BY SULOCHANA RAMIAH MOHAN

It was just a another clash between two groups studying at the same campus, but this clash at the Jaffna University aroused much attention on 16 July onwards. The sudden outbreak of verbal abuse, pelting of stones and fisticuffs erupted over a matter that should have been solved on the previous night (15 July), says the President of the University of Jaffna Student Union Federation, Sisitharan Thankeswaran , a final year Management student hailing from Batticaloa.

Sisitharan agreed to talk to Ceylon Today, on condition that the writer would not misquote him, nor publish anything that could land him in trouble again. When queried over this attitude of his, he said that he had to surrender to the Police because most of the boys knew him well as the President of the Union and someone had lodged a complaint against him. “I was beaten up by them when I tried to push myself amidst an angry group of students to talk the groups to avoid confrontation, and then I had to be the one to surrender to the police, which was a very unfortunate situation,” he added.

Sisitharan explains, to begin with, the Sinhala students do not have a union of their own with whom they could sit and plan out, without interacting with everyone. On the 15th evening when everything was planned and the programme schedule was printed after prior approval from the relevant Deans and officers in charge, a group of Sinhala students suggested that the welcome parade should also have the Kandyan cultural dance. Immediately the student council that represents the Science Faculty informed the Union. I was told that the Sinhala students wished to have a Kandyan dance included in the welcome ceremony too.

Sisitharan says he was unable to do anything as it was a last minute request and he needed the approval of the programme committee. “I had to take the matter to the Dean in charge of the programme who told me not to get involved and that he would solve it.

Sisitharan had then returned home thinking everything would be fine. However on the following day, which was the day of ‘Welcome for the new batch’, he was informed that this particular group still insisted that the Kandyan dancers will be there parading from the gate to the entrance of the hall.

The dean who said that it could not be accommodated, as it was not in the scheduled programme, had been chided by the students for opposing it.

Sisitharan points out that from that moment on, they felt that atmosphere had become unpleasant with strained feelings being expressed. The Sinhala students stood separately in isolation in the campus premises with their lecturers.

Apparently when the procession started with Nadaswaram and Thavil or the drum, the Sinhala students badgered the Kandyan dancers to join in the parade. When they approached closer from the opposite direction, the Kandyan dancers attempted to blend into the procession, but the Tamil students reacted by halting them and pushing the Kandyan dancers aside, warning them not to block the Welcome Parade. This is precisely what you could see on the video that is on the You Tube too.

The apparent intervention by Sisitharan triggered a flurry of blows, from either side.
At the beginning it was only a small group of Sinhala boys who were adamant not to follow the schedule to accept the ruling, Sisitharan said.

When asked as to why they did not accede to their request, Sisitharan said the entire programme on the stage was designed with their consent and the last minute change that they wanted was unacceptable.” If he had allowed it, then many others would also attempt to do that in the future.” He pointed out even if it was a Bharatanatyam, the Union would not have allowed it to be performed if it was foisted on them at the last minute.

He said he followed the University administration rules and regulations. “Anything beyond that needs approval and the university is highly disciplined that way. He also said he could not approve of it because the committee needed to be consulted and a meeting called for first to discuss it, but there wasn’t sufficient time for it. The group was informed that on the following year they would plan it that way. “In spite of all that, they imposed their might on us which I think was not right,” Sisitharan pointed out.

Sisitharan is in the view that University education begins with discipline. “We have seen world over how many issues the university faces, but discipline is what keeps matters under control. At all times we need to work with rules and regulations, and I just followed that.”

He also did not dismiss the fact that the Union will not ‘let’ anyone hamper the Tamil culture or tradition.” We will embrace other cultures and traditions, and we want to, but we will not want anything to hinder or impose restriction on our traditions and cultural practices.”

“Could you not have accommodated the Kandyan dance?” Sisitharan responded, “No, the group itself did not approach us decently. They were aggressive, which is why most of us were taken aback.”

Apparently, the disagreement between the two groups on the Kandyan dancers was not informed to the Vice Chancellor Dr. Vasanthy Arasaratnam.

After the incident came to light, the Vice Chancellor said she was shocked and dismayed over the fracas. “From 2011 the university has been functioning very smoothly. I have not had any problems. What I heard from students is that they are good friends and they visit each other’s homes during holidays.”

When asked why it was so, Sisitharan said, “Because we did not even imagine that it would turn out to be an issue.”

Apparently, when the clash erupted, the Tamil Students had walked out of the campus and both parties were pelting stones at each other.

“There were damages caused to the buildings. We saw that the other group was rioting inside the campus. Most of the students did not even take part in the rumpus. Others moved out fearing arrests and unwarranted issues that could disrupt or put an end to their future studies and plans,” Sisitharan noted.
When the Police came in, according to Sisitharan, it was his name that came up first. “My name as the president of the Union is well known. I think that is why they mentioned my name to the Police.”

He said he is not upset about it but he was the one who had to face their wrath. “I am the president until another takes over.” According to him, soon there will be an election and another student will head the Union.

He also recalled that few months back too, there were two minor confrontations, which almost turned to be a fracas but they ‘ignored’ it altogether. He alleged that the very same group from the South that warned the security guard when a few ‘outsiders’ had entered the campus dormitory after 7:00 p.m., which was not a visiting time. He also pointed out there are visitors who force themselves into the campus to see their friends. These matters were known to everyone but no one was willing to raise the issue as it could trigger tension.

The Jaffna University is now probing the matter. The Vice Chancellor is in the process to hold a serious inquiry so that it will not recur.

The Sinhala students are now not willing to return to the university due to fear, when queried about it, Sisitharan noted that the Union will see to it that such ugly incidents will never be repeated, and even after the clash there were so many students from the other provinces who remained in Jaffna. It was only a few students who left.

He adds that the university from the year 2011 had been a very happy place. “We want to maintain that and I have already assured everyone that we will safeguard the prestigious name of the University and that we will not allow such a fracas to take place again.”

Sisitharan was produced at the Jaffna Magistrate’s Courts before Magistrate Sinnathurai Sathiskaran after he surrendered himself to the Police along with a few University academic/administration staff members.
Tamil National Alliance spokesperson M. A. Sumanthiran appeared in court for Sisitharan and sought bail.
The case will be taken for hearing on 25 August.

Sisitharan says he has also complained about the boys who assaulted him. It was not pre-planned by us and so I will stand for the responsibility I took as the student’s union president.

After the incident, Sisitharan on his Facebook wall has noted a little verse that reads as:

“Loving relatives,
Genuine friends,
Interesting enemies,
And dangerous betrayers,
And I am a nomad in that island where all such persons live.”

Courtesy:Ceylon Today