Undergrads arrested for ragging at Kelaniya University -- Update 2

Undergrads arrested for ragging at Kelaniya University -- Update 2

Because of the incident of ragging of a First Year student at Kelaniya Campus which was subject to debate in the recent past, students of First yYar and students of other Years senior to her were taken into custody, which incident incidentally however was not analysed by various people in

the proper manner.

A dialogue of disapproval is continuing on an administrative level in this respect of having to face reprimands of harsh words while the extremists connected to the Frontline Socialists see it as an attempt by politicians to tame campuses. Whatever it is, the first Year undergraduate who has got cornered in this incident displays her high-handedness because of the connections she has with a relative, a criticism is so pointed at her. However a friend of a relative brother of this undergraduate who records a comment about this incident across the Facebook says that all those stories are bogus. it is also stated that the father of the victimised undergraduate is presently overseas and that there is no relation of hers connected to politics as such. The comment made by Ishan Jayawardena in the Facebook revealing everything according to what the victim said is as follows:

"The hottest topic in the Bookie these days is the incident of ragging at Kelaniya University. After having faced a series of consequences this First Year student was finally produced before the law  and I noticed that in that instance many people had expressed their opinions in most places. According to Pages of the Extremists she is the daughter of a politician. All what has taken place is because of her political strength. Since I was aware of this undergraduate and this series of incidents right from the start I deem it a duty of mine to respond to these 'mud-slinging' targetted at her and write this note with that view in mind.

She is a relative sister of one of my best friends. Even when I came to know about these incidents she had been pressurised at the hands of senior students. Since she did not positively respond to instructions issued to First Year students to adhere to the manner in which First Year students in relation to the attire and the manner of their hair-do should look, on most days senior male students as well as female students had followed her. They had even taken the steps of dragging her by the hand forcibly and taking her to a place known as 'Bemma' where ragging is done. On most of these occasions when  the seniors had threatened her and reprimanded her she had managed to get them on tape. On a day before the Sinhala New Year she had been pursued by a clique of senior male students and female students. This crowd who managed to corner her at a bus-stop had started making threats at her. That is by saying that if she does not accede to their commands, acid would be thrown on her. At that moment she had responded saying that 'she would not bow down to them and that she would dress the same way even after the New Year holiday and that if the seniors would would follow her in this manner that she would complain to the university administration'. (audio tapes available).

Lectures begin once again after the New Year celebrations. As said earlier she is brave enough to go to the campus without making any changes in her attire. After the lectures she comes out of the lecture hall and she finds that the seniors keep following her.  Since it had not been possible to get at her outside the lecture hall at a later date they approach her at the lecture hall itself. Before that, Second Year students had got themselves attired and surround the lecture hall. She is able to record how she is threatened by Second Year students from her mobile phone (audio tapes available).

She: You can't violate human rights hiding behind the culture.

They: If you can.

She: I can.

They: Do you understand Sinhala?

She: I can understand both languages.

They: Right. You can wear that trouser and keep one foot forward. Yakko ... if Patrick Sir's daughter wears ... why can't you?

She: Why ... just because she wears ... should I also wear?

She then tries to get a call from her phone. They try to grab her phone.

Whatever it is, she does not allow them to grab her phone. By that time the call she took to the Lecturer Chaminda Abeysinghe gets connected. When matters reach a stage where she is threatened in the presence of the Second Year students she is given a slap. When this incident happens some First Year students who watches this, Mr. Chaminda Abeysingha who was on the line at that moment having given ear to all this then arrives at the lecture hall in search of this victim. (Though the First Year students have not admitted that she was assaulted, it is mentioned about it in the SMS sent to her).

The said Lecturer who rescues her from the Second Year students according to instructions of the Vice Chancellor of the university proceeds to Kiribathgoda Police Station in her company and lodges a complaint for the first time. Though a certain idea has been spread by Extremists and those in favour of ragging that this complaint has been lodged by the victim, what genuinely had happened was that it was the university who was instrumental in making this complaint. After the said complaint a certain First Year student and a female student influences her by asking her to withdraw her complaint. The humorous part of this is that the very female student who makes this influence is someone who prior to this had admitted herself to hospital and had got treated for her a cut she herself inflict on her for not being able to bear the pangs of ragging. Of the 7 students who are presently remanded, 2 are of the First Year and of those two the aforementioned student and the female student can be found.

Further, it is those who are in favour of ragging who brands the victim's father as a politician and portrays these incidents as a case of political revenge. In actuality her father is at this time not in the island. He is in service overseas. No member of her family is attached to politics and she has been courageous enough to conceal these happenings of turmoil from her home-people and instead face them herself. While thousands bow down and undergo sufferings, I personally believe that the tribute of the entire society goes to her for not bending her head to them and appearing for her Rights bravely.