Jaffna undergrads temporarily suspend boycott

[TamilNet, Monday, 21 May 2007, 21:53 GMT]
In response to the request made by Jaffna University Acting vice-chancellor (VC), Jaffna Government Agent (GA), University Senate and Education society members, the Jaffna University Student Union (JUSU) temporarily suspended the boycott, JUSU leaders said. The students launched the boycott in protest against the abduction of students, intrusion into the campus by armed men and the violations perpetrated by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and collaborating paramilitaries disrupting educational activities in Jaffna peninsula.

The students will attend lectures Tuesday and the boycott was withdrawn taking into consideration the outstation students who were about to leave the peninsula due to the volatile situation, JUSU representatives said.

The pledges made by the University administration and other key officials to bring about an atmosphere conducive to learning were reasons for the withdrawal of the boycott, they added.

Mavai Senathirajah, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Jaffna parliamentarian had raised the issues with the President of Sri Lanka, sources in Jaffna said.

The VC and other higher authorities had met with the SLA Jaffna Commander to discuss ways of resuming educational activities of the university, the sources added.

The boycott by the peninsula students in protest against the abduction of their fellow students, however, continues as the fate of the four abducted high school students remains unknown.

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