CTTU will not support Defence Fund

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 June 2000, 19:22 GMT]
The twenty-thousand member strong Ceylon Tamil Teachers Union has informed the President of Sri Lanka that its members would not contribute two-day salary each month as requested, to the Defence Fund as they consider the present war executed by the government is against the Tamil community. The Union has also threatened to strike if certain demands, including payment of arrears and distribution of textbooks, is not done by July 7.

In a memorandum sent to Ms Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge, the Ceylon Tamil Teachers' Union has said:

1. The CTTU strongly condemns the decision of the Government to continue the war. It further condemns the government for the aerial bombing and shelling on civilian targets in Jaffna and Kilinochchi districts and using civilians as human shield in areas where intensive fighting takes place.

The CTTU requests Her Excellency the President to stop the war immediately and to find a permanent political solution to the ethnic problem through negotiations with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam under the mediation of Norway or India without further delay.

2. The CTTU strongly protests to the decision of the government asking the public servants to donate at least two day's salary each month to the Defence Fund.

The CTTU wishes to point out that Tamil teachers are of opinion that the present war executed by the government is totally against the Tamil community. Hence Tamil teachers would not contribute to the Defence Fund. Therefore the CTTU requests the government to take steps against Zonal Directors and Principals who exert pressure directly or indirectly on teachers in this regard.

3. The CTTU condemns the decision of the University Grants Commission to close down the Trincomalee Affiliated University College. The CTTU requests the government to issue a gazette notification to make the Affiliated University College, Trincomalee as a Campus of the Eastern University.

4.The CTTU requests the government to complete the distribution of Tamil medium textbooks to students before the end of this month.

5. Action should be taken to amalgamate the Batticaloa Vipulananda Music and Dance College with the Eastern University.

6. Action should be taken to pay the salary arrears and risk allowance for the year 1999 before the end of June.

The C.T.T.U. has issued an ultimatum to the government if the authorities failed to fulfil all the above six demands before the end of this month, principals and teachers would stage a one -day token strike on July 7. If the demands are not met even after July 7, teachers would go on strike from July 21 and also they would boycott G.C.E.A/L Examinations scheduled to begin on July 31.