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Wednesday, 20 July 2016 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said that necessary disciplinary action concerning the student involved in the recent clash would be taken by the administration of the University of Jaffna and that the Government would not get involved in the matter.
The Minister of Disaster Management said that they had had a very constructive meeting with the Vice Chancellor and the rest of the university staff.
He was joined by Minister of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs, D. M. Swaminathan and Deputy Minister of Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media, Karunarathna Paranawithana.
“They all agreed that an unfortunate incident happened but that does not mean you should close the entire university. They have not closed it yet. Some examinations will be held on Wednesday and Thursday. And they all agreed to open the university,” he told reporters following the meeting.
The minister said that afterwards they met with the student representatives, including the leaders of the student unions as well as male and female Sinhala students.
“They all wanted to open the university and they say the situation is all normal and there is nothing to be worried about. They are still here in Jaffna and they will continue to be here,” he said.
“They want the university to open to continue their studies. That’s what they said,” Yapa added.
He emphasised that whatever disciplinary action would be taken against the people who were involved in this incident would be done by the university itself not by anyone else. “We don’t want to interfere. We don’t want to get involved in that as the Government.”
Deputy Minister Karunarathna Paranawithana also said that there would be a disciplinary inquiry at a university level.
A three-member committee has been appointed to investigate the student clash at the University of Jaffna, said the university’s Vice Chancellor Prof. Wasanthi Arsharathnam.
She stated that the committee report should be received within two weeks’ time. The clash, which occurred on Saturday (16), also led to the closure of the university for a few days.
Addressing a media conference held on Monday at the university to explain the matter, the Vice Chancellor also said that the prevailing atmosphere at the university was peaceful.
Prof. Arsharathnam stated that she held discussions with the two groups who were involved in the clash and also stated that she had a discussion with the deans of the faculty at the university. The students have also promised that such conflicts would never occur again, she said.
