberal environment. Every member of a university community, if he or she wishes to aspire to be worthy of the university, must accept the truth of Voltaire’s classic statement. Voltaire proclaimed, I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend, to the death, your right to say it. That idea, must be the corner-stone of a lib- eral institution.’’
While pointing out that there was a larger purpose of a university, he remarked: “You have come to secure something more than just understanding of a science or an art, something more thanearning a passport to a job. A university provides the environment in which we evolve as responsible citizens of the world. We learn here the art and science of seeking truth. We learn here the principles of engaging in a dialogue. We learn here as much as we unlearn. For both learning and unlearning, are two sides of the same coin of seeking truth, of seeking knowledge’’.
Referring to the unveiling of Jawaharlal Nehru’s statue, the Prime Minister said it was important to understand the ideas that shaped the leader and that in turn shaped the nation. “The idea of India as a land of diversity, pluralism, inclusiveness, the idea of India as an open society and an open economy in which every individual can find the space and freedom to express his or her creativity and explore their enterprise,’’ he said.
In every country, the government is a mirror reflection of the people. Let the political leadership as much as you the reader ask yourself- what do you sincerely believe in? It certainly cannot be the type of political culture or the form of government that negates and undermine democracy!