FUTA says academics harassed

FUTA president Nirmal Ranjith

The Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) says a group of academics who attended a conference overseas have been harassed after the military claimed that they had gone to attend an event in support of the LTTE.
Recently the Chief of Defense Staff General Jagath Jayasuriya made a public statement claiming that some academics had attended a conference organised by the Transnational Government of Tamil Ealam.
Subsequently, the Secretary, Ministry of Higher Education, Dr Sunil Jayantha Navaratne as well as the UGC Chairperson Prof Kshanika Hiriburegama had said that investigations are underway about the participation of several Sri Lankan academics at this conference.

US Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012: Respect for Civil Liberties in dengeour

a. Freedom of Speech and Press - Internet Freedom' Academic Freedom and Cultural Events
b.Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association - Freedom of Assembly; Freedom of Association
c. Freedom of Religion

Sri Lankan National Security Media Centre hacked and defaced by Game Over

A Hacker with twitter handle "@ThisIsGame0ver" has hacked into the official website of Sri Lanka's Media Center for National Security.

The Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) was established for the specific purpose of disseminating all national security and defence-related information and data to the Media and the public from one co-coordinated centre.

Jaffna University VC gags academics speaking to media

Calling the Teachers’ Associations and talking to them in an intimidating way, the Colombo-appointed Jaffna University Vice Chancellor Prof Vasanthi Arasaratnam warned them sternly against speaking to media on the affairs of the university and on the issue of re-opening it. The VC cited directives from the defence establishment of occupying Sri Lanka in gagging the academics, heads of departments and the teachers’ unions. While the academics are enraged over the role played by the VC, the students of the university observing boycott are individually harassed and intimidated everyday by the occupying Sinhala military that calls them to the camps and visits their residences in coercing them to drop the boycott.

SL military begins war on Jaffna University teachers

 The mood of the Jaffna University academics listening to the occupying SL Commander Maj Gen Mahinda Hathurusinghe at Palaali on Friday

The telephone summoning of the Jaffna University Teachers’ Association (JUTA) president and head of English language teaching at the university, A Rajakumaran, to the Terrorist Investigation Department (TID) of occupying Sri Lanka on Friday is widely seen in the university circles as the beginning of a direct war on the Tamil university teachers by the occupying State. Rajakumaran is summoned in connection with his media statement, especially to the BBC, on the student protest in the university and in connection with his reported comments on the views that in future the teachers’ union and the students’ union should jointly observe the Heroes Day as a measure against situations such as the one unfolded this year.