Death threats to Jaffna university student leaders, faculty heads

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 September 2007, 12:14 GMT]
Pamphlets containing a death-list of thirteen members of Jaffna University Student Union (JUSU) and faculty heads were pasted in the campus walls Friday night, creating fear among the undergraduates, and disrupting normal educational activities, sources in Jaffna said. Unless immediate efforts are taken to stop the death threats, the students will be forced to agitate, JUSU representatives who wish to remain anonymous said to TamilNet Saturday.

The Vice-chancellor and other interested organs have issued a public request all related parties to help create a conducive atmosphere to carry on educational activities.

The JUSU also has extended a similar plea.

The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) high command in Jaffna, when contacted by the VC and other organizations, said the SLA is not associated in anyway with the pamphlets, and offered to help to restore normalcy, the sources added.

The JUSU representatives, however, recalled that the armed men who had forcibly entered their campus and assaulted persons including the Campus security guard still remain at large due to the disinterest of the law agencies in Jaffna peninsula.

The JUSU pointed out the number of students killed after being issued with death threats, and urged the authorities concerned to take immediate and positive measures to find and punish the persons responsible for the anonymous posters and notices.

The JUSU and the students of Jaffna peninsula will not hesitate to agitate if constructive measures are not taken at the earliest, JUSU representatives said.

The student leaders do no want to be named, as persons in the forefront of student agitations earlier had been targeted by the Sri Lanka Armed Forces and the Tamil paramilitary armed men, they added.