Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri
University academics in Sri Lanka have been exercising their rights of freedom of thought and expression, association and peaceful assembly and articulating broader issues of national concern for many decades.
Academics have also exercised trade union rights during this period. The Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) is the umbrella trade union of nearly 43 sister unions representing the academics of 14 universities of the country.
Over the last several years, FUTA has been actively engaged in improving the working environment of Sri Lankan universities, and has resorted to various forms of trade union actions when and where necessary.
While FUTA’s main call was originally for the recognition and rewarding of the academic profession in a manner that enables universities to recruit and retain the best qualified academics the past year has seen FUTA’s platform broaden in response to the myriad problems within the university system. The FUTA has been lobbying and campaigning for higher investment in entire education of the country, against the increasing interference of the Minister of Higher Education in the management of universities including academic matters, political interference in appointing Vice Chancellors, blatant violations of the Universities Act and the attempt to pass a new law governing universities without consultation of academics or other stakeholders.
Currently, the FUTA is campaigning with the intention of constructively engaging with the government in fulfilling its responsibilities towards protecting and strengthening the public education sector including universities. We are asking for a process to be initiated in good faith and in consultation of university academics to revitalize the public universities in the country. Upon failing to arrive at consensus in achieving the aforesaid objectives, we have been compelled to resort to trade union action.
On June 13th 2012, FUTA notified the relevant authorities that it would launch a trade union action on 4th July in furtherance of these demands. Immediately following the declaration of the aforesaid trade union action, a process of intimidation, threatening and mud slinging was launched against the FUTA President, Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri, Senior Lecturer and Head, Department of History, University of Colombo. On the afternoon of 19th June, individuals claiming to be from the Ministry of Defence approached his neighbours’ houses and made inquiries about his and his daughter’s movements. They also asked to be allowed to climb over a neighbour’s wall to see the number plate of Dr. Dewasiri. These individuals have been loitering in the vicinity of Dr. Dewasiri’s house for several hours. On a previous day too, the same individuals had inquired about Dr. Dewasiri’s household claiming that a person from his household had applied for a foreign employment. Dr. Dewasiri lodged complaints over these suspicious activities at the Maharagama Police Station (CIB 144/295) on the advice of the Inspector General of Police (IGP)’s office. FUTA also alerted the IGP, the Secretaries to the Ministries of Defence and Higher Education.
The following day the FUTA representatives held a meeting with the Minister of Higher Education and his officials and in the course of the discussion the delegates informed the Minister about the said incidents. The Minister claimed ignorance of the incident and took the view that this might have been a concocted story.
FUTA held a press conference on 22nd June during which Dr. Dewasiri reiterated the stand of the FUTA and its determination to continue with the trade union action. After a short while the conference ended, he received a phone call from an individual claiming to be a university student and stated that Dr. Dewasiri was ruining his future. Further, he threatened the lives of him, his family and intimated that he knew the movements of his family. This attempt at intimidation by levelling threats of a criminal nature to Dr Dewasiri and his family in the name of university students should be vehemently condemned by a civilized society.
FUTA and all university academics strongly condemn these threats against its President Dr. Dewasiri and voice the extreme concern over the safety of Dr. Dewasiri and his family. Furthermore, the FUTA condemns these attempts to obstruct university academics’ constitutional right to engage in trade union actions through intimidation and harassment.
As an academic community, we uphold the values of freedom of thought, expression, right to association and peaceful assembly. We also reiterate that FUTA trade union action has always been peaceful and within the bounds of the law.
We call upon His Excellency the President to ensure the personal security of Dr. Dewasiri and his family and of all university academics in general and to give us a guarantee that we can continue to exercise our rights as we have done for decades in the past.
FUTA and all university academics assert that we will not be deterred from our course of action to protect higher education in Sri Lanka through these tactics, and will continue by all legitimate means to win our demands.(ENDS)
Signed.
Dr. Terrence Madhujith
Secretary
(Text of STATEMENT issued by FUTA over THREATS AGAINST DR NIRMAL RANJITH DEWASIRI, Its PRESIDENT)